From the top of the world with the “golden” U20 of the united Yugoslaviain Nigrita Serron and the National Star.
The story of Milan Pavlovic was special and today revealed to News Bulletin 247 and the Christos Sotirakopoulos the background to his arrival in Greece, rather than going to a major European team as was done with other teammates from the U20 World Cup in Chile in 1987.
The war in Sarajevo made him gradually leave his homelandfound himself in Serbia and from there in Greece, and although he expected to play for Aris in the end he first fought for Nigrita Serronfollowed by Karditsa and played in the UEFA Cup with Iraklis.
His last stop is the National Starwhile as a coach he worked for Asteras Tripoli and Olympiakos, working with guys like Kostas Fortounis and Panagiotis Retsos.
Details of what Milan Pavlovic said to Christos Sotirakopoulos
About the “golden” U20 of the united Yugoslavia, World Champion in the corresponding World Cup in Chile and how it ended up in Greece: “I was unlucky, because I was playing in Zeleznicar Sarajevo, one of the good teams of the time. We had great talent, overflowing, and our strength was the whole. There were guys who didn’t play well, but they were important to the climate in the hotel we were in Chile for 21 days. Mr. Rehagel had done the same with the Greek National Team in 2004, and managed to win the Euro.
There have been quite a few great players over the years, if you look at it now and there was Yugoslavia, imagine if Modric played with Mirotic and Tadic, I think they could have been World Champions. Everything happened, without anyone asking us what we want.
Osim was the coach and then took over the Yugoslavian national team, with excellent collaborators who remained with the team after his departure. I had offers from Spain, Germany and France, they had taken me from Sosso and I really wanted to go. The pay was very good and he played in Europe. All this happened before the war. The war broke out in Sarajevo, my wife was pregnant, we went to Serbia and the only country that accepted us was Greece. I never had a manager and I came with my friends. They said I’m not the real Pavlovic.
My first team in Greece was Nigritas Serron, then I went with my friends to Edessaikos. My friends had not left the phone, so that those who wanted to contact them, and they could not find us. I was in Iraklis and I had an offer from a Champions League team and it didn’t happen because the time frames were tight. I had many such cases and as the coach I was, I had proposals to take over national teams, something happened and I didn’t make it to the final selection”.
About where he is now: “I’m in Serbia. I help out at a large sports center. I feel an obligation to give to my city, to the children and their parents, as a coach, as an instructor and I had worked at Olympiakos, bringing several children like Fortounis and Retsos out of the academies. I worked with several young children, like Kyriakopoulos, and other children from Astera Tripoli and Olympiakos, and I am very happy that they are developing”.
About whether he regretted coming to Greece: “I would not say that. With Iraklis we went to the UEFA Cup, with Karditsa we had a remarkable run and beat Olympiakos in the Greek Cup, with Ethniki Asteras we had a very good run and then I worked at Asteras Tripoli and Olympiakos, and the experiences I got from the football”.
Source: Sport Fm
I am currently a news writer for News Bulletin247 where I mostly cover sports news. I have always been interested in writing and it is something I am very passionate about. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.
