tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82398808926703957642024-03-18T19:49:51.933-07:00Bosnian Football CultureEssays on Football Culture from Bosnia and HercegovinaDirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-44843015371019023492023-08-24T02:12:00.003-07:002023-08-24T02:14:24.273-07:00 Hoće li Turska biti hrvatska mahala? (Türkiye Hırvat mahallesi mi olacak?)<p>Hoće li Turska louse hrvatska mahala?</p><p>(Will Türkiye be a Croatian neighborhood?)</p><p>16 years ago, a friendly match was played between Bosnia and Croatia in Sarajevo, and throughout the match, Bosnian fans chanted a slogan to anger the Croats: "Zagreb će biti Turska mahala" (Zagreb will be a Turkish quarter)</p><p>When I saw the fridge magnets embroidered with the Croatian flag on the map of Turkey on Twitter, that match came to my mind.</p><p>Of course, there is no point in producing conspiratorial theories. There must have been some confusion at the factory in China, where all the magnets are made. But here are some Balkan issues </p><p>The article I shared about my match impressions 16 years ago is <a href="http://bosnianfootballculture.blogspot.com/2008/06/zagreb-e-biti-turska-mahala.html">here</a>.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxlg8PANBUmHVWpCxth8oBAyS2vu9lKNtD0AQ5vYQMbdaWe78o6JoGWdSj1WnhJvvSfGvNOz3RIdDiPIAfX5JR66ZqKetXmd9zeUqqIMLDc1_nAHByeB44lwfTU1FY7LKAGHa2zQ3QwD9Vig_WDRLCnUOLkgMDTHbfE2qdEmqLpj6n0FeKtZKI7e_489YA/s4096/F3b1AasWEAELjIh.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="3065" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxlg8PANBUmHVWpCxth8oBAyS2vu9lKNtD0AQ5vYQMbdaWe78o6JoGWdSj1WnhJvvSfGvNOz3RIdDiPIAfX5JR66ZqKetXmd9zeUqqIMLDc1_nAHByeB44lwfTU1FY7LKAGHa2zQ3QwD9Vig_WDRLCnUOLkgMDTHbfE2qdEmqLpj6n0FeKtZKI7e_489YA/s320/F3b1AasWEAELjIh.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><p></p>Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-18210576349350546492022-12-03T17:21:00.001-08:002022-12-03T17:21:17.615-08:00<p> </p><h1><span lang="TR">Željezničar – Konyaspor<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="TR">Stadium: Grbavica / Sarajevo<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="TR">Time: November 29, 2022 – 18.00<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUuPCiQiCVxRJJaqJOcoylP7Q0usiAb1_v8i8tgQUdITxPRpU6rk-NxylOnPp2lH0CWogjT4d6m8xwFR9jjVIL7Zx6g2odwc1hV7kZCR7-KE2pTPP1iGC6FcezTp69BehGYrPLzGhCAGg6hYuRcqQXF4wneF0arvzbtQX9APTuC0u919-Cb09l9YyO2Q/s4000/20221129_175419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="4000" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUuPCiQiCVxRJJaqJOcoylP7Q0usiAb1_v8i8tgQUdITxPRpU6rk-NxylOnPp2lH0CWogjT4d6m8xwFR9jjVIL7Zx6g2odwc1hV7kZCR7-KE2pTPP1iGC6FcezTp69BehGYrPLzGhCAGg6hYuRcqQXF4wneF0arvzbtQX9APTuC0u919-Cb09l9YyO2Q/w640-h288/20221129_175419.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>I haven't posted on this blog for a long time.
The reason why I opened this page in 2007 was to create a medium where I could
write comfortably by going out of the academy from time to time during my
doctoral dissertation study on "Football support in Sarajevo". For a
while, Turkey was always matched with Bosnia and Herzegovina in the same
qualifying groups, and the articles on the blog mostly focused on the national
team of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In other words, the axis of the blog had
inadvertently shifted from the Bosnian league to the national team of Bosnia.
After that, I completely distanced myself from the subject and my interest in
Bosnian football decreased to the level of one or two games a year.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fortunately, I was in Sarajevo in the most
important matches of the last 10 years. I was in Grbavica for the first night
game on 22 April 2009 after the reconstruction of the war-torn lighting system.
On April 1, 2017, I was at the stadium in the first match of the newly constructed Grbavica's
East Stand (Istok). I won't make any promises, but I can share a few notes on
these matches later. As far as I remember…</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="TR">Unfortunately, I could not attend
Željezničar's 100th Anniversary celebrations last year. I had to content myself
with staring at the lights of Grbavica with sad eyes as I grappled with the
scourge of Covid at home.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5H9x13WdvLLqlEEtzMYiT4u87txHCr2AFVBMesVGLGu8AQ3OP9tRZ4QNqLlsudUCGC9WkYzsVcxCTH6ho3GCoSAxYVl79CYg_Afa_FN1Be7dI9ngIlQJgG-dPPtp2KKIckRox7tI2q6vfNXzvVtEGx8B8_0U_LveyR2FYUN0Pm9tOa8_UGREAOzOnGA/s1600/20221129_203219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="721" data-original-width="1600" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5H9x13WdvLLqlEEtzMYiT4u87txHCr2AFVBMesVGLGu8AQ3OP9tRZ4QNqLlsudUCGC9WkYzsVcxCTH6ho3GCoSAxYVl79CYg_Afa_FN1Be7dI9ngIlQJgG-dPPtp2KKIckRox7tI2q6vfNXzvVtEGx8B8_0U_LveyR2FYUN0Pm9tOa8_UGREAOzOnGA/s320/20221129_203219.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grbavica through my window.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">There have been some developments lately that
has made me refocus on Bosnian football culture. At the end of the summer, a
message came from Tanıl Bora, editör of the respected social sciences
periodical Toplum ve Bilim (Society and Science): “Would you write something
about the World Cup in Qatar?” Of course, I could not refuse it. Thus began the
process that allowed me to take “football culture” seriously again. At the end
of September, I prepared an online presentation on “Bosnian women's football”
at a conference in Zagreb. When I announced this on social media, a few friends
encouraged me to restart my studies on Bosnian football.</span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="TR">It has been almost 15 years since I finished
my one-year field research for my thesis, and when I look back, I realized that
Bosnian football culture did not take a lot attendance in the meanwhile by other
scholars. I thought that it would not be bad to focus on the subject again.
Moreover, this time, I do not have an obligation such as a "thesis".<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="TR">After spending almost the entire Fall in
Turkey, coming back to Sarajevo I decided to renew my enthusiasm for Bosnian football
culture as soon as I arrived.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="TR">While looking at my social media accounts, I
came across an announcement from Željezničar's official Twitter account: There
was a friendly match against Konyaspor on November 29. Here is the opportunity
to start my field research again!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMFRgGVpmv05uVWqf-8ufnbH8FlwK3rIZcfSofX2DabwQGwAMqZJB6GUdvi5xn0QbtDJl8GompbUq4MrAi_4K2EjWuTrAKyL0XCXcZz-qijCMop-hVovC3N7S21kJ2vlcIg__wAC2NtlXBWTCtP_ZNpxJ-HfdTmI8MOXybq_cbnFo3RegCKMOkqpdGg/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202022-12-02%20at%2001.27.36.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="737" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMFRgGVpmv05uVWqf-8ufnbH8FlwK3rIZcfSofX2DabwQGwAMqZJB6GUdvi5xn0QbtDJl8GompbUq4MrAi_4K2EjWuTrAKyL0XCXcZz-qijCMop-hVovC3N7S21kJ2vlcIg__wAC2NtlXBWTCtP_ZNpxJ-HfdTmI8MOXybq_cbnFo3RegCKMOkqpdGg/s320/WhatsApp%20Image%202022-12-02%20at%2001.27.36.jpeg" width="147" /></a></div>After 15 years, I took the road to Grbavica
again as an ethnographer. In fact, I have been to Grbavica several times during
this period. After all, it is the team of my neighborhood…<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ZlSO15ARuEHlG465KComLXeyUCzqJVPReryAgth2NoO5sVpHtzklAahxKhmP1kbwcv0EeyDmijmCXHMyVc1E9qRuQ05lq9tn-H49smF9Zrl_YKRcVfoiLmYfIhl4GFYlyL-FG6wpqpi6p9Z5TdogoZTvQMlCf7IKgr1lkVN1_mYDb2_lfHSEYOfvzg/s1600/3march2007%20001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ZlSO15ARuEHlG465KComLXeyUCzqJVPReryAgth2NoO5sVpHtzklAahxKhmP1kbwcv0EeyDmijmCXHMyVc1E9qRuQ05lq9tn-H49smF9Zrl_YKRcVfoiLmYfIhl4GFYlyL-FG6wpqpi6p9Z5TdogoZTvQMlCf7IKgr1lkVN1_mYDb2_lfHSEYOfvzg/s320/3march2007%20001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZPhtqFuVvosXB7fDR-oc9YUHitMDlECh0UHZx7nbRGrRamp5rNZapNiaOjO2tcqtv_OlwnJZOYTTmDt9WMM8MYKYJfEvUjn4nE_YmRbaYnFmkjQ-wwVpI-avW7UTM-frGSQ26d6I6QJdCYGU82xpGrtUiA-tyso__MDYmR_kr9FL26zqo_cJ6QF6mA/s1600/3march2007%20006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZPhtqFuVvosXB7fDR-oc9YUHitMDlECh0UHZx7nbRGrRamp5rNZapNiaOjO2tcqtv_OlwnJZOYTTmDt9WMM8MYKYJfEvUjn4nE_YmRbaYnFmkjQ-wwVpI-avW7UTM-frGSQ26d6I6QJdCYGU82xpGrtUiA-tyso__MDYmR_kr9FL26zqo_cJ6QF6mA/s320/3march2007%20006.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first match in Grbavica and the first photos I have taken for the fieldwork.</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal">The match with Konyaspor is Željo's fourth
match against a Turkish team, and all four matches are friendly. They played
their first match against Adana Demirspor (Railway workers’ club of Adana) in
1953 and won 4-1. Long live the brotherhood of railway workers! In the summer
of 1965, they went on a tour to Istanbul and drew 0-0 with Galatasaray and
defeated Beşiktaş 1-0. In the previous evening's match, they lost 2-1 to
Konyaspor.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj284kdQNsYGwuFyMz6M3Lq1RIBb10mqGFIw8kkyjeKMuvivpVWRwTVT-TPxOMF1vq_GxkwYwi9aXX3FjpJiY3JMSBOy3x_SOiuam3DINvI2nStFjw142L0xvOJRxOEkqJ2iCxnRhCHlkWIYnxobeJuCSYjKrAaC8Y1MN3rLI7odZV5mE_LeLu8YMH-A/s1600/20221129_195029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="721" data-original-width="1600" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj284kdQNsYGwuFyMz6M3Lq1RIBb10mqGFIw8kkyjeKMuvivpVWRwTVT-TPxOMF1vq_GxkwYwi9aXX3FjpJiY3JMSBOy3x_SOiuam3DINvI2nStFjw142L0xvOJRxOEkqJ2iCxnRhCHlkWIYnxobeJuCSYjKrAaC8Y1MN3rLI7odZV5mE_LeLu8YMH-A/s320/20221129_195029.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal">In the first minutes of the match, it was obvious
that the football players from Konyaspor had a very weak relationship with the slippery
ground. The temperature, which reached 2 Celsius at the time of the match,
pointed to the "hidden icing" and the football players of Konyaspor
were constantly slipping and falling. I was thinking: “Oh guys, did you come
from Antalya?” as Konya is also known to be under effect of continental
climate with freezing temperatures in winter. However, they recovered quickly
as and found their first serious goal-posting in the seventh minute. Just after,
in the eighth minute, Konya scored the first goal with Iche Ikpeazu. In the
ninth minute, Željo's Brazilian Santos dribbled well from the left, but his
last shot was bad. In the 11th minute, with Croatian player Pavicic’s goal, Konya
doubled the lead. Željo responded with Haydarevic in the 21st minute. You can
watch how interesting this goal is in the 14-minute video shared on
Željezničar's official Youtube account.<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jkDJ7KrLjuo" width="320" youtube-src-id="jkDJ7KrLjuo"></iframe></div><br />
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="TR">The remaining 70 minutes of the game,
especially the last half hour, were terribly boring. The cold and misty weather
may have also been effective. Although there was movement in the last
minutes, it was not enough to warm either the players or us, who were about
to freeze in the stands. The referee was merciful and finished the match
exactly in the 90th minute. Without adding one single second as extra time…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="TR">Maybe it wasn't a very bright match for
football, except for the first 20 minutes, but there were emotional and
beautiful moments. Two Bosnian players of Konyaspor, İbrahim Şehiç and Amir
Hacıahmetovic, got plenty of applause and cheers from the stands as they left
the game. Şehiç and Hacıahmetovic, who took the first steps of their football
careers in Grbavica, were announced as "children of Željo". Born in
1997 in Denmark, Hadziahmetovic started playing football in Nexo and spent
seven years in Željo between 2009 and 2016. He has been on the A team for the
last two years. The goalkeeper Şehic, born in 1988, started football in Željo
and played in Željo between 2007-2011. Hacıahmetovic was in the champion squad
in 2009/10 and Şehic in 2014/15.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="TR">What about the fans?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="TR">As I mentioned above, during my fieldwork in
2007, with one exception, I watched all the matches in Grbavica with Željo's
legendary fan group Manijaci (Maniacs) in the south stand (Jug). Actually, “I
watched the matches” would be a misnomer. It would be more accurate to say that
I watched the ones who are watching the matches. The only exception was the
match when Manijaci watched in the north stand (Sjever) due to the snow in the
south stands.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="TR">After I submitted my thesis, as a family man,
I watched it in Sjever with middle-aged audiences called “pabuçari”, that is,
“slippers”. Since I started field research again, I had to return to Jug. Jug
had about 100 fans in all. I toured the terraces a few times but couldn't
meet any of the old fans. The main fan base was in İstok, the newly opened
eastern tribune. Maybe the fans who were in Jug 15 years ago preferred Istok,
whereas they get older, they are less rough-and-tumble. It is necessary to
experience Istok in the upcoming matches.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS273YM9_0dvAin4ElvNygItJPvjhWVSzq_A77I9UTK0dmhAu8WHO-eVGE4Ezaqf0DclFuELfdDbaOKF2BfWHvdd6tAx1WvWheHpAb1ELHJ0ARFb45-FwZn4WSKpPoWsf-_mydNgdke3L11s95Kg8zafXoV0AIJ8wXXN6lodxZO1N6xQyt3_D-cq2LjA/s1600/20221129_184648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="721" data-original-width="1600" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS273YM9_0dvAin4ElvNygItJPvjhWVSzq_A77I9UTK0dmhAu8WHO-eVGE4Ezaqf0DclFuELfdDbaOKF2BfWHvdd6tAx1WvWheHpAb1ELHJ0ARFb45-FwZn4WSKpPoWsf-_mydNgdke3L11s95Kg8zafXoV0AIJ8wXXN6lodxZO1N6xQyt3_D-cq2LjA/s320/20221129_184648.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The newly constructed Istok (East) terraces.</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="TR">Of course, the performance of the fans was
quite low due to the friendly match. Before the start of the match, there was a
nice ambiance while the famous song of Tifa, Željezničar's trademark "Grbavica",
was played on the loudspeakers of the stadium, but Grbavica was almost silent
throughout the match.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4-fYysSrP5Q" width="320" youtube-src-id="4-fYysSrP5Q"></iframe></div>If you want to listen "Grbavica" from Tifa:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v3R5z38brnk" width="320" youtube-src-id="v3R5z38brnk"></iframe></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal">In the meantime, about ten fans of Konyaspor
in Zapad (West) tribune, and about 20 in Istok, attracted my attention. They
were probably Turkish students in Sarajevo.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZiMIXxJpn0XGEpLevZAQhkFS_sfXiHNp4qNmxoqqEKS76hR1Ee_7Uk6F0DU4bGc8PR7FwmYmrH6hc6Nh6SA18wY6AWY9dJc1nFdkBdXxNNgKDDyPqSr9zNAZhY4rsQCyJ-uqCF1zJDGcJUIXqMOcHCwWF2UnPim9oonamkrquQYJTH3cu-3ifI3rFSA/s1600/20221129_195402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1600" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZiMIXxJpn0XGEpLevZAQhkFS_sfXiHNp4qNmxoqqEKS76hR1Ee_7Uk6F0DU4bGc8PR7FwmYmrH6hc6Nh6SA18wY6AWY9dJc1nFdkBdXxNNgKDDyPqSr9zNAZhY4rsQCyJ-uqCF1zJDGcJUIXqMOcHCwWF2UnPim9oonamkrquQYJTH3cu-3ifI3rFSA/s320/20221129_195402.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It is quite difficult for me to acceot that this heroic locomotive symbolizing Zeljo is dumped outside of the stadium.</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="TR"> </span></p>Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-57816242552465397372014-06-22T10:27:00.000-07:002014-06-22T10:30:54.809-07:003 + 1 Articles on Bosnian National Squad and Football Fans <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After last night's Nigeria-Bosnia match, Bosnia and Herzegovina had a farewell to Brasil 2014. For Bosnia, the match against Iran will not be more than a struggle for prestige. In this circumstance, we have more time to read about Bosnian football culture, than watching the games.<br /><br />In June, three articles are published about Bosnian football and the fans of the Bosnian national football team. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Simon Kuper's article published in June 6, 2014 in Fiancial Times titled "<a href="http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/34473e18-ec52-11e3-ab1b-00144feabdc0.html#axzz35NmFnLKk">Bosnia and Herzegovina's World Cup Debut</a>" is the first one. In the article, Kuper does not have a claim to discover something new about football in Bosnia. But, having been stayed in Bosnia to work on this article, he just transmits the Bosnian reality through his eyes. Without doubt, it is a great joy to read Bosnian football from the writer of "Football Against Enemy", the legendary masterpiece on sociology of football. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />It is known that, the person who only knows about football, in fact does not know anything football. That is why Kuper's articles are that enjoyable to read and they are that brain blooming: Because his point of interest is not only football. Indeed, when he was in Sarajevo, he wrote one more article titled "<a href="http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/293938b2-afcd-11e3-9cd1-00144feab7de.html#axzz35NmFnLKk">Sarajevo: The Crossroads of History</a>" about the 100th anniversary of Ferdinand's assasin, which was the reason to start the First World War.<br /><br />This is the article, by which I mean as +1 in the headline of this blog entry.<br /><br />The second article is written by a young journalist: Fatih Saboviç. As can be understood from his surname, he is of Bosnian origin living in Turkey. He wrote an article titled: "<a href="http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/spor/futbol/26650326.asp">Boşnak, Hırvat, Sırp Omuz Omuza</a>" (Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats are Shoulder to Shoulder) relying on an interview he did with the leader of Bh Fanticos. The article is in Turkish and was published in Hürriyet daily newspaper one day before Nigeria-Bosnia match, June 20, 2014. Like Kuper, Fatih is also interested in many other issues apart from football as well and a young journalist around 23-24 years old, which would be nice to keep an eye on. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Despite his young age, the codes of ethics of journalism that he respects, his maturity in his vacational professionlism and moreover his standpoint in life makes him better than many of those who are regarded as masters of sports journalism in Turkey. This interview was based on intelligent questions, with cleverly put outcomes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />The only thing I oppose in this article is the title. Only in a small part of the interview, Sanin Kariç, the leader of BH Fanaticos menitons about his will more than the reality: "Croats and Serbs in Bosnia are also with us.. We all cosntruct a united power". And it was carried to the headline by the ediotr of the newspaper. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The third article examines the issue from an opposite point of view. In fact, more than describing the current situation it seeks to find reasons about why the Bosnian Serbs and Bosnian Croats do not support the Bosnian national football team. The article written by me, titled "<a href="https://www.academia.edu/7422942/PERCEPTION_OF_BOSNIA_AND_HERZEGOVINAS_QUALIFICATION_TO_FIFA_WORLD_CUP_2014_BY_DIFFERENT_ETHNIC_GROUPS">Perception of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Qualification to World Cup 2014</a>" was published last week in the latest issue of Sportmont, the journal of the Montenegrin Academy of Sports. <br /><br />I had writtten a blog entry about my visit to Podgorica last May. Although I could not take attention of Genclerbirligi club management for the trasnfer of Stefan Magusa, at least I managed to write an acadamic article.<br /><br />I think, those who are interested in Bosnian football culture will enjoy reading those articles..</span><br />
<br /></div>
Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-54941070364241331022014-06-21T08:31:00.000-07:002014-06-21T08:31:04.176-07:00A MATCH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT IN SARAJEVO: BOSNIA and HERZEGOVINA vs. ARGENTINA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In February
2006, when it was the first time for me to be in Sarajevo, I was a bit amazed
when I saw the crowd on the streets of Sarajevo, despite the freezing cold.
Around midnight, when I went out to eat something, this time I was surprised
that the streets were almost totally empty, opposite to what I have seen only
two hours ago! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After some time I spent in Sarajevo, I have seen that the night
life in Sarajevo is not surviving on “territorial” basis, but on some special
points. In other words, the streets may be empty, but certain pubs hidden in a
silent street or under a building can be a good host for those who want to
enjoy the night life in Sarajevo.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US">T</span>his is a “football
blog” and I will surely not talk about night life in Sarajevo. However,
football became a part of night life in Sarajevo where the matches start in
midnight.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">…and an
anecdote:</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-YtkPAEVjYChjudMjBtTs6ds_eEmAnTBqMupcGccWNRjTvqAzvwHiDAxFKV5FJDJ0ldBWmmqliV4nvgNq9Q_ifrKAQrYEGntMBIcfxsmI_F8kjDG61WdMwRwQGV9H3bnK5vBkGjaC7iO/s1600/world-cup-brands-mexico-1986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-YtkPAEVjYChjudMjBtTs6ds_eEmAnTBqMupcGccWNRjTvqAzvwHiDAxFKV5FJDJ0ldBWmmqliV4nvgNq9Q_ifrKAQrYEGntMBIcfxsmI_F8kjDG61WdMwRwQGV9H3bnK5vBkGjaC7iO/s1600/world-cup-brands-mexico-1986.jpg" height="191" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Year: 1986.
The World Cup is organized in Mexico. The one when we could watch Valdano, Igor
Balnov, Butragueno, Rummenige, where Gary Lineker was the top goal scorer and
Maradona scored by the help of God’s hand. Mexico is not in the southern
hemisphere like Brazil is. In mid-June, the matches were played under the hell
shining sun of Mexico. But we, or better to say, our fathers, could watch the
games in the chilly nights. Some matches were starting at 01:00 and it was not
that easy for a kid to watch the games, whose mother is a primary school
teacher. <br />
<br />
But, in the middle of the night somebody pokes you when you are sleeping: “Dirim,
wake up. There is the match of Platini…” While murmuring and rubbing the eyes a
critical warning comes from dad: “Ssshhh. Be silent. If you mother will wake
up, she will settle our hash.” My dad could not allow his son to miss his
favourite player’s matches…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The
concepts of “World Cup” and “watching the match in the midnight” have not been
far away for my perception. I also remember that we were forced to match early
in the morning, with semi-sleeping eyes during the World Cup 2002 in
Japan-Korea, and therefore, I always prefer to watch a match in the midnight
instead of early in the morning, relying on my experiences.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTueLJfd9cp49rKCBzntylKxP2pbJs2hK26ObX9B3WOM5dj4YqmMfc5jFFEnsWhHuvNpG3nApBnZEx54IxioXJsVYxXfvlne6eSd7OeDIPlBfgwJyz-p14UBTt2T0cdq0pQvoVFF_S4LoC/s1600/10345811_632804996810757_2770071495862912073_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTueLJfd9cp49rKCBzntylKxP2pbJs2hK26ObX9B3WOM5dj4YqmMfc5jFFEnsWhHuvNpG3nApBnZEx54IxioXJsVYxXfvlne6eSd7OeDIPlBfgwJyz-p14UBTt2T0cdq0pQvoVFF_S4LoC/s1600/10345811_632804996810757_2770071495862912073_n.jpg" height="492" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cinema Kriterion,
which was opened three years ago in Sarajevo, and soon became a point of
attraction by intellectuals and artists, organized an activity. Before the
match, one episode of the documentary “Football Rebels” would be shown which is
about Predrag Pasic, an ex-player of Yugoslav National Team and recognized by
his football school Bubamara for children whom he opened during the war when
the city was under the rain of shells. After the documentary show, Predrag Pasic
was there to reply the questions of the audience. After this activity, there
was the live match broadcast on cinema screen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had to be
there…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A short description
of the place for those who have been in Sarajevo, or who will soon visit here:
Kriterion is by Miljacka River. Just 50 meters to Dom Syndikata (for those who
know; the place where there was my wedding), on the opposite side of the Greek
embassy. Visit there when you come. Enjoy a beer. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I enjoyed
the documentary film. More enjoyable was to meet with Predrag Pasic.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGykSErsXNLZIP6sP8rjNf_-bvzPa7f9G8j2sVNGmXyc6bsZbcG8u9xVarIPA-wojSIGGwnNhBPDdUsvcccL58ThmF740jW_wuaqe4DH1EeVJII4LaTIu5SBMazYlYdZ9ZuujMAYFH-41S/s1600/2014-06-15+22.32.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGykSErsXNLZIP6sP8rjNf_-bvzPa7f9G8j2sVNGmXyc6bsZbcG8u9xVarIPA-wojSIGGwnNhBPDdUsvcccL58ThmF740jW_wuaqe4DH1EeVJII4LaTIu5SBMazYlYdZ9ZuujMAYFH-41S/s1600/2014-06-15+22.32.55.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kriterion and Worl Cup Beer Special<br />Small draft beer: 2 KM<br />Big draft beer: 3 KM<br /><br />First 15 minutes of the match:<br />Pan Beer + Rakija: 2.5 KM<br />Tuborg Beer ++ Rakija: 3,5 KM<br /><br />After every goal of our team: Reneval of the drinks, on the house.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After the
documentary film, the cinema saloon began to be crowded. Kriterion was ready
for the match, not with the crowd, but with the offers as well. In the first 15
minutes of the match, a beer and a rakija were for 2.5 KM (1.25 Euros).
Moreover, renewal of the drinks is free after Bosnia’s each goal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A betting
table was prepared on the blackboard before the match. I suppose Marko had his
free beer after his correct guess. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vWO_UQJrhDAVv5vv4hyUk0-xQ7DTDbtq2pHI5DSmgsew0AVxAUJ0cyJsnraQ1ws-DFFLjxEIz0b0RS6L07XuVWcoD0PdbqqsukOCWP3RMGmFeaMlzL_-S6cN_d7tUP_nJRdbjf93Tkyp/s1600/2014-06-16+00.03.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vWO_UQJrhDAVv5vv4hyUk0-xQ7DTDbtq2pHI5DSmgsew0AVxAUJ0cyJsnraQ1ws-DFFLjxEIz0b0RS6L07XuVWcoD0PdbqqsukOCWP3RMGmFeaMlzL_-S6cN_d7tUP_nJRdbjf93Tkyp/s1600/2014-06-16+00.03.48.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I betted
for 0-0. I was thinking that strong teams like Argentina would prefer to have a
wary start for the tournament and so would be Bosnia as well, playing their
first match in World Cup. So was I as well. I learned to be wary since I
guessed 7-0 victory for Bosnia against Turkey, four years ago in a TV show in
Turkey and I decided to bet for a modest record.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">However, I
managed to be subject to reactions when I was writing my bet. Bosnians neither
would like to talk about a defeat, nor about a draw. The cars and fireworks
were ready in Sarajevo for celebrating Bosnia’s victory against Argentina. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Some say “Bosnia
needs a success”. They believe that a success of Bosnian national team in World
Cup may change the bad luck of this country. There are those who believe that a
Bosnian Croats or Bosnian Serbs may begin to support Bosnian national team, and
a belief on unity of the country may revive thanks to a success in football. I
am not that much optimistic about it. Recently I have written an article about
this and it is just published in Sportmont, the journal of Montenegrin Academy
of Sports. Soon, I will load the article in my blog. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Predrag Pasic,
the experienced football player, an experienced intellectual and an experienced
citizen of Sarajevo, expressed his pessimism and claimed that unless the
problems in political sphere are solved, it would be a dream to expect that
Bosnian Croats or Bosnian Muslims would support Bosnian national team.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It also has
to be noted that the first eleven of Bosnian squad was all Bosnian Muslim,
except Zvijezdan Misimovic. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Just at the
beginning of the match, the silence covered the souls in the cinema when the
Schalke 04’s young left wing defender, who decided to Bosnian national rejecting
the offer from German national team, Kolasinac scored an own goal. The smoke
from the cigarettes in the cinema rose from the disappointed Bosnians. Yes,
here is Bosnia and we watch the match in cinema with beers and cigarettes. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Despite the
early goal, Bosnia does not give up. They exhibit the beauties of Yugoslav
football with elegant offensive faults, with nice ankle movements, and with
short, rapid and direct passes. But they are not lucky to score. Statistics of
the match show that as well. The number of shots on goal and shots on target of
Bosnian squad is more than that of Argentina. On the other side, they lose a
lot of passes especially when the team is on attack. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The
potential stars of the match were also silent. Dzeko was marked man-to-man
quite well. And Messi was even marked by three defenders from time to time.
Another young star of Bosnia; Muhammed Besic, who was born in Berlin in 1992,
and currently playing for Ferencvaros, was like the shadow of Messi during the
whole match. It is even rumored that they saw Besic just in front of the door
of Messi’s room in the hotel after the match, waiting for him to go out. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyuF3jYefXsQoSGyP8Zo3AeUiSX1roFk4QVZER660sLD8C1otkeRm2CmrgGOcJ-KqoPzeZAr01Blc_Tet__E9KEATbcSR-qr1t47slZ53pNHAUUUj-TSO6BMMyF0jDmYt4ok-7cG0r_-A/s1600/2014-06-16+00.07.57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyuF3jYefXsQoSGyP8Zo3AeUiSX1roFk4QVZER660sLD8C1otkeRm2CmrgGOcJ-KqoPzeZAr01Blc_Tet__E9KEATbcSR-qr1t47slZ53pNHAUUUj-TSO6BMMyF0jDmYt4ok-7cG0r_-A/s1600/2014-06-16+00.07.57.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Obala Naba Kulina street and Kriterion behind during the half time of the match.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There was a
very good game in the first half an hour. But it began to be a bit boring
afterwards. I went out to have fresh air next to Miljacka in the half time.
Obala Bana Kulina was almost empty and only a few cars were passing on Sarajevo’s
one of the main streets, which was opposite to the scene just before the match.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the
second half, Messi proved his talents and scored the second goal of Argentina at
65<sup>th</sup>. I personally had hopes for Bosnia but drowsiness was settled
on Bosnian squad. In the last five minutes, they woke up from their sleep and a
veteran player, Vedad Ibisevic scored at 85, increasing the hopes as well. But
a second goal did not follow. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I witnessed
something in Sarajevo after the match, which I have never seen before: Traffic
jam at 2 am!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">However, we
reserve our hedonist attitudes for a victory against Nigeria for tonight!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-24593222619551787972014-06-21T04:28:00.000-07:002014-06-21T04:28:40.113-07:00The working paper that I submitted to FREE Research Conference in Wien in October<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjitfj2hMxHaaGouYE2N899fac1DEqOjVlI4Xsrz_odcrUQ5rUEi6cMLTkoQxJENZuToQbvFAXt2WFciT0b4V0L1PQW8cynsl6h_Sk07zJsZVbvFWHkjIgoTKfZ1SVPr7_lzpu6u_5ebHSK/s1600/LogoFREEhorizontal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjitfj2hMxHaaGouYE2N899fac1DEqOjVlI4Xsrz_odcrUQ5rUEi6cMLTkoQxJENZuToQbvFAXt2WFciT0b4V0L1PQW8cynsl6h_Sk07zJsZVbvFWHkjIgoTKfZ1SVPr7_lzpu6u_5ebHSK/s1600/LogoFREEhorizontal.jpg" height="140" width="640" /></a></div>
In October 25th and 26th, 2013, a conference titled "Identities" as a part of <a href="http://www.free-project.eu/about-free/Pages/About-FREE.aspx">FREE - Football Research in an Enlarged Europe</a> was organized in Vienna.<br /><br />I have presented a paper about my PhD research, and it is published as a "working paper". The paper can be regarded as a short summary of my PhD thesis titled; "Football Fandom and Formation of<br />
Cultural Differences in Bosnia: A Comparative Ethnographic Study on FK Željezničar and FK Sarajevo Fans in Sarajevo". If you want to read it, please click <a href="http://www.free-project.eu/documents-free/Working%20Papers/Football%20Fandom%20Formation%20Cultural%20Differences%20Bosnia%20Comparative%20Ethnographic%20Study%20Zeljeznicar%20Sarajevo%20(OD%20Ozkan).pdf">HERE</a>.<br />
<br />And please visit <a href="http://www.free-project.eu/documents-free/Pages/Workingpapers.aspx">HERE</a> to see other working papers not only submitted in the conference in Vienna, but also includes those which were presented in the four other conferences as a part of FREE project.</div>
Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-38929668289491827362014-04-13T16:48:00.000-07:002014-04-17T19:36:49.200-07:00FK MLADOST PODGORICA (ex: OFK Titograd, or ex: FK Mladost Titograd)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">(April 5,
2014 – Podgorica)</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">FK Mladost
is not a team from Bosnia, but from Montenegro. However, I believe that those
who are interested in Bosnian football culture would also enjoy reading
something about football in Montenegro. Apparently, both countries have common
political, historical and cultural traits, and having a common Yugoslav past is
one of the important junctions where both countries share similar patterns in
football culture. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">…<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJhnRJW3_eW9s964FTCSzqt64_dwVuQ48wx2sDs9TLNyLEA4XWFpa1kJL9H06I13mANjQP66Qymk3g6vUa3FPOOfAjkdrddDlDPlOo2_xzt82tWFBzrf1Mr0CaouB6e-Ezx05ZYwXRoWx/s1600/100_3504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJhnRJW3_eW9s964FTCSzqt64_dwVuQ48wx2sDs9TLNyLEA4XWFpa1kJL9H06I13mANjQP66Qymk3g6vUa3FPOOfAjkdrddDlDPlOo2_xzt82tWFBzrf1Mr0CaouB6e-Ezx05ZYwXRoWx/s1600/100_3504.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Çemovsko Polje and the surrounding Dinaric Alps.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">When
compared with the scale of the country, Montenegro has a relatively successful
national football team. They ranked at 3rd place behind England and Ukraine in
FIFA 2014 qualifying group chalking up a total 15 points. The other teams in
the group were Poland, Moldova and San Marino. On the other side Montenegrin
football league is considered as one of the low quality one according to UEFA ranking
where they stand at 42nd place above Liechtenstein and below Iceland. But they
are a bit better this season, since they were at 43rd place last year. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">Years ago,
Botaşspor from Adana (Southern Turkey) the sports club of the Iraq-Turkey crude
petrol pipeline company, which was quite famous with Women Basketball Team,
where I also was a licensed swimmer for a while, decided to establish a
football club. As was the case for the female basketball team, the first
players of the football team were the children of the employees of the company.
Although we moved from Adana to Ankara in 1987, I used to keep on spending overall
one month of a year as part of my winter and summer holidays in Adana, in Botaş.
Like any other teenager, I was playing football with my friends just before the
sunset, when the Mediterranean sun was just to lose its sharpness. From time to
time, we used to watch the training matches of Botaşspor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">There was a
player in the team. Let’s keep his name anonymous and use a nick name: Orhan.
Orhan was a good player; he was playing with his heart. But his passion was
causing him to leave his territory from time to time which was making the
trainer a bit mad about it. Trainer calls him: “Orhan!” Orhan does not hear.
Trainer increases his voice: “Orhaaan!” No reply from Orhan. Trainer calls him
with his voice at optimum level: “ORHAAAAAN, to whom I am calling hah?!” Finally,
Orhan turns his face to trainer: “What the f.ck!” Surely, an unexpected reply
from the player which makes the spectators to laugh a lot, and trainer is
unsurprisingly calm: “You will see the f.ck”.<br />
<br />
After many years, a similar scene in Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro takes
me to the memories…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">FK Mogren
Budva is playing against the team of the capital city; FK Mladost Podgorica.
The defender right wing player of Mogren is a handsome young man. He does not
play bad. His timing in interference, his sense of keeping ground is quite well
but he just looks a little bit unserious. His hand is always on his shorts,
pulling it down in search for following low-hip fashion trend. His levity makes
the trainer mad. Trainer calls him: “Jovane”. Jovan does not hear. Trainer
increases his voice: “Jovaneeee!” No reply from Jovan. Trainer calls him with
his voice at optimum level: “JOVANEEEEEEE?!” Finally, Jovan turns his face to
trainer: “Jebote Jovane.” (F.ck your Jovan) We laugh in the rows and the
trainer silently goes back to benches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">Mogren was
leading the match 1-0 away when this anecdote appeared, which took me to
memories. However, at the end Mogren lost 3-2 and I do not have an idea what
kind of communication occurred between Jovan and trainer in the dressing room. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.freeworldmaps.net/europe/montenegro/montenegro-map-physical.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://www.freeworldmaps.net/europe/montenegro/montenegro-map-physical.jpg" height="640" width="554" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Geographical location of Montenegro and the mountains topography of the country.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> (Spurce: freeworldmaps.net)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">Montenegro
is a small country. Just about 13 thousand square kilometers. But distances are
far. Deserving the name, Montenegro is surrounded by high and sharp rocky
mountains. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">When I left
Sarajevo ahead to Podgorica, to attend the conference organized by Montenegrin
Academy of Sports, (<a href="http://www.sportmont.ucg.ac.me/conference2014/">http://www.sportmont.ucg.ac.me/conference2014/</a>)
I already had a pre-vision that it would be a journey that would stem some
nostalgic memories. One night before, when I checked the web site of the bus
company I was quite surprised that O303 Mercedes buses, which were produced in
early 1990’s in Turkey were still in charge in intercity roads, even in
inter-national routes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvjtygW96mIyEL8yrmO9sqoQfDbzjoZn6LEczrf8YCLfvUjDnSDRMUEYkAJtNcfYawGcChQ2Gd9i-FfDOUz1GA5BRHuNOahhbM5rTe8bRmwr-azY9M0IV6drCOLdHXyrMHMD0p-r62SHU7/s1600/copyofimg0208xy2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvjtygW96mIyEL8yrmO9sqoQfDbzjoZn6LEczrf8YCLfvUjDnSDRMUEYkAJtNcfYawGcChQ2Gd9i-FfDOUz1GA5BRHuNOahhbM5rTe8bRmwr-azY9M0IV6drCOLdHXyrMHMD0p-r62SHU7/s1600/copyofimg0208xy2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">When I was
in the bus station in the morning, another surprise was waiting for me. I would
not be travelling to Podgorica from Sarajevo by a bus, but by a midibus for
seven hours! The midibus was one of the first exemplars of Iveco which were
produced by Otoyol in Turkey in 1990’s. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJRlkoaVcQv_CV0k9gl71ecesftMjhgqS-_2nmqlB3mVXYutU44zanG9s79Oo6fOTlNiihAa5C-_hpolUoy2g3HU6AMYIkDgL3x_u5KdB4U_lTmDJ4sDH70yrOs2lh4SkB6pUjzkY7m7K9/s1600/100_3475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJRlkoaVcQv_CV0k9gl71ecesftMjhgqS-_2nmqlB3mVXYutU44zanG9s79Oo6fOTlNiihAa5C-_hpolUoy2g3HU6AMYIkDgL3x_u5KdB4U_lTmDJ4sDH70yrOs2lh4SkB6pUjzkY7m7K9/s1600/100_3475.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></span></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">Since for a
long time I do not calculate the distances in Balkans in terms of kilometers.
If so, then it is very likely that you may face some small surprises. You have
to take notice on duration of the travel rather than the distance. Then, for
example, the 250 kilometers of travel which will take seven hours will not make
you to be psychologically tired of travelling. It is not only the vehicle which
makes the duration longer, but also the topography. Montenegro really deserves
her name and curvy road through the sharp mountains is not an exception. But
what a panoramic view!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">On the
contrary to general topography of Montenegro, Podgorica was established on a
plain. The name Podgorica means “Down the Mount Gorica”. Podgorica is located a
flat plain, but surrounded by mountains. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-WiS8Kg-JnOg_CJqYgD_3bWwMOYMOzfgVUSVBrr1jHfk_W4K6Q-fJRoGQtIyb1HJX2C152EPv1EpLGSRHLIB30P1dDgOiAXNK-3jnrLjTo0wRSHKUp9xAo7Rk3Pn0S_4buabPtM5iEx2X/s1600/100_3478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-WiS8Kg-JnOg_CJqYgD_3bWwMOYMOzfgVUSVBrr1jHfk_W4K6Q-fJRoGQtIyb1HJX2C152EPv1EpLGSRHLIB30P1dDgOiAXNK-3jnrLjTo0wRSHKUp9xAo7Rk3Pn0S_4buabPtM5iEx2X/s1600/100_3478.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Road to Podgorica from Sarajevo by the bench of River Piva.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxaqG6Gz6_N2YgfgFECS0zlYPes0IbTDOxobE-8tG4Vly2lhdatxARjgkeDCfRwqFJ-anHjxLdm9yLH9Jxfl4U9QgmwNSyt_40bw-TXfwrzifhbKYxFRQvKvaaTDthIB5rhIISE38u-BUP/s1600/100_3479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxaqG6Gz6_N2YgfgFECS0zlYPes0IbTDOxobE-8tG4Vly2lhdatxARjgkeDCfRwqFJ-anHjxLdm9yLH9Jxfl4U9QgmwNSyt_40bw-TXfwrzifhbKYxFRQvKvaaTDthIB5rhIISE38u-BUP/s1600/100_3479.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">One of the numerous tunnels on the road.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">The
population of Podgorica is almost 170 thousands. But it is a capital city! According
to tourist guides, it is a waste of time to visit Podgorica. Indeed, the city
was not of importance before Tito Era, with a population of 10-15 thousands.
The city’s population had dramatically increased in Tito era, while the city’s
name was replaced to Titograd; City of Tito.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">Podgorica stays
under the shadow of Montenegro’s tourist attracted historical cities on the
coast like Budva, Kotor, and Herceg Novi. Podgorica does not have a coast, the
night life is stagnant and the life is without any spirit after 23:00 and for
sure, only one from Ankara, which shares the same attributions, may enjoy
Podgorica. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">Podgorica
should be loved. If one wants to claim that he/she has been in Montenegro, he/she
has to visit Podgorica. Moreover, he/she should make a journey through those
mountains to Serbia or to Bosnia, preferably with those outdated buses. Only
than he/she can claim that he/she has been in Podgorica. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">The University
of Montenegro arranged a tour in the last day of the symposium to a historical
monastery about 15 kilometers to the city center. Some colleagues did not want
to miss the opportunity to visit the historical temple. What a coincidence
that, at that time there was a football match in Podgorica as well. Certainly,
the temple of a football fan is not a monastery! To be honest, I have to confess
that I had a dilemma between going to the football match, and going to that
historical monastery. The other day, I have realized that experiencing a city
in my case began to be limited only to experience the gastronomic and footballist
affluences. I am slightly considering making a change. Probably it would be
easier for me to retreat from different tastes but footbalism is a difficult to
be treated sickness. That, frankly speaking, even before leaving from Sarajevo
I took the notes about matches to be played in Montenegro, and I have to
confess that it was not coincidence. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">While my colleagues
were on the way to the historical monastery, I was already in Çemovsko Polje
(Çemovsko plain), which also known as the Stari Aerodrom (old airport). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/3148/buducnostcf1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/3148/buducnostcf1.png" height="320" width="186" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">Montenegrin First League involves 12 teams. FK Mladost Podgorica is the 10th on
the table with 23 points, and will play against FK Mogren Budva 11th on the
table with 22 points. The other team of the capital city; FK Buduçnost will
have an away match against Rudar Pljevlija, a team from Sandjak region on the
North of Montenegro. Rudar means “miner” which already evokes sympathy.
Pljevlija is also like the homeland of my wife’s father’s side. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">Buduçnost is
the leading team of Podgorica. They do not play their matches in plain or on
meadow, but in the biggest stadium of the city; “Podgorica Stadium”. In fact,
Buduçnost have always been supported by the city elites. I do not know if they
have got a story of being promoted to a higher league by military regime but
they always had more fans than Mladost. (1) The colors of the team are navy blue
and white. If it would be yellow instead of white, it would be more ironical. The
“other” team has the red color. (2) The more striking fact is the name of the
team with the red color: Mladost Podgorica means Youth of Podgorica, also
resembles that of Gençlerbirliği, which literally means Union of Juvenile or
Union of Youth. Is it possible that a man from Ankara, a fan of Gençlerbirliği
will not have some passion towards that team?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">Next to the
1500 capacity stadium of Mladost in Çemovsko Polje, there is the management
building and training field of Buduçnost. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">The rows
are not full just before the match. There are around 150 fans that came to
watch the match in a rainy day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6ZkPbuJ-W2B0JezHcE7IQV8ObFtE9I1hVHsMiX2qi2ApZ0t8wYZG6hgH94qCpjF_-O02CVz7XKhufdoAM_upTSfuhy4D5taCvzC0QAgKKHAHyxMpTPNE2_AkeAaSAVSKbN2O5RkOYODv/s1600/100_3508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6ZkPbuJ-W2B0JezHcE7IQV8ObFtE9I1hVHsMiX2qi2ApZ0t8wYZG6hgH94qCpjF_-O02CVz7XKhufdoAM_upTSfuhy4D5taCvzC0QAgKKHAHyxMpTPNE2_AkeAaSAVSKbN2O5RkOYODv/s1600/100_3508.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mladost playing against Mogren. Behin the pitch the administrative building of Buducnost on the left, and their training fild behind, and Mladost's administrative building on the right.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">FK Mladost
was established in 1950 with the name FK Mladost Titograd. The name was changed
into OFK Titograd (Olympic Football Club) in 1960. In 1990, the name was turned
into Mladost again. But this time the name Titograd was replaced with Podgorica
due to change in city’s name. The biggest success of Mladost in Yugoslav
Football League was a fourth rank in the second division in 1956-57. Mladost’s
history is the story of relegations to third division, and promotion to second
division. During Miloşeviç’s Yugoslavia, when only the teams from Serbia and
Montenegro participated in the Yugoslav league, they succeeded to be fourth in
the second division twice during the last two seasons. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">Since
Montenegro became independent in 2006, their biggest success was to be the
fifth rank in 2010-11, but it has to be noticed that in even the miniature
Montenegrin football league, they have played in second division for two years.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fa/FK_Mladost_Podgorica_logo_(2011-on).png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fa/FK_Mladost_Podgorica_logo_(2011-on).png" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-US">This season
have historical contributi</span>ons to the club’s history: For the first time in
history, Mladost participated in European cups. They have passed Hungarian
Videoton after the first qualification matches, and Slovakian FK Senica after
the second qualification matches of the UEFA Europa League. But in the third
qualification, they have crashed into Spain’s famous Sevilla after 6-1 home and
3-0 away defeats. This season, FK Mladost Podgorica struggles not to be relegated
to the second division of Montenegro.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">In this
context, the match Mogren and Mladost is a match for “6 points”. If they will lose,
Mogren will be two points above Mladost. If not, than the difference between
two teams will increase to five points which will be a great advantage for
Mladost. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">Wandering
around the club’s building, I meet with a veteran player of Mladost. I had a
short football chat with him. I asked him about the hero of my teenager years;
Dejan Saviçeviç. The legendary player of legendary Red Star who won the UEFA
Cup in 1991, who has been the chairman of the Montenegrin Football Association
since the independency of Montenegro. I was trembled when I heard that Dejan
Saviçeviç would come to watch the match the match since his son is playing for
Mladost. How is it possible not to tremble! Is it possible to forget a
legendary player who was first playing in Red Star and then in Milan, and the
reason behind my choice to be manager of Milan in the earliest versions of the “Championship
Manager”? How delightful would it be to meet with him after years!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">The famous driblings of the legendary Savicevic:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/hriHFA1nv1s?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">The unforgettable part of the interview with Savicevic in Zagreb:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/MTFhh3Ea5kE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">As soon as
I had the information, I went to VIP section. I will do my best to meet with
Savicevic. It was not that much difficult to enter in the VIP section. A club
officer on duty asked me:”Where are you going?” Relying on the sympathy of
speaking his language as a foreigner, I asked him if I could watch the match in
VIP since it is raining and it is the only covered part of the stadium. He asks
where I was from, and I replied: “I am Turkish but I live in Sarajevo”.
Probably it is not very common to see some Turks coming to visit to watch a
match of Mladost. He turns to VIP tribune and asks the oldies in the tribune if
there is a place for a Turk. The VIP tribune, almost full of elder fans is a
bit surprised but yet hospitable. They even gave me a piece of newspaper to put
over the seat. What a VIP tribune! I feel almost like among the “ihtiyarlar”
(oldies) in Gençlerbirliği tribunes. I seat in between footballcholic oldies
which are like our Hamdi Reis, Necdet Abi and Ozan Abi. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNsmPujKsYG3vIJkczEKQt9ZHlBwEEKoACPFo-x4IcDsEQxwHRey6cW47xDRwM7AZhI9_McoVB_mo0p5rKd2uQksE7asGOwTc70hctZgphRtMCo9dz_TfvJwEoH6lpYeyOE4nzSXSUUkjk/s1600/100_3511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNsmPujKsYG3vIJkczEKQt9ZHlBwEEKoACPFo-x4IcDsEQxwHRey6cW47xDRwM7AZhI9_McoVB_mo0p5rKd2uQksE7asGOwTc70hctZgphRtMCo9dz_TfvJwEoH6lpYeyOE4nzSXSUUkjk/s1600/100_3511.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The "oldies" in Mladost tribune.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO6P0I5_UwlZM9EexRfuuZxUGLhsPwoRCXYVQ5C45SKXpUruTSozcby_vS_VCGAObt0elfkjpdsSESMUoz9EJA2RdGV-0Kq5nkWHXSpE_GgpcQL4g4MSsvIR6Ja-cLKMFVH59Kr19-BAQ1/s1600/134434_10151015183797134_2075143805_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO6P0I5_UwlZM9EexRfuuZxUGLhsPwoRCXYVQ5C45SKXpUruTSozcby_vS_VCGAObt0elfkjpdsSESMUoz9EJA2RdGV-0Kq5nkWHXSpE_GgpcQL4g4MSsvIR6Ja-cLKMFVH59Kr19-BAQ1/s1600/134434_10151015183797134_2075143805_o.jpg" height="253" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">...and our oldies.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Before coming to the match I have had a basic research about Mladost in web and learned that the fans of Mladost call themselves “Romanticari” (Romantics). I asked to one of the oldies if he is “romantic”. The reply is simple and clear: “I do not know, ask it to my wife”.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Oldies are
a bit curious about me. It can be considered as a normal act to visit Podgorica
for a symposium, but it was quite difficult for me to convince them that the
one and only aim of mine to come to Çemovsko Polje in a rainy day is to watch a
match. They are quite stubborn to assume that I am a scout. I somehow managed
to tell the truth in difficulty. In the meantime, rain quites down and the rows
on the left and right side of the VIP section begin to welcome fans. It seems
the 150-200 fans overall do not enjoy disturbing the football players. They are
so calm during the match. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Maybe they do not like to cheer for the team, but they
watched the game with an optimum attention during the whole match. Different
than what I usually do, instead of watching the fans, I decide to watch the
game on the pitch.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">During the
first quarter of the match, Mogren seemed to be more effective. The Yugoslav school
of football could heavily be felt. Both of the teams prefer to make short
passes in their own side of the pitch and try to aim goal with long, side balls
and whenever they lose the ball in those attacks, they do not hesitate to make
Yugoslav fault. Despite the position in the European ranking, both teams
perform a very tough game, but still in a virtuous style. The young players
from both of the teams play not only with their muscles, but also with their
brains and with their hearts. However, Mogren players seem to be a bit more
willing. I get the information that Mogren club could not pay the salaries of
football players for a long time, since the club passes through serious financial
problems<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">Mogren
players were able to use the ball with vertical and cross passes in their own
half of the pitch. Since they realized that Mladost players were not as willing
as they are, they began to organize the game closer to the midfield, going
forward as a block. The left wing defender Luka Pejovic, with the dress number
16 was a key player for the fast attacks. In fact he is one of the most
experienced players in the team: 29 years old and has a national squad experience
in his career. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">Although
Mogren was more effective in the first half of the game, the player of Mladost
with the dress number 9 began to take my attention as well. During rare attacks
of Mladost, this young man creates serious problems alone for Mogren defense. I
got some information from the fans about him that his name is Stefan Mugoşa and
he is recognized as the best player in the squad. The 22 years old Mugoşa have
5 appearances in U-21 squad of the Montenegrin national football team, scoring
3 goals. (3) He took part in the squad of Montenegrin national football team as
a substitute when Montenegro lost 2-5 against Moldova at home on October 15,
2013. Mugoşa plays as an attacking midfielder and takes attention with his self-confident,
modest posture. I have learned that Red Star is keeping an eye on him, but it
is also know that the Belgrade team also has serious financial problems. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">Stefan Mugosa:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/_pID-7StUl0/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/_pID-7StUl0&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/_pID-7StUl0&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">Another
player who takes my attention in Mladost is Radule Zivkovic whose dress number
is 2 and reminds me legendary right wing defender of Beşiktaş; Recep Çetin aka
Takoz (chock) Recep who was the best right wing defender in his time and he was
recognized by his tough tackles which would not allow left wing attackers to
pass him. Like Takoz Recep, Zivkovic does not hesitate to send the ball as far
as possible by kicking the bottom part of the ball and his strong posture with relatively
short height and wide chest with a similar appearance to those Irish boxers reminds
him more like Takoz Recep. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">Vladimir
Savicevic, the son of legendary player Dejan Savicevic, with dress number 10 is
at the focus of Mladost fans. I am curious if he is playing in the team because
he has talent, or is it thanks to his father. Fans claim that he is really
good, but I could not witness it during the match. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">Mogren had
a rapid start in the second half of the game. By 56<sup>th</sup> minute they
were just to score the first goal of the match. Just two minutes after that
they found it by Milan Durisic. They even missed a very close goal. After the
goal, Mogren players show signs to be exhausted or not any more willing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">Until then,
the right wing defender of Mogren with dress number 15 was also taking
attention with his performance. He has a very good timing and he is very good
in sweeping the ball from his zone. His name is Jovan Baoşiç, whom I have
quoted above his reply to the trainer of the team. Although he was playing
well, minutes passing by, he loses his seriousness in the game. He is just 19
years old, at the beginning of his career, but since he loses his seriousness,
his performance in the game declines. And during the last half an hour of the
game, the left wing for Mladost attackers turns to be a free-to-pass corridor.
The trainer of the team asks him: “Jovane, hoçeş li kafu?” means “Jovan, do you
want a coffee?” <br />
<br />
Sun shows its face in the second half and had a vitalizing effect on the
players, but it seems that it has only affected Mladost players. Finally by the
72<sup>nd</sup> minute Mugoşa, the star of Mladost denests the ball among two
Mogren defenders and scores with a nice short drop shot into the net. Just 6 minutes after that goal, he scores one
more with a head kick to a cross coming from the right wing and shows that 189 centimeter tall Mugoşa is also
not bad with high balls. It is now 2-1. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">Mogren is
under shock, but it is not enough. Just one minute after this goal, Mugoşa
scores one more and reaches hat-trick within 7 minutes and carries his team to 3-1
from 0-1. The man of the game Mugoşa scored three goals, but it seems he does
not lose anything from his posture, goes on playing serious and keeps his
modesty. On the other side, it is visible that his stamina is not that good. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">In 90+2, Durisic,
the scorer player of Mogren scores for his team but it is too much late to turn
the game, which results with a 3-2 victory for the home team Mladost.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large;">My biggest
expectation from the match was not realized. Probably, because of the rainy
weather, Dejan Savicevic did not come to watch the game, but my heart begins to
beat for another team from Balkans. Moreover, in this small country, I had the
joy to watch the match with a handful of nice and kind people who are in love
with a modest team.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large; text-indent: -18pt;">PS 1) This ironic paragraph refers to
rivalry between Gençlerbirliği and Ankaragücü in Turkey’s capital city.
Gençlerbirliği had always been a smaller club with less fan support and
Ankaragücü has always been more popular club of the city. Military regime’s efforts
to promote Ankaragücü to the top league in Turkey have also to be noticed to perceive
the irony behind those sentences.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: large; text-indent: -18pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-indent: -24px;">PS 2)</span><span style="text-indent: -24px;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Refers to the colors of Ankaragücü which
are yellow and navy blue, and Gençlerbirliği has black-red.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -18pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-indent: -24px;">PS 3)</span><span style="text-indent: -24px;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">During the days when I was writing
this article, Tanıl Bora, a significant intellectual in Turkey, who writes
every Tuesday to Turkish daily newspaper Radikal about football, wrote an
article titled: “Establish a team, with less Scorpio, and more Cancer” about
the relationship between astrology and football. A quotation from the article:
“The squad of Gençlerbirliği is full of Pisces (Ahmet, Gosso, Nizamettin,
Petroviç, Yusuf Emre). Diagnosis for those Pisces who play in their position: A
type of a player who can do any job which is needed, can be a multidirectional
player, or can get lost if he will not able to find his position”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -18pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -18pt;">Maguşa’s birthdate is February 26, 1992. A Pisces. I do not believe in
astrology, but would be good for those who believe in astrology to know that.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large; text-indent: -18pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-indent: -24px;">PS 4)</span><span style="text-indent: -24px;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">When I was writing this article,
Mladost and Mogren played again in Podgorica on April 9, 2014 for the first leg
of the semi-final of the Montenegrin Cup and Mladost was victorious again with 2-0.
One of the goals was from Mugoşa.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<br /></div>
</div>
Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-67031843853144432592012-04-10T18:25:00.000-07:002013-07-01T10:25:48.170-07:00SLAVEN BILIC<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last week, just after the leave of
Carvalhal from Beşiktaş when the Turkish newspapers mentioned about a probable
transfer of Slaven Bilic, I immediately checked the Croatian newspapers to
check the rumors. As well known, when the issue is about “transfer” or media is
more likely to publish fantastic fictive stories than real news. However, the
rumors were verified by Croatian newspapers as well, that Biliç had declared he
might think about joining Beşiktaş, following the European Football
Championship.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JrWzzDmfe9Pu5RDNHADirsR3ZSId-X9_jn8CauG-Iya4i0Imfgus8QAGcLpKj6lWhlk-5poKdGWA3g1QiTeFRMlgEZMjDUaNRtRvs2bhpKcW2dweBr9_r9A4S8_IoJxJJ107qMvb6ECK/s466/1016114_497829376968140_625490876_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JrWzzDmfe9Pu5RDNHADirsR3ZSId-X9_jn8CauG-Iya4i0Imfgus8QAGcLpKj6lWhlk-5poKdGWA3g1QiTeFRMlgEZMjDUaNRtRvs2bhpKcW2dweBr9_r9A4S8_IoJxJJ107qMvb6ECK/s320/1016114_497829376968140_625490876_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have a sort of sympathy to Slaven Biliç,
since I used a photo of him for an article in this blog that I have written
just after the Turkey-Croatia match in Wien in 2008. For some reason, the
sorrow in Biliç’s face, and his attempts to solace the tear drops of his footballers
seemed to be very ingenuous to me. After the loss of Croatia by penalty kicks,
Biliç’s attempts to solace his players like a brother was noticed very clearly.
Like a brother, but not like a godfather, which is the usual visage that we,
Turkish football fans are familiar to see on Turkish trainers?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Three years after, almost five and a half
months before now, when Turkey and Croatia were rooted in play-off match for
the European Football Championship, referring to what I have written previosly
in my blog, I wrote another article relying on a review of Turkish and Croatian
newspapers.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I came up with an interesting thing:
Turkish newspapers were mentioning about Croats fear of this draw because of
their unforgettable unpleasant experience in 2008. When I checked the newspapers
from Croatia, I have seen the cheers for “revenge” and I have seen how they
were happy to have the opportunity for the revenge after three years. Among
this atmosphere of revenge, Slaven Biliç was distinguished with his speeches
free of any hatred discourse. He was mentioning the quality of Turkish team,
but emphasizing that Croatia was a better team. He even had uttered the
opportunity to take the revenge but even that was not enough for the Croatian
media who blamed him to be coward. However, the cool speech of Biliç away from
a hatred discourse made my sympathy towards him to increase.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I checked his career, I have seen that
I was not wrong about my views on Biliç. The young trainer, who was born in
1968 was shined when he was playing as a defender in Hajduk Split, in the most
brilliant era of Yugoslav football. He was transferred to Karlsruhe with a
transfer fee of 750.000 Pounds. After a successful three years experience in
Karlsruhe, he had gone to West Ham United with a transfer fee of 1.3 million Pounds.
When West Ham was struggling not to relegate, he was offered a transfer of 4.5
million Pounds to Everton. However, he refused this offer until August
mentioning that he could not leave his team in the middle of the season. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They say, “One who only claims to know
football, does not know football either.” Biliç, a graduate of Faculty of Law,
who plays in rock groups from time to time, has a distinct character who does
not limit his life with football. Thus,
his vision of football goes beyond imagination of many others. Unlike
the Croatian nationalist leader Franjo Tudjman who stated that the football
victories, like wars do shape the identity of a nation, Biliç has a different
perspective on football. He is aware of football’s character as a game, as a
part of entertainment and just before the 2008 European Football Championship,
he said: “With the greatest respect to women, football is the most beautiful
thing in the world.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Football has a vital role in shaping the
Croatian national identity. Croatia can be regarded as one of the countries
where football is exploited widely by extreme nationalism. Within this occasion,
even his endeavor to be away from heroic statements is itself is a positive
attitude. Does it mean that Biliç may not be nationalist? Obviously not. But at
least we cannot get the reply of question through his statements. Considering
what kind of a nationalist pressure are those trainers of national football
teams, I think this is an essential feature of him. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Personally, as afan of Gençlerbirliği, I
would be pleasant to see that kind of man to be the trainer of my own team, who
pays importance on the beauty of the game. I cannot hide my jealousity when I
heard the rumors on a probable move of Biliç to Beşiktaş. For sure, we cannot
predict what kind of surprises are likely to wait for Biliç in a team who made
trouble with many top-quality trainers. Probably, Biliç would be thinking twice
before a move to a team who is likely to cancel contracts with some high
quality –and expensive- players, who is struggling with financial crisis and
thus who is likely to avoid expensive transfers.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But, apparently Biliç seems to be magnified
by Istanbul and fierce fans of Beşiktaş.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(Photo: Jutarnji List)</div>
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Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-69827761379305891042012-04-04T15:08:00.004-07:002012-04-04T15:17:46.974-07:00New Blog on Bosnian footballIt has been a few weeks that I have been writing weekly on Bosnian Premier League and for the <a href="http://www.haberbosnak.com">Haber Boşnak</a>, the web portal of the Bosniak community in Turkey. <br /><br />I have decided to translate those articles and publish in a new blog. Here it is:<br /><br /><a href="http://bosnianfootball.blogspot.com">http://bosnianfootball.blogspot.com</a><br /><br />For the ciritique of 19th Week of Bosnian League, click <a href="http://bosnianfootball.blogspot.com/2012/04/bosnian-league-19th-week.html">here</a>.Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-26817132162635898392011-11-11T08:47:00.000-08:002011-11-11T09:00:24.013-08:00ZELJEZNICAR – BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA (November 8, 2011)PREPARATION FOR PORTUGAL...<br /><br />A flow of Turkish tourists to Balkans is obvious in the last several years during “bayram” holidays. Tens of thousands of Turkish tourists flow to Balkans with reasonable tours. Since the bayram holidays are in Fall recently, the local tourism sector is happy with that, and since the prices are lower than in low season, the tours become more affordable. There are three basic routes: First one is Balkanic Danube, starting from Romania to Beograd. The second one is “Rumelija” tour, mostly involving Thessalonica through Bitola, Ohrid and Skopje. The thirds route starts from Montenegro and through amazing Adriatic coast, follows Dubrovnik and then reaches to Sarajevo following the route Pocitelj, Blagaj and Mostar. Last year, around 10.000 Turkish tourists followed that route and “occupied” Dubrovnik while there were no other tourist groups from other countries. That touristic “occupation” was referred frequently in Croatian newspapers being served with historical ironies. <br /><br />My cousins involved in that touristic raid this year which made them to see Sarajevo for the first time. In November 8, Tuesday, around noon, when we were enjoying our coffees in Sarajevo’s Baščaršija, I saw Alen, an habitual Zeljeznicar fan. I do not see any problem to write his name in my blog since Alen is one of the most mediatic fans after giving an interview to documentary TV show “Frontline Football” in their episode for Bosnian – Serbian football match. (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8uLgAstApw">Here </a>you can watch the documentary) If he is not the most mediatic one, surely he is the most athletic, can be always seen with his sport suits and sport bag.<br /><br />I saw Alen with his sports bag and sports suit in Bascarsija. He asked me if I would attend to match in the evening. <br /><br />It has been a long time that I was not interested in football matches in Bosnia since I submitted my dissertation. But, since some time, I began to follow matches again and surprisingly I did not have information about tonight’s match. There were no league matches because of the Bosnia-Portugal match and as far as I knew there were not cup matches as well. So, what was that match? Alen made it clear: At 18:00, Zeljeznicar and Bosnian national football team would play in Grbavica. It was both a part of 90th anniversary activities of Zeljeznicar, and a preparation match for the national squad.<br />The match took attention of my cousin, a hard core Boluspor fan, and we decided to be in the rows during the match.<br /><br />Having walked the whole day, we were a quite a bit tired and we hardly left home. My cousin did not want to miss this opportunity to watch a game in Sarajevo, and the stadium was only 20 minutes walk from home. We dressed our Bosnia jerseys. It was not that much cold during the day, but Sarajevo becomes freezing when it gets dark. So, we wore some warm things as well. Luckily we did.<br /><br />We bought the tickets for Grbavica Jug (South tribune of Grbavica) where TM87 stands. We were five minutes late for the match and we missed quite a lot during that 5 minutes. My cousin did not think that there would that amount of fans for a friendly game. Stadium was almost full. Of course, Grbavica Stadium’s location being in the middle of settlements is quite a lot effective as seen in the photo, but we should not underestimate the fever of Zeljo fans as well. (Photo: worldfootball.net)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8oGVAiaMEpsftMHhUL4RF0Rjwn_GGKnugLH4RvRRYWX2boAcz5W8FO_YmQhQsUJvyIQEeb4rl-knZp7T0zV_5QcrD4Jc4GFSwrqubX6PHRZ6sHumbr8pPZEATGIwoJKZ_xXPQBfrh_mMF/s1600/58369273.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8oGVAiaMEpsftMHhUL4RF0Rjwn_GGKnugLH4RvRRYWX2boAcz5W8FO_YmQhQsUJvyIQEeb4rl-knZp7T0zV_5QcrD4Jc4GFSwrqubX6PHRZ6sHumbr8pPZEATGIwoJKZ_xXPQBfrh_mMF/s320/58369273.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5673783185952592146" /></a><br /><br />When we entered the stadium, the cartons of the chorographical show and the mist from the flambeauxes were still dominating the scene of the stadium. When we looked at the scoreboard, we have realized that we even missed the early goal of Vedad İbisevic. Since there were not any seat on Jug, we began to watch the match on the bottom steps of stairs in the centre of Jug tribune. Some fans, whom I knew before told me the story how they swore on Medjunjanin during the match between Zeljo and Maccabi. (See: <a href="http://bosnianfootballculture.blogspot.com/2011/10/zeljeznicar-maccabi-tel-aviv-july-28.html">Zeljo - Maccabi</a>)<br /><br />Match was a real “friendly” game literally. Bosnia found the second goal again by İbisevic at 38th, and Zeljo had a quick reply on 40th by Beslija. In the half time, we began to look for somewhere to sit, as the place where we were standing was just under the place where the fanatics were cheering, which forced us to use our caps to protect ourselves from that “rain” from the mouths. <br /><br />The second half was more like a struggle of tactics. Bosnia found many more position especially with Edin Dzeko, but could not manage to score. This is the most enjoyable part of Bosnian football. The midfield is usually very offensive and can find a lot of scoring positions. The center of the midfield is usually unused. In that sense, the match was quite enjoyable to watch. Even more enjoyable for my cousin, since it was not forbidden yet to smoke in stadiums in Bosnia. (It is forbidden in Turkey)<br /><br />Bosnian nationals were not very ambitious in the second half, probably reserving their energy for Portugal match. Zeljo seemed to be more lively but there is no doubt about the difference between Zeljo and Bosnian national team in terms of quality of football. Despite there were no goals in the second half, we watched a nice match. Cross passes, even cross long passes were really amazing, as well as gentle ankle tackles and of course Yugoslav fault. <br /><br />I never understand those who hate Yugoslav fault, which can be regarded as a security valve of offensive game that allows a team to attack without a fear of leaving empty space at the defense line. The only thing to avoid Yugoslav fault is that you have to arrange an offensive tactic as well. Sooner you pass the ball, lesser the opportunity to be subject to Yugoslav fault. Of course, to pass the ball, your offensive players should be ready in offense. So, if you will imprison eleven of your players in your half of field, you will be probably subject to Yugoslav fault before passing the ball. Of course, those players with higher technical capacity to escapee from tackles are really the most beautiful part of the game as well.<br /><br />For almost 85 minutes, the fans have cheered for Zeljo, not Bosnian national squad. I did not expect something different. But, at least in the last five minutes, they did not forget their national teams...Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-41313309733933138732011-11-10T16:58:00.000-08:002011-11-10T17:03:15.138-08:00A HARD GAME WILL BE FOR RONALDOIn fact, not only for Ronaldo, but it will be a hard game for Portugal as well. The matches which will be played on 11th and 15th November will be the revenge of play-off games of World Cup that was played two years ago. During those two years, Bosnia had drastically improved her football. The Bosnian players from diaspora are now a perfect team since they have been playing together for almost five years. Moreover, Portugal is not the same Portugal.<br /><br />The match will again be in Zenica’s Bilino Polje. It is well known why the match will not be played in Sarajevo, but in Zenica. The tribunes in Bilino Polje are closer to the pitch and Zenica’s football fans are famous of their fever. It will be a difficult match for Portugal in Zenica. I do not think that it will be much easier in Lisboa. Since Portugal and Bosnia are seeded BH Fanaticos, the fan organization of Bosnia is working hard to attract as many fans as possible. There will be a flow of Bosnian fans who are living in different European countries. Moreover, it is expected that a considerable number of fans from Bosnia will be mobilised as well. The tourism offices are quite a lot effective.<br /> <br />Probably the match will be extra difficult for Ronaldo. The Portugal national team was welcome by Bosnian fans on Thursday, November 10 in Sarajevo Airport. What a welcome... Ronaldo was quite cool when the Bosnian fans were cheering for Messi. In fact, we had the illusion that he was cool. However, it is witnessed that he was not that much cold blooded during today’s training in Zenica. As seen from the photo, Ronaldo’s reaction against the Bosnian fans who were teasing him is apparent. (Photo: J. Hadzic, Dnevni Avaz)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.dnevniavaz.ba/thumbnail.php?file=novembar2011/tren1_801462261.jpg&size=summary_large"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 636px; height: 415px;" src="http://www.dnevniavaz.ba/thumbnail.php?file=novembar2011/tren1_801462261.jpg&size=summary_large" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Those who are familiar with the football culture in balkans, especially in Bosnia respectively would know that a reaction of a player against fans is not good for himself. It is an invitation for more acts. Not even only for the fans, but probably the players on the pitch will do their best to destroy the nerves of world star player, which will make us to see the limit of professionality of Ronaldo.Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-42108202169411579962011-10-22T17:16:00.000-07:002011-10-22T17:20:34.049-07:00TURKEY vs CROATIA AFTER THREE YEARSThree years ago, I have <a href="http://bosnianfootballculture.blogspot.com/2009/11/let-turkey-not-be-in-same-group-with.html">written an article</a> expressing my wish about Turkey and Bosnia be not in the same qualification group. It did not happen for the qualifications of European Football Championship 2012. However, when Bosnia had a draw match with France in Paris, and Germany’s victory against Belgium allowed Turkey to have right for play-off, I have to admit that I was a bit afraid of a possible Bosnia-Turkey play-off match. Luckily both countries were in the same pot. In sum, Turkey eluded from playing with Bosnia among the heat of a play-off struggle where the adrenalin level would be at the top. Better to say, I was eluded from that. <br /><br />I am lucky in another sense that Turkey will be playing with another Balkan country, if not with Bosnia. Of course, when Turkey was tied with Croatia, two historical matches fell into my mind. When Turkey had the first chance to play in European Football Championship in 1996, the first match was with Croatia and lost. Probably, the most interesting anecdote from that match was the “fair play” of Alpay, Turkish defender. Alpay is recognized as one of the most aggressive players in Turkey. But, maybe it was for the first time in his life he decided to play clean and instead of tackling Croatian striker Vlaović, he preferred to escort him until he scored. That made Alpay to be gain “Fair-play” award. <br /><br />This match had been cleaned from the memories of Turkish football fans since some time. The quarterfinal match between Croatia and Turkey in Wien in June 20, 2008 is capable to many more football matches. Even UEFA web masters are aware of it that when Turkey and Croatia were seeded that legendary match was referred. The first match will be by November 11/12 in Turkey and the second match will be on November 15 in Croatia, than the one who will have ticket for Poland and Ukraine will be determined.<br /><br />Four years ago, a friendly match between Bosnia and Croatia was played in Sarajevo in a Summer night in August 2007 when the visitor team had a victory of 5-3. It is a question mark, if it could be identified as a “friendly” match since violent fights ocured before and during the match. Bosnian fans were teasing Croatian fans by transforming The Beatles’ famous song “Yellow Submarine”s reprise part; “”We all live in yellow submarine” as “Zagreb će biti Turska mahala”.literally meaning “Zagreb will be Turkish mahala” (district in Turkish language). Even the hard core Turkish nationalists would not express like that, at least that much directly! I had written an <a href="http://bosnianfootballculture.blogspot.com/2008/06/zagreb-e-biti-turska-mahala.html">article about it</a>. <br /><br />I have asked from my Bosnian friends not to involve us (Turks) into the Balkan trouble. However, it seems it is a bit difficult to realize that. Indeed, after the legendary match between Turkey and Croatia in June 20, 2008 there were violent incidents in many places in Bosnia, which is not surprising while similar incidents happen even after a match of Croatia and Brazil. Despite I would avoid any generalizations, it is very frequent that Bosnian Croats do have a special love for Croatia. Since Bosnians (Bosnian Muslims) are not happy for that they enjoy to support any rival of Croatia. Especially when the rival team is Turkey. <br /><br />Probably, this year similar incidents will not happen, since Bosnians will be very much occupied with the matches against Portugal. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">DO CROATS REALLY FEAR FROM TURKEY?</span><br />After the seeding in UEFA, I had a look at Turkish newspapers. Our very talented journalists were very proud to write that Croats were extremely sad because of a seeding with Turkey. I had already checked well known Croatian newspapers like Slobodna Dalmacija or Dnevnik just after the seeding and I remember I read totally different comments. I looked at the comments in Croatian newspapers to be sure. I was true! The commentators were not afraid, but on the contrary they were almost happy to be seeded with Turkey and Croatian newspapers were full of revenge skirls.<br /><br />Really a big mistake! If I were them, I would write about unluckiness of Croatian national football team because of being seeded with Turkey. As well known, Turks are a nation who enjoys very much to be slapped on the back. Those who are aware of it do prefer to soften the beard with cream instead of confronting Turkey and injecting adrenalin. The Croatian newspapers were captioned with “revenge” wishes of Bilić. However, when I started to write sub-lines, I have realized that Croatian journalists do have that special talency of transforming reality into a fiction, like their Turkish colleagues.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />WHAT INDEED BILIĆ STATED?</span><br />As a matter of fact, Bilić underlined the chance of a revenge against Turkey as it is reflected on the headlines of the Croatian newspapers. However, there are more things that he had emphasized. Bilić who had mentioned that playing against Turkey or Bosnia would not be preferable for him, had told to newspapers:<br /><br />“No doubt that our rival is strong.” Smashing his fist on the desk, he continued: “They are strong but not more than us. Turks are also very ambitious to play in EURO 2012. They have very good players and they have one of the best trainers in the world. I believe in my players. I have been waiting and dreaming for this moment for four years. We have a wonderful opportunity to take revenge of Wien.”<br /><br />What took my attention the most is his comment about Hiddink. Bilić takes Hiddink very seriously, probably without being informed that the world famous trainer who succeeded with many teams is de facto part-time trainer of Turkish national team. Moreover, he emphasized on players like Arda, Selçuk and Mehmet Topal.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />WHAT ABOUT CROATIAN MEDIA?</span><br />Croatian journalists are simply not pleasant about statements of Bilić. Some claim Bilić as being cowards, some claim that he overemphasize the rival. Croatian media, on the other hand is quite gorgeous. Daily newspaper Dnevnik’s last word about the seeding is like that:<br /><br />“DAJTE NAM TE TURKE! EVO VAM İH. ILİ JESTE İLİ NİSTE...”<br />Means: “Give us Turks! Here it is. Now or never!<br /><br />Somehow, it is quite difficult to forget about the role of journalists in Yugoslav wars. <br /><br />Croatians see it as an advantage that they will play the second match at home. According to them, playing the second match not in “Istanbul Hell” is an advantage. <br /><br />Trabzonspor’s ex-player Vugrinec gave an interview to Jutarnji List relying on his three years long experience in that Black Sea coast of Turkey. He is mentioning about the fanatism of the Turkish football fans.<br /><br />What we can predict from those sentences is that, Croatian media is hoping to come to Zagreb with least damage from Turkey.<br /><br />Probably, the match will be played in Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb, which is recognized as the place where the Yugoslav wars started. The match between Red Star and Dinamo Zagreb in May 1991 is depicted as the place where the warfare was sparkled.<br /><br />On the other side, Split, home place of Hajduk Split, famous with football fanatics is also candidate to host the game. <br /><br />Personally, instead of having a journey to Habsburg styled Zagreb in freezing November, I would prefer to pay a visit to Split on the Mediterranean coast.Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-4807575197368862522011-10-02T17:57:00.000-07:002011-10-02T18:44:33.800-07:00ŽELJEZNIČAR – MACCABI TEL AVIV (July 28, 2011)According to the statistics, in 2009 there were 126 million blogs on world wide web. (See: <a href="http://royal.pingdom.com/2010/01/22/internet-2009-in-numbers/">Internet 2009 in numbers</a>) Probably, it should already have exceeded 200 million by mid-2011. One of the biggest problems about blogs is that “they die”. Those which are activated with great hopes and fun, fade away, or better to say they enter into vegetative state after a while because of not being updated. This blog was launched in November 2007. Somehow, I was trying to update the blog by adding one article per month, but since 2008, that is for three years I could only add one article. <br /><br />In this context, Bosnian Football Culture is a good example for how a blog may fade away. However, in the last couple of months, this issue began to annoy me. Maybe you will not believe but there are people who follow this blog about “Bosnian Football”, there are those who mentioned that they are waiting for new articles. For a long while, when I was faced with the question; “Will you add any new articles?”, my reply was; “Yes. I could not find time since I have been busy. I know I neglected the blog, but I will add new articles as soon as possible.” That sort of lies even began to disturb me, myself. Frankly speaking, I have to admit that <br />When you search for “football culture” in Google, one of the first five web sites appear is my blog. Frankly, this is also one of the factors which encourages me to update the blog. Indeed, it appears in the second page now but I do not have any rival when you will search for “Bosnian football culture.” There is no other lunatic who would wrap his mind about that issue.<br /><br />Nowadays, there are no deadlines waiting for me. After 6 long years, It has been the first time that I do not have a deadline in my. I know that it will not be that long. So, I prefer to enjoy this. I want to deal with some joyful things which I could not have time for them before. As I have mentioned, since I wrote the article titled; <a href="http://bosnianfootballculture.blogspot.com/2009/11/let-turkey-not-be-in-same-group-with.html">“Let Turkey not be in the same Group with Bosnia Again”</a> in October 2009, this blog was left orphan by me. Indeed, I have really very good reasons: I was in navy for 6 months for compulsory military service, I had the title of assistant professorship, I got married, and now I have got a son! Enough? In the meantime, I have to confess that visiting Istanbul every week for a time period of almost one and a half year was really exhausting while I was giving lectures in a university in Istanbul. I better not to pull out all the pathetic stop. In fact, there was only one reason why I could not write anything new in my blog: I WAS BORED!<br /><br />One of the most frequent forms of post-dissertation traumas is the feeling of alienation for the thesis subject. Frankly, not only because football was the subject of thesis, but also because of the latest incidents forced me to keep my mental health protected from the world of football. Gençlerbirliği, my team, do really sucks in Turkish Super League. The latest incidents about corruption in Turkish football is also obvious. In addition to that, my performance of being a goal keeper in 6-a-side matches is the worst of all times. The fact that I am playing as a goal keeper is because I am always the worst player, is also another issue that has to be kept in mind!<br /><br />During last season, I watched Sarajevo derby in Grbavica which motivated me for a while to write something for the blog. But, this motivation was only for a few seconds. Something happened two months ago. The other Gençlerbirliği fan in Sarajevo; Erdoğan called me. <br /><br />On Wednesday Željezničar was to play against Maccabi Tel Aviv, for UEFA Europa League Third Qualification Round. We decided to go to match. After that match, I have realized that it was the perfect time to add something new to this blog.<br /><br />Almost for a week, it has been rainy or cloudy in Sarajevo. The game will not be played in Grbavica – Željezničar’s stadium, but will be in Koševo. Probably, Grbavica did not abide UEFA criteria. Since Koševo does not have covered grandstand, I kept an eye on the clouds during the whole day. Neither it rained, nor there was any single sign from the clouds that it would be raining. The weather was nice and a long-sleeved t-shirt would be enough to be warm.<br /><br />My actual knowledge about Željo’s current squad was almost on “zero” level. I just know that they were on third place in Bosnian Premier League last season. I always used to find excuse by claiming: “Do not ask me about the football teams, nor about the players. I am not watching the game. I watching those, who watch the game.” However, I shall say that I could not recognize the fans as well. My field work had finished by February 2008 and the time period of 3,5 years since then is a reasonable time for a new generation of fans would appear and the oldies to marry, have jobs, and have families and have less time for football. <br /><br />I did not understand why northern (Sjever) and western (Zapad) stands were not opened. The fans were only on southern (Jug) curve and eastern (Istok) stand which is on the side of the hospital. Of course, only the VIP section of western stand was open as well. TM87 (aka “The Maniacs” – I do not prefer to call anybody or any group addressing like that, and I prefer TM87, abbreviation for “The Maniacs 1987”) was located on southern curve by their nature. I use the term “by their nature” because of two reasons: First, TM87’s location in Grbavica is also on “Jug”. Secondly, Kosevo’s Jug is always reserved for guest fans. One can argue that the western curve belongs to Željo fans more than Sarajevo fans. <br /><br />Unfortunately, I do not have any photos from the match. After years when I went to a football match with the wish to add something for my blog, I took my notebook, but forgot my pen, I took my camera, but forgot to take charged batteries. A failure which should not be made by an anthropologist who goes to “field” with more than three pens, controls the batteries, moreover, takes extra batteries with the possibility to struggle with the security guys about extra batteries in the bag. I promise that in the next article –which I hope it will be earlier than 3,5 years- you will see visual material. For some photos, you can visit <a href="http://www.fkzeljeznicar.com/vijesti/foto-zeljeznicar-maccabi-tel-aviv">Željezničar’s web site</a>.<br /><br />Jug was totally full. There were no empty chairs on the corners. Istok was almost full as well. I can say that there were more or less 17-18.000 spectators. As a habitual outcome of being denizen of Ankara 19 Mayıs Stadium, we seated align half-way line. So to say; the family part. The stands for those married with children spectators. Giving importance on Gençlerbirliği fandom traditions, we began to enjoy our sunflower seeds. We even contributed to some chants. Surely we chatted a lot about teams, players, referee as well.<br /><br />I have been more than 60 games in Bosnia. Almost during all of those games, I have been hanging around the stands among the fans, with a camera and a note-book in my hands. Slowly but surely I began to quit that habit of mine, and instead of watching those who watch the match, I try to watch the match itself. Honestly, I even began to enjoy football again after a long time. Of course, the rapid nature of the game has got influence on it as well. From the early beginning of the match Željo was playing impressively offensive. Every second they seized the ball, they were attacking. A nice game to watch, however Željo was like a “bee unable to produce honey”.<br /><br />The match statistics are that of which could make a Championship/Football Manager fan into mad. According to the <a href="http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/season=2012/matches/round=2000270/match=2007137/index.html">statistics from UEFA’s website</a>, Željo has 10 goal attempts, where as Maccabi has 7. But ball is round. Maccabi was the victorious side at the end of the game. Željo was absolutely dominant in the first half. Nevertheless, they could not find the goal. Željo players, especially Zajko Zeba, the most expensive player in Bosnian leagues (650.000 Euro) were not able to roll the ball into the net. Since Maccabi players saw that Željo was inefficient in using the free-kicks, they did not hesitate to foul Željo players. I have to admit that the Swedish referee who were not willing to show red card from the second yellow was effective in determining that strategy as well. The name of the one of the Swedish referees was Mehmet Culum, an absolutely Turkish name. Probably the shorter linesman was him. He was just in front of us and the whole match I waited for him to verdict improperly to tease him in Turkish language, but he simply did not give me this opportunity.<br /><br />During the game they announced that FK Sarajevo was losing the game against Sparta Prague in away match. The Željo fans on “Jug” exhibited their bliss, while no one reacted positively or negatively on Istok.<br /><br />Since Željo, despite playing very offensive game, could not score, there were two alternative scenarios for the second half: Željo would find a solution to score one goal, or Maccabi would benefit from fast counter-attacks. The second alternative came about. Maccabi’s trainer Motti Ivanir should have well analyzed Željo’s weaker points. Roberto Colautti, Argentinian player of Maccabi, who has been injured for long time, thus weak in one-to-one struggles, but quite rapid in counter-attacks started in the eleven in the second half. He scored on min.47 and 56. He was probably noticed a bit lately by Željo defense. When Željo defense began to keep eye on him seriously, it was the time for Colautti to have a peaceful time until the end of the match without any serous attempts, surely with peace in his heart of having done his job perfectly. Maccabi’s Bosnian player Haris Međunjanin, who played quite ambitious against a team from his homeland took attention of Bosnian fans. Bosnian fans not only sweared to his mother, but also to his sister, which is not very common in Bosnia.<br /><br />We personally were more or less enthusiasted about Montenegrin origin Serbian right winger Goran Marković’s style despite his passing was not brilliant, but not bad in tackling. Marković is new to the team. Probably he would be better in passing when he will get used to play with the same squad. Another new player, Liberian origin Swiss player Patrick Gerhardt Nyema took our attention with his pace, but he needs some more experience in Bosnia to be an important player in Željo. <br /><br />While I was expecting Maccabi to score the third, even the fourth goals, Željo began to recover a bit, trying different ways to score. Unfortunately, they do not have that much talented scorers in the squad. I was surprised that none of the Željo players tried shooting from long distance despite Maccabi’s goal-keeper seemed not good on long-shots. The result was clear: 0-2...Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-8662087522163068602010-01-03T13:31:00.000-08:002010-01-03T13:32:45.453-08:00FANS FIERCE TO SCARE PORTUGALJournalists had always been some sort of problem for anthropologists, despite their valuable help for us. Thanks to them, our researches take more attention from the public. However, most often, before they publish we have to check what they wrote about us, about our researches and about the people on whom we conduct our researches. But, sometimes it becomes a bit difficult.<br /><br />João Seixas, journalist from Portuguese daily sport journal “Records” made an interview with me just before the match between Portugal and Bosnia and Hercegovina fort he World Cup 2010 qualification.<br /><br />Here you can find the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://www.record.xl.pt/noticia.aspx?id=66c5c59b-8307-4be1-aee9-37d283aa73f0&idCanal=00002452-0000-0000-0000-000000002452">original article</a><br /><br />Here is the translation (I had to add some corrections for the most visible ones):<br /><br />FANS FIERCE TO SCARE PORTUGAL<br />UNIVERSITY SPECIALIST ON FOOTBALL FANS WARRANT THAT BOSNIAN FANS ARE LOYAL<br />The anthropologist Dirim Ozkan is one of the most famous researchers of the organized supporters on an european level. (Erratum 1) Born in Turkey, this university professor, that one day decided to leave the turkish army in search of “more brain and less muscle”, spent a big part of his life looking and the root of human behaviour related with the football phenomenon.(Erratum 2)<br /><br />After a few e-mails we scheduled an encounter in a nice coffee shop in the muslim part of Sarajevo. (Erratum 3) Smiling and in a good mood, Dirim is a master of the spoken word and after four hours of academic talk, almost nothing is left unanswered about this country's supporters and what extra motivation they can give to Miroslav Blazevic players on the game between Portugal and Bosnia, on the way to the South Africa world cup.<br /><br />“The organized supporters are, like in the rest of the Balcans, very strong and prepared for violence. However, here there's not attacks behind the back. Loyalty is the base and the confrontations are always on a man to man basis, ther's no uneven forces”, reveals Dirim. The “Bosnia Fanatics”, code name for the group that gets together to support the national team, is described as an “well organized force”, beeing that they divide themselves to make sure the team never lacks support: “If the game is at home, national members take care of it. If it's away, there are bosnian supporters in Norway, Sweden and other countries that take care of organizing things”.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Ethnicity</span><br />Next, it was time for a pull of ears from this Turk that, after studying the phenomenon in several countries, based himself in the Balcans. “Please, don't write that the problems here are motivated exclusively by religion. The problems that exist are motivated by ethnies, by rivalry between urban and rural and finally the normal differences between clubs. What we have between Zenica and Sarajevo is like your Benfica – FC Porto. The ones from the capital city, closer to the power, against the ones further away from it who want to be in front one day”, assumes Dirim.<br /><br />In fact, connected to this two clubs Dirim tells a story that explains the phenomenon in this region. “Sarajevo's supporters were going to Travnik and were stopped on the road by the Zenica supporters, who are rivals... of Travnik. (Erratum 4)And if some threw stones, others replied with grenades! Sometimes is complicated...” To end, it was time to explain the choice behing Celik's stadium, in Zenika. “It's an english style stadium, with the field very close to the stands. The insults and provocations will be more than many, as is a good example the club's organized supporters, the Robijasi Boys.”<br /><br />ERRATUM 1: I am really trying to do my best, but I am sure I am too far away of being the “most famous”. This might be a naive exeggeration of João.<br /><br />ERRATUM 2: There is a great misunderstanding here.I was in military service in Turkish Navy in November 2008 – May 2009. “Less muscle,more brain” is not my own word.It might be a sort of journalistic imagination.<br /><br />ERRATUM 3: There is nothing like “muslim” or “catholic” or “orthdox” part of the city. The cafe was located in the middle of the Stari Grad (Old City) some hundred meters to some mosques, some churches and even to a synagogue.<br /><br />ERRATUM 4: The case had happened in Zenica when Zeljo fans were on their way back from a match in Zepce (not in Travnik).<br /><br />NOTE: Thanks to Filiz Kahveci-Kıyıcı and Pedro Gomes for the translation.Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-17209156298610333672009-11-06T03:58:00.000-08:002009-11-06T04:14:48.267-08:00LET TURKEY NOT BE IN THE SAME GROUP WITH BOSNIA AGAINI have mentioned many times about love of Bosnians for Turkey in that blog, especially in the articles just before Turkey-Croatia match in EURO 2008. Do not be confused with the fact that Bosnian king Tvrtko had fought against Otoman Army in Kosovo War in 1389 together with Serbian king Lazar. Kepin mind that, Anatolian princedoms also did not hesitate to fight against Ottomans who tried to establish hegemony over Turkomans. So to say, it does not mean that Tvrtko was a real enemy against Turks. Maybe he just did not want his people to be under control of Ottomans. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhixE4cK6rn3dFCBt1ZtRkB7YcPKaZq2vLZTzqVjMmCpyisRCQnIhRfzjRXfPp4NxrtV8ni4t6Jcc2dZCcU7wMUtnNGxox2H6jM78MApxe1kyrY9-JQMMDHOM8GMiUif3u_EhC546aC2aUr/s1600-h/Yeni+Resim+(1).png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 110px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhixE4cK6rn3dFCBt1ZtRkB7YcPKaZq2vLZTzqVjMmCpyisRCQnIhRfzjRXfPp4NxrtV8ni4t6Jcc2dZCcU7wMUtnNGxox2H6jM78MApxe1kyrY9-JQMMDHOM8GMiUif3u_EhC546aC2aUr/s320/Yeni+Resim+(1).png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400962175523834914" /></a>There had been relations between Turks and Bosnians in pre-Ottoman Era as well. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bektasi">Bektashi Fathers</a> were the first to visit the region before the warriors and it is very well known how local Bosnians were hospitable for those heartfelt visitors. It is even argued that, that relationship between Bektashis and Bosnians made it to easier to occupy this are by the Ottomans. This sincere relationship between Ottomans and Bosnians were such deep that Habsburg monarchs, who occupied and annexed Bosnia to Austria-Hungary in 1878 had to accept that Bosnians would be directly connected to Sheihk-ul Islam (religious head) who was residing in Istanbul. Bosnians identify their religions as “Turkish type Islam”, and even not very fond of those neo-Turks in Bosnia: “Those neo-Turks do try to cnvert us to Arabic type of Islam.”<br /><br />In that “football culture”blog, I will not bother the reader with the friendship of Bosnians and Turks. I just wanted to open a paranthesis before introducing in the subject of recent football matches between Bosnia and Turkey. Friendship between Turkey and Bosnia has great historical and cultural background. While Bosnian Serbs have got close ties with Serbia, and Bosnian Croats with Croatia, this situation makes Bosnian Muslims (aka Bosniaks) closer to Turkey: “If you have your Beograd and Zagreb, we have our Istanbul!” The national football matches between Turkey-Bosnia, or football matches between Turkish and Bosnian football matches in UEFA cups are played within this atmosphere. It is very common to see Turkish flags in the stadiums of Bosnia.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBZoNBVGC1Q9pkPc36jBHSLDNlV2T7ZzGg0HecW_-Jde8uSizZjm3fLMl0ZmFAUB38uR0Rvze-VDS_6fHmfROLX1oR7T9a_lyhx8CIKN9UspY70iiKlxR6dFo44VVOumERfBHZ8uvK4CF/s1600-h/Yeni+Resim+(2).png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBZoNBVGC1Q9pkPc36jBHSLDNlV2T7ZzGg0HecW_-Jde8uSizZjm3fLMl0ZmFAUB38uR0Rvze-VDS_6fHmfROLX1oR7T9a_lyhx8CIKN9UspY70iiKlxR6dFo44VVOumERfBHZ8uvK4CF/s320/Yeni+Resim+(2).png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400962054045316162" /></a><br /><br />On the other side, it is somehow strange that the first friendly match between Turkey and Bosnia was played in August 16, 2000. Turkey could only by then think of playing with her sister eight years after the independence. The result of the first friendly game between Turkey and Bosnia played in Koşevo Stadium was 2-0 for Bosnia. <br />The destiny made two teams to play couple of times in the international tournaments. The first match between Turkey and Bosnia in the qualifying group was played in June 2, 2007. Although Turkey had scored the first goal, Bosnians were the victorous side at the end: 3-2. The revenge of that match was played by November 21, 2007 in Istanbul. Instead of identifying it as “played” we would better to say “acted like to be played”.Bosnia, who did not have any chance in the group did not make the thing more difficult for Turkey and the result was areasonable 1-0 defeat for Bosnia. The headlines of Hungarian newspapers were meaningful: “Eternal Brotherhood”. The threepoints of Turkey gathered from that match made it possible for Turkey to go to Austria and Switzerland instead of Hungary. <br />I had written about possible attitude of Bosnians about Turkey-Croatia match in that blog before: <a href="http://bosnianfootballculture.blogspot.com/2008/06/zagreb-e-biti-turska-mahala.html">Zagreb ce biti turska mahala</a>.<br /><br />Hence, I had also mentioned how they celebrated Turkish victory: <a href="http://bosnianfootballculture.blogspot.com/2008/06/turmoil-in-bosnia-after-turkey-croatia.html">Turmoil in Bosnia After Turkey-Croatia Match.</a><br /><br />For South Africa 2010, Turkey and Bosnia were seeded in the same group again. I had mentioned that Bosnia would not bean easy team to pass: <a href="http://bosnianfootballculture.blogspot.com/2008/10/bosnian-surprise-for-turkey.html">Bosnian Surprise for Turkey.<br /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTC7JjuUysJDSiJ1EtiIU4hPnpifHB5DkBF8GR7VQNxEMV1m-UBpl-t-3czvK-Cwt0kGT0GTwbkA_qldwjlRo9zWCHlLNkAqLuuEoHoMls1wJ1dLcPh3YbIygSB8X8-pdoXnMODzYEbLvx/s1600-h/Yeni+Resim+(3).png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTC7JjuUysJDSiJ1EtiIU4hPnpifHB5DkBF8GR7VQNxEMV1m-UBpl-t-3czvK-Cwt0kGT0GTwbkA_qldwjlRo9zWCHlLNkAqLuuEoHoMls1wJ1dLcPh3YbIygSB8X8-pdoXnMODzYEbLvx/s320/Yeni+Resim+(3).png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400961804882892402" /></a>The first match would be in Istanbul, at October 11, 2008, in İnönü Stadium with the new trainer of Bosnia and Hercegovina. Ciro had asked Bosnia fans to not to wear Turkey jerseys during the match. It is well known that Bosnians have great sympathy to Turkish football, not only on national level, but on local level as well. Not only those jerseys or accessories of great teams of Istanbul, but even Turkish teams which do not play in Super League can be seen on Bosnian football fans. Just before that match, Ciro had asked Bosnian fans: “I know you enjoy Turkish flags, but at least in that match come only with Bosnian flags!”. When I have wrote about this in my blog, our “football fans” began to produce conspiracy theories about “anti-Turkish character of Ciro”. Bosnians did not do any surprise for Turkey. Athough they had scored the first goal, the rule that “who scores Turkey the first goal will be defeated” was valid in that match as well, and the final score was 2-1. And among 1600 fans of Bosnia, it was possible to see Bosnians with Turkish flags, scarves or other accessories. <br /><br />Bosnians never hesitate to be kind to Turks in such circumstances. But, it is visible that Turks do not reply that kindness very often. On the contrary, when Bosnians lit torches, they are groaned down by Turkish fans. When Bosnians prefer to sing their original national march “Jedna si jedina”, during their artificial national match is played in the stadum, or when they replace the artifical flag with the original Bosnian flag with the “ljiljans”, Turkish fans start jeers again. It ispartly because of disinformation about Bosnian history and reality, and partly because of other sentiments. <br /><br />In fact Bosnian did not make a surprise in Zenica in September 9, 2009. One could see numerous Turkish flags in there as well and the result of the match was a draw:1-1. But, it was Bosnia at the end who had obtained the right to attend in play off matches. “Emperor Terim the Arrogant”s desires were avoided by Belgium in fact, but how could our brothers Bosnians could do that to us? They had to know their place and since they did not they have right to be target of Turkish football fans and media.<br /><br />A kind of analogy is very common to be made considering the relationship between Turks and Bosnians: “Turkey and Bosnia are brothers. Turkey is the elder one, Bosnia is the younger,and it is obvious that from time to time the younger brother would wish to beat the elder brother in games.” Aparently, Turks consider Bosnians as somebody from “home”. However, it might be because of the deformed vision of pax-Ottomanism which examine some nationalities as subjects of the Empire, more than being the “younger brother” some Turks likely are more likely to see Bosnians as “step-brother” who knows who is the real boss. <br /><br />I do not want Turkey to seed in the same group with Bosnia ever again. It is not because of my fear from Bosnia, which is getting better results like her ex-Yugoslav sisters as inheritors of the magnificient Yugo ecolé. I am from the generation who witnessed defeats of disastrous scores of 8-0s. I can deal with defeats, but not with some other things. Before Bosnia played with Armenia and Estonia, there were rumors in Bosnia that considerable amount of money passed to Riga and Erivan from Turkey. I remember an oldie was complaining that the real situation made him to be fan of Armenia. For those who live in my beautiful country Turkey, maybe not in other spheres, but surely at the top-5 in corruption world wide, rumors about “incentive bonus” offered to Armenia or Estonia would not be surprising to hear. That is what I cannot deal with as well.<br /><br />For those reasons, I really do not want Turkey to seed again with Bosnia in the same group…Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-22793821957619954912009-10-19T21:07:00.000-07:002009-10-19T21:13:51.628-07:00More with "Bosnian Football Culture" soon, and a new blogMy articles in this blog had unfortunately been cancelled for a while beause of my obligatory military service in the navy and phd thesis. I apologize from the readers who follow this blog. <br /><br />I am back in Sarajevo and I will restart to write actual articles again, as well as with mre articles about my preivous observations on Bosnian football fandom. <br /><br />I have decided to keep this blog free from "football news" which I have designed to write only those articles about "Football Culture". Thus, I have prepared another blog just only for "football news". But, I do not want to limit this blog only to football news from Bosnia, but with a wider spectrum including Balkan countries, especially ex-Yugoslav countries. Here is the address:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.balkanfootball.blogspot.com/">http://www.balkanfootball.blogspot.com/</a><br /><br />I hope you will enjoy my new blog as well.<br /><br />With regards,<br /><br />Özgür Dirim ÖzkanDirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-44531099352795519982009-04-04T02:42:00.000-07:002009-04-04T02:47:41.995-07:00A short break for "Essays on Bosnian Football Culture"<h3 class="post-title entry-title"> I have to give a break to my essays. Firstly, because of the painfull process of PhD dissertation, and than followed by obligatory military service (currently in Turkish navy). By July 2009, I will go on writing essays on Bosnian Football Culture when I will be finally settled in Sarajevo again.<br /></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><br /></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title">All the best,<br /></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title">Özgür Dirim Özkan </h3>Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-65551035476406323692008-10-11T02:01:00.000-07:002008-10-11T02:26:30.371-07:00BOSNIAN SURPRISE FOR TURKEYThose who had watched the recent Turkey-Bosnia match which was played in İstanbul may remember: Bosnian players “acting” like playing, apparently without any wish to struggle, and Turkey scoring only one goal without any intention to afflict Bosnians. The headline of the Hungarian newspapers was; “ETERNAL BROTHERHOOD” referring to the antipathic “Scandinavian brotherhood”. <br /><br />The 1-0 result was the best for both Bosnians and Turks. Turkey had managed to go for EURO 2008 and it was a resonable defeat for Bosnians, against Turkey in İstanbul hell. All of the Bosnians that I have talked in Sarajevo were confident about the result fort hey did not avoid Turkey’s involvement in EURO 2008, and 0-1 was not an ashameful result.<br /><br />C’est la vie! Turkey is again in the same group with Bosnia for FIFA 2010 and the first match will be played in Turkey. But, will Bosnians act like playing again? <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5sdyK3uRZiIxg-DHLrkOzSTPZ7eycLgZHa38kpFe61N5zpRYk-XTXOIyHL8aB4dgcxGxbVMDKtkQ3sEm4CaZPoTjxLQ08ZM8hIXFCrwICYlRXAzFxfjDXfAqWEM-15-E4J_o1mGaHUQYp/s1600-h/06.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5sdyK3uRZiIxg-DHLrkOzSTPZ7eycLgZHa38kpFe61N5zpRYk-XTXOIyHL8aB4dgcxGxbVMDKtkQ3sEm4CaZPoTjxLQ08ZM8hIXFCrwICYlRXAzFxfjDXfAqWEM-15-E4J_o1mGaHUQYp/s320/06.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255819214609574738" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">A PACK OF PROBLEMS: BOSNIAN NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM</span><br />Being one of the important inheritor of Yugoslav football ecolé, Bosnia could not managed to succed in football since the war. The most evident reason behind this is the lack of normalization of the relations between the ethnic groups in Bosnia since Dayton Peace Agreement in 1995. It has got its reflections in the sphere of football as well. Each football team in Bosnian league represent one of the ethnic groups. The balance is very fragile. In a way, there is an unwritten rule of rotation system: If one year a Bosnian Serb team is champion, then the next year is Bosnian Croat team, and the next year is the turn for a Bosnian Muslim team. Lack of disintegration does not only decresases the level of quality of football in Bosnian league, but also it negatively effects the national football team.<br /><br />However, there is even a more dramatical problem: Corruption. N/FSBiH (Nogometni/Fudbalski Savez Bosne i Hercegovine - Football Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina, shıortly recalled “Savez” by fans) is recognized as a haven. This is has been subject of many protests in Bosnia. We can even argue that, protest demonstrations against Savez may be called as the most serious opposition protest movement in Sarajevo. Graffitis against Savez can be seen everywhere in the country. Bosnians fans became famous by halting the matches of Bosnian national team by their protests.<br /><br />This situation end up with a negative stand of Bosnian players towards playing in the Bosnian national football team. Those Bosnian players who play in West European football leagues boycott the national team. The reason behind this is the told to be bribery which is asked from players to play in the national squad. Bosnian national squad, which started the group matches for EURO 2008 like a thunder did not have any success except a victory over Norway in Oslo and over Turkey in Sarajevo. <br />However, recently in July 2008 some changes had happened in Bosnia.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">THE BILL FOR THE EX-TRAINER!</span><br />The ex-trainer Fuad Muzurovic who is a recognized feature by Turkish fans since he had been training Adanademirspor in 1987-1990 and Adanaspor in 1998-1999 was found to be guilty because of the results. After Muzurovic, Meho Kodro, 41 years old, who had a succesful career in football as a player in teams like Barcelona, Deportivo, Vitoria but surely inexperienced as a trainer became the new boss of Bosnian national squad. After some problems with the Savez, he also had to leave his job. Bosnia was shaked by a news in July 10. Miroslav Blazevic, nicknamed as “Ciro” (spelled as “cheero”) would be training the national squad for the group matches of FIFA 2010!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">WHO IS CIRO?</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifUQ1pGadP6CQDByN-yqqgp7fDELq-THPMhFPtFnXzBDHAFLCCCg3TpptzPgQWh-7R9ffb-R0KcBhzJ3UHe9gemmr_l1E0NPlahFUAbk8g2HCmgFNPIut9ocmBMRDcSS4ucNJO8VT_PFl3/s1600-h/blazevic_ciro12311-v.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifUQ1pGadP6CQDByN-yqqgp7fDELq-THPMhFPtFnXzBDHAFLCCCg3TpptzPgQWh-7R9ffb-R0KcBhzJ3UHe9gemmr_l1E0NPlahFUAbk8g2HCmgFNPIut9ocmBMRDcSS4ucNJO8VT_PFl3/s320/blazevic_ciro12311-v.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255820193579986610" /></a>Being 73 years old, Ciro is a member of “grandfather” ecolé in football. In many occasions, he remarks that he had not been a brilliant player when he was playing football. That is why he started his training career in an early age. When he was 33, he started to train FC Vevey in Switzerland and then in Sion and Lausanne. Then he found himself as sub-trainer of Swiss national squad. <br /><br />He returned back to his homeland Yugoslavia to train Dinamo Zagreb. In the third season Dinamo managed to be the champion, which was their first after 24 years, making Ciro a hero. Increasing political tension in Yugoslavia had its effects on Ciro’s career as well. He trained different teams in Yugoslavia and Europe like PAOK, Grasshopers, Pristina, Nantes. He was sacked from Nantes when it was understood that he was involved in bribery, which implied the end of his career.<br /><br />Spending time with the political figures of those years, Ciro was supporting the Croat nationalist leader Franjo Tudjman and he was assigned as trainer and general manager of Tudjman backed Dinamo Zagreb. With the championship in 1993, Croatian Cup in 1994, Ciro proved his quality again and was assigned to be the trainer of the Croatian national squad.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">THE HERO WHO MADE CROATIA WORLD’S 3rd BEST TEAM</span><br />Ciro Era is recognized as the ever best period of Croatian national squad. They involved in EURO 96 in England with considerable succesful results. But, the real sansational success came 2 years after in FIFA 98 in France: Croatia, having sympathy of every football lover with their interesting red-white-squared jerseys became the 3rd in the toyurnament. But, this success did not bring luck for Ciro. He beganm to travel from that team to this team again. First Iran national squad, than Dinamo Zagreb. After being assigned to be trainer for Hajduk Split -fatal rival of Dinamo Zagreb- the man of sansations became subject of hatred of both sides. The 8-0 aggragate defeat of Hajduk against Hungarian Debrecen was the end of his career in Split, and was even marking the end of his career. When he was working on permanent contracts with different small clubs, he was surprisingly ask for a contract. Ciro who was born in Travnik, a city in Bosnia, was recalled by hiss homeland. He accepted.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />PEACE WITH FOOTBALL PLAYERS, PEACE WITH BOSNIA</span><br />The first thing Ciro wanted to do in the team was to establish unity. He contacted with those players who refused to play in national squad. The new trainer brought a new atmosphere and 7-0 victory over Estonia did not only motivated players but also Bosnians who were hopeless about national squad previously. Bosnians became more interested in national team since there was a new trainer who was popular and known to be a successful one.<br />Moreover, bing a Bosnian Croat, Ciro has a potential to be figure of unity in Bosnia-Herzegovina. For example, in summer 2007 Bosnia played a friendly game against Croatia in Sarajevo. During this match, the fans of Croatia were mostly Bosnian Croats and a considerable part of did come from Travnik, homeland of Ciro. Now, it is expected that not only Bosnian Croats’ but also Bosnian Serbs’ attitude towards the national squad will change positively.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">3-5-2 and CIRO</span><br />Ciro’s game tactics are not alien to those who knows Yugoslav style. Basically, it requires keeping the ball in mid-field with technical capabilities and short passes, if they loose the ball they do Yugoslav faul –a type of technical faul aiming to stop rival’s attack at the very beginning of the attack. They wait for rival to offend them, and look for open spaces in the rival field. When they see that, with long balls and fast winders they attack quickly. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">THE SQUAD</span><br />The expected squad to play against Turkey is:<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Goal keeper: </span><br />Kenan Hasagiç (İstanbul BB) <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Defence:</span><br />Emir Spahiç (Lokomotif Moskva)<br />Saşa Papats (Glasgow Rangers)<br />Cemal Berberoviç (Litex), <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Midfield:</span><br />Elvir Rahimiç (CSKA Moskva)<br />Zvjezdan Misimoviç (Wolfsburg),<br />Senijad Ibriçiç (Hajduk Split)<br />Miralem Pjaniç (Lion)<br />Samir Muratoviç (Sturm Graz).<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Forward:</span><br />Zlatan Muslimoviç (PAOK)<br />Edin Ceko (Wolfsburg)<br /> <span style="font-weight:bold;">Substitutes:</span><br />Goran Brašnić (Inter Zagreb)<br />Safet Nadarević (Eskişehirspor)<br />Ivan Radeljiç (Energie Kotbus)<br />Adnan Mravats (Materzburg)<br />Dario Damjanoviç (Luch Energija)<br />Sejad Salihoviç (Hoffenheim)<br />Mladen Bartoloviç (Hajduk Split)<br />Vedad İbişeviç (Hoffenheim)<br />Admir Vladaviç (Žilina Bratislava)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">“IF WE ARE ON OUR DAY, NO ONE CAN STOP US!”</span><br />Ciro made an interview with journalists in Sarajevo on October 7 and said that no one can stop them if they will be on their day. He told that, last week he watched some of his players who are playing in the football leagues of different countries. He told that, as far as he observed all of his players are in good form and he is very happy because of that. <br /><br />He expressed that especially Misimoviç and Muslimoviç are at the peak of their performance. But he is just a little bir afraid of injuries. It will be certain for Muslimovic –Wolfsburg’s star player- whether if he will play or not,, only in the last day.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">SPAHIÇ: DRAGON OF BOSNIA</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW5NimTzugHx-XJ5gsVgxMyVNbpv0PNyZhmQaDzsx1jf_Aua1Cp9cLvHrBJp-htfsEX9K-eQXgxKJxGYDQRSRl_TYTiKlmO5EkL_TWqyBAk768RD21z9nfM2WLldMh4KlO__pnMoKLeSFI/s1600-h/n71108235_31269126_8690.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW5NimTzugHx-XJ5gsVgxMyVNbpv0PNyZhmQaDzsx1jf_Aua1Cp9cLvHrBJp-htfsEX9K-eQXgxKJxGYDQRSRl_TYTiKlmO5EkL_TWqyBAk768RD21z9nfM2WLldMh4KlO__pnMoKLeSFI/s320/n71108235_31269126_8690.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255820658994743154" /></a>Ciro, emphasizing the fact that Bosnian squad is in a family atmosphere which had never been observed before until know, said that the forward players are at the peak of their form, but the only problem may be in defence. He added that he trusts their captain Spahiç. Spahiç has also got some minor injuries, which will not avoid him to play in İstanbul. He recalls his captain as “maj od Bosne – The Dragon of Bosnia”. As it is known, “Zmaj od Bosne” was the nick name of Kapetan Gradaşçeviç who leaded the uprising against Turks in 1831 in Bosnia. <br /><br />Bosnian squad came to İstanbul on Friday night (October 10)<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />BOSNIAN FANS COME AS WELL</span><br />According to Bosnian Football Federation, 400 tickets of 1600 reserved for Bosnian fansa re sold. Most of those fans will benefit from Istanbul’s fantastic autumn and watch the match at the same time. Azra and Emir Bektasagic are two of them. They want to use this opportunity for a second honeymoon at the 11th anniversary of their marriage. Azra was in London during the war and she says her best friends were Turks in London and Turkey had always had a special place in her hearth. She says that her elder son learns Turkish and positive emotions towards Turks is valid for every Bosnian, and she adds “But we come to Turkey to beat you on the field!”. Azra admits that every Bosnian is excited about the match and says that the match will be like a match between two brothers, and they will not be sorry for a defeat, but she summarizes the situation: “Everybody would like to defeat his brother!”. Azra and Emir say that Bosnia had lived through difficult years since the war and they need successes in that kind of areas, that is why Bosnians need that victory more than Turks.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">CIRO’S WISH FROM BOSNIAN FANS: “DO NOT WEAR TURKISH JERSEYS!”</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgISsbtWxkdZYnBFrWEaixM1TyC5Uo7il2m6-aJ5wAD8t7r8DU8krKJ69a1GQytnoYlAw32IirQOtSg4aBzzyyUjUGeVCSnrCcb-F384dEFFh0dvT_rOjOP_XvICrAOCOBLcvle2oA5ts4Y/s1600-h/07.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgISsbtWxkdZYnBFrWEaixM1TyC5Uo7il2m6-aJ5wAD8t7r8DU8krKJ69a1GQytnoYlAw32IirQOtSg4aBzzyyUjUGeVCSnrCcb-F384dEFFh0dvT_rOjOP_XvICrAOCOBLcvle2oA5ts4Y/s320/07.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255821533203050706" /></a>It is very common to see jerseys of Turkish football teams in Bosnian stadiums. Bosnian fans frequently select jerseys of Turkish teams which is closer to their team’s colors. Last summer, I saw one of the fans of Sarajevo having scarf of “Boluspor” who plays in the second division of Turkey. Bosnians do also enjoy to celebrate victories of Turkish national squad. After every important victory of Turkey, the old city center of Sarajevo “Başçarşı” resembles the city center of Istanbul. Ciro warns Bosnians who have a tendency to wear Turkish jerseys or scarfs in their own national matches: “We are playing against Turkey. Please just only wear colors of Bosnia”.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvt0wtFdKnX3lUvR4XejHGWTAm5E-9xAxoxPyKjVuv_1epUHCMxoUG3aQbj2xjWqsQbx-vetahHyFR-wpXuFgrLCx9GXbT7fO_qensgbt38oW6jhe-ClOQywg9q-HHh1wUD1ukD6JTxFu9/s1600-h/02agustos2008+001.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvt0wtFdKnX3lUvR4XejHGWTAm5E-9xAxoxPyKjVuv_1epUHCMxoUG3aQbj2xjWqsQbx-vetahHyFR-wpXuFgrLCx9GXbT7fO_qensgbt38oW6jhe-ClOQywg9q-HHh1wUD1ukD6JTxFu9/s320/02agustos2008+001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255822891403230066" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">BOSNIAN FANS: “FIRST WE WILL SURPRISE TURKS, THEN DEFEAT THEM!”</span><br />Around 50 members of BH Fanaticos – the fan group of Bosnian national team will be watching the match as well. They ague that the match is important fort hem and they will feel themselves like they are in thier second homeland: “Turkey is our second home. So, the match will be like a game between two brothers. But, we will be the winning side.”.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpWPZqccZmoPlwNc_yYRPF7JfAUib5XqA0V73qqV1C-9S6KG0WBlSLhkHThRJN9_-9Vf37ypRLBfF25mje1U8uVFU_uYrs13MCVHHkUAOQiL_1f77Mn8cVmUV9Fuv5dxLy4UIRhH2UurP6/s1600-h/03.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpWPZqccZmoPlwNc_yYRPF7JfAUib5XqA0V73qqV1C-9S6KG0WBlSLhkHThRJN9_-9Vf37ypRLBfF25mje1U8uVFU_uYrs13MCVHHkUAOQiL_1f77Mn8cVmUV9Fuv5dxLy4UIRhH2UurP6/s320/03.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255822893619007602" /></a>Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-73016772660564211522008-06-23T10:59:00.000-07:002008-06-24T02:19:18.186-07:00TURMOIL IN BOSNIA AFTER TURKEY-CROATIA MATCH<span style="font-size:12;"><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">After the EURO 2008 quarter-final match between Turkey and Croatia, street fights are reported from Bosnian cities of mixed Bosnian Croat and Bosnian Muslim communities where 27 were injured and 33 taken under custody according to Bosnian daily newspaper Dnevni Avaz.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipwz4-S0Ye0H_bfARxxwZvM4nE7eIMMkuJX2dKJHCpR7XHoUX7HsRIQ_5djXc3C8l5hYYXNLIMhJrSPGnCdEgu25vj66xI19UL3MapiruNW5P2-YY8LaMLfIFSrMP7JbiaJ6ehOJ4pCmhH/s1600-h/mostar-nakon-pobjede-turske_dsm06_soccer-euro-_0620_11.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipwz4-S0Ye0H_bfARxxwZvM4nE7eIMMkuJX2dKJHCpR7XHoUX7HsRIQ_5djXc3C8l5hYYXNLIMhJrSPGnCdEgu25vj66xI19UL3MapiruNW5P2-YY8LaMLfIFSrMP7JbiaJ6ehOJ4pCmhH/s400/mostar-nakon-pobjede-turske_dsm06_soccer-euro-_0620_11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215374421705724210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">MOSTAR <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Fan riot occurred last night after the match between Turkey – Croatia. 16 policemen injured….<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Public relation Officer at the Ministry of Internal affairs Srećko Bošnjak said that initial disorder started at two sites, prior at Square Rondo, where football fans of Croatian representation gathered. Just after the match tear gas was thrown at the members of police and fans attempted to go to Spanish Square (Španski trg).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">At Square Musala football fans of Turkish representation started disorder as well, trying to reach Spanish Square too.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">"Police tried to prevent fan groups to confront and pushed back both of them in different directions. We can say that around 2000 people from both sides participated it", said Bošnjak.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">He also said that police had to use force, tear gas and combat vehicle in order to repress masses.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">At Mostar locality 16 policemen and four fans are injured, four police vehicles and one special combat vehicle of police are damaged, and major material damage has been done. 16 persons are arrested. There were two attempts of direct car attacks at police officers. Both cases are documented; attackers are identified and will be processed.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">ČAPLJINA, STOLAC, NEUM and ČITLUK</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">At locality of Čapljina one policeman is injured, and five persons are arrested while at locality of Stolac three policemen are injured and eight persons arrested.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Nine citizen's vehicles are damaged in Neum, while in Čitluk four persons are arrested.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">ŽEPČE</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Two persons injured in disoder.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Upon the end of the match between Turkey and Croatia in the center of Žepče public order occurred<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-8PPu9sCkdDalarpPXXz0h6e9Tt6FNMiAjTuzZf3_PTtAARr8GR9JcTaaSjyxNoUPEn2p9C-rpxzY7WIrXyNw3tAPT8YZurlq7YNWwp_5mlvSJb-0lw_2Furpd3Qa71WUBuvX7ePFFbf/s1600-h/mostar-nakon-pobjede-turske_dsm09_soccer-euro_0621_11.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-8PPu9sCkdDalarpPXXz0h6e9Tt6FNMiAjTuzZf3_PTtAARr8GR9JcTaaSjyxNoUPEn2p9C-rpxzY7WIrXyNw3tAPT8YZurlq7YNWwp_5mlvSJb-0lw_2Furpd3Qa71WUBuvX7ePFFbf/s200/mostar-nakon-pobjede-turske_dsm09_soccer-euro_0621_11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215374617789328674" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Two persons suffer ailment bodily injuries, but police refuse to precise whether injured persons are Bosniak or Croat nationality.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:85%;">"Around 11:15 pm in the center of Žepče, group of app 200 fans of representation of Croatia gathered. At that moment convoy of twenty cars of Turkish representation supporters came across. Disturbance of public order occurred. Six citizen's cars have been damaged (three own by Croats and three own by Bosniaks)", duty operating Officer at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Zenica – Doboj Canton declared.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Stones and hard objects were used during disorder, and police of Žepče and Resource units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Zenica – Doboj Canton reacted.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:85%;">No other incidents were recorded on Friday evening in the other municipalities of Zenica – Doboj Canton.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />On the other side, it has been observed that some Bosnians had celebrated victory of Turkey in Bosnian cities like Sarajevo, Tuzlaü, Zenica by sirens in car convoys and flambeaux in city centers.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">During the match 3 people had died because of heart attack in Turkey, where 27 were wounded by the bullets after the match. It has been reported that those incidences do not have any relation with the Croat-Bosniak conflict. (!)</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:85%;">(Translated by: Lejla Gotovu<span class="ldacoc"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:11;" >ša)</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="ldacoc"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:11;" >Translated and piled from original articles:</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style=";font-size:12;color:blue;" ><a href="http://www.dnevniavaz.ba/dogadjaji/crna-hronika/mostar-povrijedjeno-16-policajaca"><span style="">http://www.dnevniavaz.ba/dogadjaji/crna-hronika/mostar-povrijedjeno-16-policajaca</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></u></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="ldacoc"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:11;" ></span></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:12;" ><a href="http://www.dnevniavaz.ba/dogadjaji/crna-hronika/zepce-dva-lica-povrijedjena-u-neredu">http://www.dnevniavaz.ba/dogadjaji/crna-hronika/zepce-dva-lica-povrijedjena-u-neredu</a></span><br /><span style="font-size:12;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-55389461354358117562008-06-21T05:08:00.001-07:002008-06-21T07:03:06.798-07:00SLAVEN BILIĆ: I WILL REMEMBER THIS DEFEAT FOREVER<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR61avu8OtTFxhBA_XaHJHZwbqA-r_-dNbjy3QMVDynbQzlJdtAr9jF6w6TyjdanWqA05uMdnsVg8x-WrUqdK4LZWhSw5LqGci8wVHl-MojZSwqrIITE92K5sycxzNuAwdvQkMs21T3dcR/s1600-h/corlukabilic1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR61avu8OtTFxhBA_XaHJHZwbqA-r_-dNbjy3QMVDynbQzlJdtAr9jF6w6TyjdanWqA05uMdnsVg8x-WrUqdK4LZWhSw5LqGci8wVHl-MojZSwqrIITE92K5sycxzNuAwdvQkMs21T3dcR/s400/corlukabilic1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214305556169044434" border="0" /></a><b><span style="font-size:12;"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></b><span style="font-size:10;"><span style="font-size:85%;">(From Slobodna Dalmacija, Croatian national daily newspaper)<br /><br /></span></span><b><span style="font-size:10;"><span style="font-size:130%;">After the defeat Croatian coach Slaven Bilić sadly faced seat in front of the journalists.</span><o:p></o:p></span></b> <p class="MsoBodyText2"><span style="font-size:100%;">- The match was good and congratulations to all participants. It was a game with incredible ending that can happen only in football. In 120 minutes we had more clear chances, and they had their pressure that was lasted from time to time. They were not indifferent, but I think that we were much better rival. It is not possible to describe the last two minutes and we will be hunted by it for the rest of our lives – Bilić started his story.</span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 8.35pt; text-align: justify; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><b><span style="font-size:10;"><span style="font-size:100%;">How did you experience stressful penalties?</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoBodyText2">- Penalties are lottery. I am proud of my players and there is nothing I can object to them at all. But we are sad and unhappy because we thought that with this team we can go up to the end. We haven't deserved to loose.</p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoBodyText3"><span style="font-size:100%;">With such a little time after Klasnić gained the goal it did not occur nobody's mind that Turks can return.</span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText2">- It was not in my mind that we will receive a goal, but pressure from their side was expected. After the first minute we had kept the ball, we started the counter-attack that ended in hinterland. Ball bounced to ninth and it ended the way it ended – Bilić remembered.</p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoBodyText3">Received goal was wind in the back for Croatian rival just before execution of the strike eleven meters away.</p> <p class="MsoBodyText2">- To accede the penalties after it looked that it was over was shocking. Turks were in physiological head start. I do not know what was players had in their minds, but I am sure that they were rewinding the received goal. In two minutes before execution of the penalty everybody were talking about that goal - said Bilić.</p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoBodyText3">Everybody was under the stress since the best player, in 120 minutes, Luka Modrić missed the first penalty already.</p> <p class="MsoBodyText2"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKImRYX4JpDUoomXB7jz-k8S5ZiW4AchnY3TpwvCmg2ivStwIL_-ibcDSuEAGYR_BsYsHp4Sa7Um0QOGJxmYQJwg4qAeJnaa2SISl94YybFpONoJOW1RW99I7QBOyxIneoKyFHY1YQDeNz/s1600-h/bilavelikal.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKImRYX4JpDUoomXB7jz-k8S5ZiW4AchnY3TpwvCmg2ivStwIL_-ibcDSuEAGYR_BsYsHp4Sa7Um0QOGJxmYQJwg4qAeJnaa2SISl94YybFpONoJOW1RW99I7QBOyxIneoKyFHY1YQDeNz/s200/bilavelikal.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214305929766031266" border="0" /></a>- Luka was awesome and he did not deserve to miss the penalty. By the way, during the whole tournament he was masterful. Honestly, not any player either ours or Turkish did not deserve to miss. And Turks? It is already the third match they are wining in extreme way and if the luck and persistence will follow them during the match with Germany, it is likely possible that they will enter the finals. It is obvious that besides quality there is something more that pushes them forward, something that matches for them. They are handicapped, they have one day lass for resting, and physically they exhausted themselves in the second game. With lots of wounded it will be difficult. May be some of them will return. I know that Turks will not give up until the end.</p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoBodyText3">There is World Championship ahead of Croatia.</p> <p class="MsoBodyText2">- It is not easy to forget this and move forward. This is not match that is playing weekly. The way we lost is difficult. This is impossible to forget. On the other side, we have to move forward, we have young team, and qualifications for the World championship are in front of the door. But tomorrow will be a new day and the sun will shine. My players have terrific character, we will return even bigger.</p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoBodyText3">Bilić mentioned extension of extension.</p> <p class="MsoBodyText2">The referee prolongs for two minutes, and we thought that is was over. It is specific situation when minutes are flying away for them and dragging for us. We tried two – three times to make a switch, the player was ready. I do not know why he did not allow us. But we are not making excuse on referee, it was not his fault. If he played the end, Turks would be attacked by Turks.</p><p class="MsoBodyText2"></p><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >What did players say?</span><br /></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Luka Modrić</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";"> came with red eyes, and he was not hiding that he was crying:<u1:p></u1:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";">- This is a great sorrow and disappointment, with the goal in the last second Turkey bitted us psychologically. Well, how can I know would it be different if it was 0:0, who would know it now? The truth is that after the goal we were nervous about penalties, in two minutes we saw ourselves in semi-finals, and it would the fair because we played good and we had much more chances.<u1:p></u1:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 6.6pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dario Šimić:<u1:p></u1:p></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";">- I am in sock. In 119th minute I saw us in semi-finals. A minute later I couldn't believe what was happening. I have never experienced something like this. It was difficult to suffer this in change room, especially for young players.<u1:p></u1:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 6.6pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";">Stipe Pletikosa: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 50%; margin-bottom: 6.6pt; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";">- What to say? I still cannot believe that this is happening. Is there in the world a team that scores goals in the last minutes in three matches at row?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: red;"> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><b><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style=""></span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size: 8pt; font-family: times new roman;"></span></span><span style="font-size:10;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Interview by: Pero Smolčić</span> <o:p></o:p></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.slobodnadalmacija.hr/Sport/Vatreni/Vatreni/tabid/164/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/11978/Default.aspx">http://www.slobodnadalmacija.hr/Sport/Vatreni/Vatreni/tabid/164/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/11978/Default.aspx</a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Translated by: Lejla Gotovu<span style="">š</span>a</p>Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-40864512498721492008-06-20T06:03:00.001-07:002008-06-20T06:23:32.738-07:00MOSTAR POLICE ALARMED FOR CROATIA-TURKEY MATCH<o:p></o:p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3mR_GOjfQrZpuI1tOnKtz_V1xM11EMM044DHFw6sQBcZrYSOAgXCqyG0Egq00PVOmLUnjpPQaU_FhNu0pMVfIEHTG0OMITpEQwgRgBaegBqoqrIV4-ZIFIvR9KYaFh2-Nd0VN-1Mq9egR/s1600-h/16eylul2007+040.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 243px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3mR_GOjfQrZpuI1tOnKtz_V1xM11EMM044DHFw6sQBcZrYSOAgXCqyG0Egq00PVOmLUnjpPQaU_FhNu0pMVfIEHTG0OMITpEQwgRgBaegBqoqrIV4-ZIFIvR9KYaFh2-Nd0VN-1Mq9egR/s320/16eylul2007+040.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213948871791432242" border="0" /></a><span style="" lang="EN-US">Commissar on duty in Ministry of Internal Affairs of Hercegovina-Neretva Canton Himzo Đonko announced that police forces will confront to any attempt of creation of disorder during and after the Croatia-Turkey match which will played today in Euro 2008 in Wien. There will be 650 policemen from <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Herzegovina</st1:place></st1:country-region>, among there will be significant numbers of rarely equipped members of Special unit of MIA HNK known as "Turtles".<o:p></o:p></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0.9pt 0.0001pt 13.85pt;"><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><span style="" lang="EN-US"><br />Special attention will be devoted to Mostar, Stolac and Prozor where is possible that eventual confrontations of hooligans will turn into international encounter. They reminde readers on incidents that occur two years ago after the match between <st1:country-region st="on">Croatia</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Brazil</st1:place></st1:country-region> at World Championship when huge riot happened. Couple days ago there were some incidents after the match between <st1:country-region st="on">Croatia</st1:country-region><span style=""> </span>- <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Germany</st1:place></st1:country-region>. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";">(Translation assistance by: Lejla Gotovuša)</span>Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-2131744835425656232008-06-20T04:16:00.000-07:002008-06-23T10:42:22.801-07:00ZAGREB ĆE BİTİ TURSKA MAHALA<span style="" lang="EN-US">Before the quarter final match between <st1:country-region st="on">Croatia</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region st="on">Turkey</st1:country-region> in EURO 2008, which will be played today, I wanted to write my observations about the friendly match between <st1:country-region st="on">Bosnia and Herzegovina</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Croatia</st1:place></st1:country-region> that was played last year relating both of the matches. This will also be an opportunity for me to write something into my blog again after a long time.<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjElilv4ro8AUwQP7fuWWLBzievr6GN29DWO_xbzknn1lEWWP345a7DHo9PAIOWy9xviqdIpiA0SK5YvmixtK0rAbU5I7izV6NNI50FY4cwoqqQLIoNmzhN61geQJIOu5_WZSLar1om1yPS/s1600-h/22agustos2007+001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 467px; height: 350px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjElilv4ro8AUwQP7fuWWLBzievr6GN29DWO_xbzknn1lEWWP345a7DHo9PAIOWy9xviqdIpiA0SK5YvmixtK0rAbU5I7izV6NNI50FY4cwoqqQLIoNmzhN61geQJIOu5_WZSLar1om1yPS/s400/22agustos2007+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213921288467896994" border="0" /></a><p class="ANAMETN"><st1:country-region st="on"><span style="" lang="EN-US">BOSNIA</span></st1:country-region><span style="" lang="EN-US"> and HERCEGOVINA - <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">CROATIA</st1:place></st1:country-region><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><span style="" lang="EN-US">Stadium: Koševo<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><span style="" lang="EN-US">Date: August 22, 2007<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0v1-NWoWj0J6i0bt1xSQhEdNRdXQJbjsFSsd-4WPmfqOBu1Y-7NpjqMAT-bW88irKT1AblVPsn38zN9QdhHSMeI6GwE_rH0GYTkAsvBMQM8gyaHUn4gOQYsKw5Qps34M2E8nelduAjCtC/s1600-h/logo-4.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0v1-NWoWj0J6i0bt1xSQhEdNRdXQJbjsFSsd-4WPmfqOBu1Y-7NpjqMAT-bW88irKT1AblVPsn38zN9QdhHSMeI6GwE_rH0GYTkAsvBMQM8gyaHUn4gOQYsKw5Qps34M2E8nelduAjCtC/s400/logo-4.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213923018495017890" border="0" /></a><span style="" lang="EN-US">Sarajevo Film Festival is going on. Sarajevans are running from one venue to another to watch as much films as possible. My favorite films are those new films which are directed in ex-Yugoslav geography. I also try to catch short and documentary films as a habit that I have since my university years in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Ankara</st1:place></st1:city>. We were not missing short and documentary films in Ankara Film Festival, as they were free of charge. At 14:30, there is a documentary film called “Karneval”. This is a Montenegrin-Bosnian co-production. The theme is about the human rights assault of Montenegrin government to the Bosnian refugees during the war in 1992-1995 referring to <st1:country-region st="on">Montenegro</st1:country-region>’s unwillingness to share the sins of war with the big brother <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Serbia</st1:place></st1:country-region>. The producer of the documentary is a name that I recognize: Boro Kontić is a Montenegrin originated Bosnian journalist who is also a great fan of Željeznićar. He does not miss the matches in Grbavica. The primary source of information for social scientists during the fieldwork are usually journalists who can give you information about everything. In fact, Boro had always replied my questions with a great patience in <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Sarajevo</st1:placename> <st1:placename st="on">Media</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Center</st1:placetype></st1:place>, while having a coffee or rakija together.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><span style="" lang="EN-US">While I was running to the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Bosnian</st1:placename> <st1:placename st="on">Culture</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Center</st1:placetype></st1:place>, which was the venue for the film, I met another guy whom I knew. Although I could recognize his face, I could not remember who he was. Just before entering the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Bosnian</st1:placename> <st1:placename st="on">Culture</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Center</st1:placetype></st1:place>, I have remembered who he was: Jeremy Irons! He was walking neither with bodyguards nor with a group of people who bores him with autographs of photos. Sarajevans are pride of being so much interested in arts without railroading celebrity artists. It can be the reason why <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sarajevo</st1:place></st1:city> had always been an attractive city for artists even during the war. A note: This year it will be fourteenth anniversary of the film festival, where the first one was organized in 1995 during the war.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><span style="" lang="EN-US">After the film, I had a walk in the city center. The <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">Marshal Tito Street</st1:address></st1:street> is like a battlefield. While I was watching the film, there was a fight between Bosnian and Croat football fans. Today, there will be a “friendly” match between <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Bosnia</st1:country-region> and Herzegovina</st1:country-region> and <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Croatia</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOYzlkSCZM7AZB1mxGq1KiuS6J_6xdL8aty-dbxdD199fIcaMr5TzzMRCB3eTLXo_D3mKUPKcc6ZXLF9Hm5tnTg2fBYR97YC9aPM__COrj3OSc8vydGZOzq6dULiwcAUyRAorbIvLClIm/s1600-h/22agustos2007+006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOYzlkSCZM7AZB1mxGq1KiuS6J_6xdL8aty-dbxdD199fIcaMr5TzzMRCB3eTLXo_D3mKUPKcc6ZXLF9Hm5tnTg2fBYR97YC9aPM__COrj3OSc8vydGZOzq6dULiwcAUyRAorbIvLClIm/s400/22agustos2007+006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213923190270652050" border="0" /></a><span style="" lang="EN-US">In the first sight, that match between two neighbors does not look like an important one. However, the history had witnessed great tragedies. During the war in 1992-1995, Croats were fighting against Serbs with Bosnians. However, after a while they opened a third front with the provocation of nationalist leaders in order to be able to take a “piece” from <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Bosnia</st1:place></st1:country-region> which was already been smashed. Mostar is the city that witnessed the biggest tragedies of that war. Te buildings on Šantićeva Street are still in ruins. Šantićeva Street was the borderline in Mostar that divided the city into two parts: Western Croat, and Eastern Bosnian parts. After shelling the Serbian Orthodox church in East Mostar, the Croat artillery had destroyed the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Mostar</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Bridge</st1:placetype></st1:place> aiming at sweeping all the symbols of fraternity of different cultures. No one can forget the scene of the fall of the historical, beautiful <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Mostar</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Bridge</st1:placetype></st1:place>. Although since the end of the war, there are relatively good relations between Bosnian and Croatian government, it seems the tragic experiences in Mostar are difficult to be forgotten. Two years ago, during and after the match between Croatia and Brazil in the World Cup in Germany, there had been tension between Bosnian Muslim and Croat communities in especially in Mostar, sometimes causing serious conflicts. Bosnian Croats who are ethnically affiliated with <st1:country-region st="on">Croatia</st1:country-region> were supporting Croatian national team, whereas Bosnian Muslims were supporting <st1:country-region st="on">Brazil</st1:country-region> against <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Croatia</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Is it possible if the match between <st1:country-region st="on">Croatia</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Turkey</st1:place></st1:country-region> which will be played today may cause similar, even more serious problems? The answer may be found in the friendly match between <st1:country-region st="on">Croatia</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Bosnia</st1:place></st1:country-region> which was played last year.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><span style="" lang="EN-US">I was a bit late to the match that had begun at 20:00. Just at the moment I entered into the stadium <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Croatia</st1:place></st1:country-region> scared a goal. I met with Adnan, Admir and Damir at Koševo Istok (Eastern part of Stadium). Adnan is my buddy with I had been many matches in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sarajevo</st1:place></st1:city>. He is from <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Herzegovina</st1:place></st1:country-region> and a hard core fan of Mortar’s team Velež. Admir is from central Bosnian town Zavidoviči, and Damir is his cousin. Admir and Damir are not very much interested in football, but what would be more enjoyable to go to a football match in a nice summer night? There are approximately 15,000 Bosnian fans in the stadium, and around 1,000 Croats. It takes nine hours to get to <st1:city st="on">Sarajevo</st1:city> from <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Zagreb</st1:place></st1:city> by bus, which means just an overnight travel. That is exactly not a great distance for fanatics, but I was surprised by the amount of fans that came to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Sarajevo</st1:place></st1:city> because of a “friendly” game. Adnan told me that most of supporters of <st1:country-region st="on">Croatia</st1:country-region> are ethnic Croats from <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Bosnia</st1:place></st1:country-region>. This is visible from the banners at the Croat side, which represent different locations in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Bosnia</st1:place></st1:country-region>. This is not acceptable by Bosnian fans. Both of the sides swear to each other during the whole match. I have to mention that Croatian and Bosnian are almost the same language. Grammar structure is the same, but only some vocabulary differs. More than two different languages, they resemble two different dialects. So, both sides can understand the swearwords of the other side. From time to time, instead of swearwords, the fans prefer to throw coins or similar things to each other. Now, it is 1-1 and Bosnians are more hopeful. However, Croats score two more goals and disappoint Bosnians. Croats make good passes in midfield and look for goal by rapid attacks. Bosnian players do their best, but could not avoid deadly attacks of Croats and the score is 1-3. One more goal of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Bosnia</st1:place></st1:country-region> gives hope to the fans but the final score is 3-5 for Croats.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPxkxDWL7Ol5PkiurWsm2FDdrqPzIdQf_jpf796hUvPkLm8eWFjPQo7Op3kLGkilV9HonJyB_hUEhltAyJhcinfR5x1yB4Y739yQAALZAZcCDy4nussSntdw4ET35cWA0vxChfsfnxQ4s/s1600-h/22agustos2007+004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPxkxDWL7Ol5PkiurWsm2FDdrqPzIdQf_jpf796hUvPkLm8eWFjPQo7Op3kLGkilV9HonJyB_hUEhltAyJhcinfR5x1yB4Y739yQAALZAZcCDy4nussSntdw4ET35cWA0vxChfsfnxQ4s/s200/22agustos2007+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213923510138490354" border="0" /></a><span style="" lang="EN-US">During the match, when Croat fans attempted to throw flambeaus to the Bosnian fans, there was a clash between policemen and Croatian fans. A slogan of Bosnian fans took my attention: “</span><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span style="" lang="EN-US">Zagreb</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="" lang="EN-US"> će biti turska mahala</span><span style="" lang="EN-US">”. I got a bit surprised. It means: <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Zagreb</st1:place></st1:city> will be Turkish “mahala” (district). In my previous article on my observations about the football match played between Slavija and <st1:city st="on">Sarajevo</st1:city>, I had already mentioned about great sympathy of Bosnians towards <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Turkey</st1:place></st1:country-region>. But, even that sort of sympathy makes me to be surprised. I complain to Adnan that it had been almost two centuries since Turks had left <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Bosnia</st1:place></st1:country-region> and we still have problems with Serbs (and Croats) because of them (Bosnians)”. Adnan takes attention to the roots of the conflict. That is Turkish occupation. What shall I say? In fact, he is true. Adnan had met many Turks when he was living in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Germany</st1:place></st1:country-region> during the war. Since teaching swearwords to the foreigners is the first cultural diffusive attempt of an average Turk, Adnan is also good at swearing in Turkish language, besides essential swearwords of Bosnian language. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2ZgNdmu98H-RqCkp_-nIEHeTIIBja_bnLpxwUxhyphenhyphen5eqlHa3-lFkQzXgC8gbORgnONxi6DYBSpEOUYxCtdnMMmkjUgRjXV1ftd4b8XsUV7cJ6H73jctOQz4w3ceCe-u8JX6BMToxT6fMo/s1600-h/22agustos2007+018.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2ZgNdmu98H-RqCkp_-nIEHeTIIBja_bnLpxwUxhyphenhyphen5eqlHa3-lFkQzXgC8gbORgnONxi6DYBSpEOUYxCtdnMMmkjUgRjXV1ftd4b8XsUV7cJ6H73jctOQz4w3ceCe-u8JX6BMToxT6fMo/s200/22agustos2007+018.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213923514221830738" border="0" /></a><span style="" lang="EN-US">When <st1:country-region st="on">Turkey</st1:country-region> was seeded with <st1:country-region st="on">Croatia</st1:country-region> for the quarter final match of EURO 2008, I remembered that slogan: “<st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Z<span style="">agreb</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style=""> će biti turska mahala”. Considering the fact that there had been clashes during the match between <st1:country-region st="on">Croatia</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region st="on">Bosnia</st1:country-region>, I am curious about what would happen during and after the match between <st1:country-region st="on">Croatia</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Turkey</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Mostar has a fame of violence related with football. The Mostar team Zrinjski was banned during the Yugoslav period since it was supported by fascist Croatian (Ustaşi) regime during the Second World War. After the collapse of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Yugoslavia</st1:place></st1:country-region>, one of the first implementations of nationalist Croatian politicians was to re-activate the club. </span>Velež fans are angry on that issue. There are two reasons for that: Firstly, Velež has got a claim of representing Bosnian (or better to say; Herzegovinian) identity, whereas Zrinjski appear as a nationalist entity provoking ethnic hatred. The second issue is that, Velež fans claim that Zrinjski had stolen their Stadium Bijeli Brijeg. Bijeli Brijeg is located in the so-called Croatian Western part of Mostar, and was rented by Zrinjski club for 49 years in some informal ways. All of Zrinjski-Velež matches are causes of street fights in Mostar. Especially when the matches are in Bijeli Brijeg, since the Velež fans has to pass through district with high buildings, they have to interfere with the jars, or other types of pots thrown from the flats. The rivalry between those teams may sometimes end up with very strange events. Last season, tens of fans were injured during the match in Mostar between Zrinjski and Partizan from <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Serbia</st1:place></st1:country-region> when two teams were seeded in UEFA Cup. Some Velež fans had supported Partizan. Keeping also in mind what happened during the match between <st1:country-region st="on">Croatia</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region st="on">Brazil</st1:country-region>, those two examples may give some hints about what can happen in Mostar during the match between <st1:country-region st="on">Croatia</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Turkey</st1:place></st1:country-region>. According to the evening news of Federal TV in <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Bosnia</st1:country-region></st1:place> in June 18, Mostar polis has already taken precautions in case of any clashes. Obviously, <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Zagreb</st1:place></st1:city> will not be a Turkish district, but Turkish mahala atmosphere will be more or less effective in at least half of Mostar. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><span style="" lang="EN-US">And, what about the game Bosnia-Croatia? My Bosnian friends did not make any technical analysis about the game. It has been a long time that “110 x 70 meter grass field” is the last think that is spoken about football in Balkans…<o:p></o:p></span></p>Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-67443638770524992742008-01-01T13:37:00.000-08:002008-01-01T13:49:27.041-08:00Among the flambeaux | Anthropology, ‘joyful fandom’ and the flares of SarajevoJohn Turnbull is a podcaster from U.S.A. publishing quite an enjoyable, but moreover a successful weblog on football culture. It was a fun for me to have an interview for his weblog. Here is his weblog's adress:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.theglobalgame.com/blog/">http://www.theglobalgame.com/blog/</a><br /><br />Here is the his article about Bosnian Football Culture, about my weblog:<br /><a href="http://www.theglobalgame.com/blog/?p=303">http://www.theglobalgame.com/blog/?p=303</a><br /><br />And, here is the sound file of the interview he did with me:<br /><a href="http://www.theglobalgame.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/ggpod11.mp3">http://www.theglobalgame.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/ggpod11.mp3</a>Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-70760802122391791352007-11-10T00:11:00.001-08:002007-12-06T17:32:07.914-08:00SARAJEVO - SLAVIJA<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Xe_Y8HBNlY6q0Mg0AYx5evggyoASeB6fIZPpRMmjSkkG_mZq99BtO5pfUQFNgKIzstrdWZMBlrULMdec7voRA7uj9ZMd0vrR-pJuq97CLtr0JAffv7ZG9MvI1KSIrlJkmMzpa4pyYRke/s1600-h/25subat2006+051.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Xe_Y8HBNlY6q0Mg0AYx5evggyoASeB6fIZPpRMmjSkkG_mZq99BtO5pfUQFNgKIzstrdWZMBlrULMdec7voRA7uj9ZMd0vrR-pJuq97CLtr0JAffv7ZG9MvI1KSIrlJkmMzpa4pyYRke/s200/25subat2006+051.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133926393662214786" border="0" /></a><br /><h1 style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><a name="_Toc177113313"> </a></span></h1><h1 style=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><a name="_Toc177113313"><span style="font-size:10;"></span></a><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Stadium: Koševo - Sarajevo</span></span></h1> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Time and date: February 25, 2006 - Saturday, 13:30</span><br /></p> <p class="ANAMETN0">“Go to Sjever. The fans are found in Istok (east) and Sjever (north) part of the stadium, but the real boys are in Sjever”. After last nights experience in a pub with him, I had learned to take into consideration of Sanjin’s advices, the receptionist of the Hostel Ljubicica. After a simple breakfast in a buregdzinica (pie house) in Baščaršija I began to have a walk towards stadium via Mula Mustafa Bašeskije Street. Since a long time, those sequences had been the only ones when I have got the opportunity to feel like a “tourist”. I never have enough time in abroad cities. I usually have my touristic experiences when I am running from one place to another. The first thing that takes my attention in Sarajevo is bullet holes on the buildings. I try to “see” the buildings instead of remains of the war, twelve years after the war, I try to see the Sarajevans who try to enjoy daily life. Anyhow, it is a bit difficult. In fact, just after a ten minutes walk I pass next to the marketplace where 63 Sarajevans were murdered with a shell. My heart is squeezed. The three-storey building of Turkish Culture Center had surprised me with its modern and nice looking. I would not expect such a thing from our guys. I went on walking straight ahead on the street while checking it from the city plan I have in my hands. And I arrived to an alley: Marshall Tito. Just at the beginning of the alley is the “Vječna Vatra” – literally means “Eternal Fire”- the monument dedicated to Partizans. You can see Roma children around this fire in winter evenings. Following the Tito Alley, just before turning right to the Koševo Street I saw a billboard. Another “Vatra” but this is “Anadolska Vatra”, the “Anatolian Fire”, which is a dance group from Turkey, similar to that of “River Dance”. I thought about watching their performance in Sarajevo that night until I learned that the tickets were already sold out last week. </p> <p class="ANAMETN0">Since I am on Koševo Street, I began to follow the football fans to find my way to the stadium. Being close to the stadium, I am passing next to a graveyard, which was a training pitch before the war. Since it was apart from artillery range, Sarajevans had buried their martyrs to here. Bosnian Muslims, Serbs and Croats, all Sarajevans are here who were murdered during the war. Walking towards a slight sloppy street, after 15 minutes I reached the pre-fabrique ticket sales office and bought my ticket for “Sjever” which costs 3 KM (Kovertible Marke – 1 Euro=1,95 KM). There are some “čevapčići”<span style=""> </span>(Bosnian grill) chapmen around. Of course I do not eat them. Surely not because of hygienic considerations, but to have some empty space in my stomach to try more Bosnian pies. </p> <p class="ANAMETN0"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bchI-oPaYW1qyWJ8sqAopl6R6v9b4TXZXj7Wr7uDqRWF9-3B6a3mvKD1tp9cI007qFaDAj5e3WplG-LMqS-47nYjV9HgwAKck7hdF9LU9W6VTDj67_QRrt0zHOIVvNcjLCTyRR6g3nYX/s1600-h/25subat2006+007.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6bchI-oPaYW1qyWJ8sqAopl6R6v9b4TXZXj7Wr7uDqRWF9-3B6a3mvKD1tp9cI007qFaDAj5e3WplG-LMqS-47nYjV9HgwAKck7hdF9LU9W6VTDj67_QRrt0zHOIVvNcjLCTyRR6g3nYX/s200/25subat2006+007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133927785231618706" border="0" /></a>I go to the “curve” of the stadium on the northern side. I am looking forward to have a sort of communication with the fans. Suddenly, a boy who has got a scarf with Turkish flag on takes my attention.<span style=""> </span>Unfortunately, he does only speak Bosnian language. But, some boys who can speak English help me and take me to their leaders, known as “Mai” whose fore teeth are damaged and have some scarves on his face. In fact, for me he is a cute guy. One of the boys introduces me as an anthropologist who is making a research on Sarajevo football fans. He is not interested at all. He asks something, and the boy replies “Turska”, which causes a dramatical change of Mai’s behavior towards me positively. So, lesson 1: Before you introduce yourself as an anthropologist, better to tell people that you are from Turkey. </p> <p class="ANAMETN0"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fD7JgtiTa2rll_VAdXDLnqiMU4FM3e8mlY54Joi8EoO2d8aw9Y76Q6hcBdEqZAJy_3VHHKoQos7xbKdT2N8TOuS6qGIWSIh802MkZsHlSvlkI4I5G8LDPuFJVEmH5fAgs16yatnlLFkz/s1600-h/25subat2006+009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fD7JgtiTa2rll_VAdXDLnqiMU4FM3e8mlY54Joi8EoO2d8aw9Y76Q6hcBdEqZAJy_3VHHKoQos7xbKdT2N8TOuS6qGIWSIh802MkZsHlSvlkI4I5G8LDPuFJVEmH5fAgs16yatnlLFkz/s200/25subat2006+009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133928051519591074" border="0" /></a>The fan group of Sarajevo, namely “Horda Zla” (the horde of evils) was established in 1987. They are renown as being active in the trenches during the war. But –as usual- their ex-leaders Dzilda and Tselo became mafiosi after the war. Those fanatics, who were appreciated by the Sarajevans during the war had retained to their old status as “troublemakers” after the war. I had already added my article about football fans in Bosnian to my blog that was previously published in “Four Four Two”. If you wish, you can check it from the archive. </p> <p class="ANAMETN0"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfg91i_BMqwzpM_yOQkGzD1NZ-xuWpaKyFER2EuC2if2jxTmF6DTB8pEDli0dFm6D8usQQKNYnH04V3FhlyIIbr4feajSQ2HpDHyFUL70zp9gSm0Qf8R6ooXhWQH8D3J8VAuMW9C39Fb4z/s1600-h/25subat2006+015.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfg91i_BMqwzpM_yOQkGzD1NZ-xuWpaKyFER2EuC2if2jxTmF6DTB8pEDli0dFm6D8usQQKNYnH04V3FhlyIIbr4feajSQ2HpDHyFUL70zp9gSm0Qf8R6ooXhWQH8D3J8VAuMW9C39Fb4z/s200/25subat2006+015.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133929155326186162" border="0" /></a>Sjever is quite fascinating with flambeau and scarf shows, with banners and poetic chants... Although I cannot understand the lyrics, obviously they are poetic. Most of the fans are warm to me. I exchange my “Alkaralar” scarf with Miki’s “Sarajevo” scarf. Miki –or Mirać, 17 years old- is one of the potential leaders of Horda Zla. His hair is dyed in blonde and he has got earrings. Son of a martyr. He is a hard fan. He was in Istanbul for the match against Beşiktaş. He admits that he brought a Turkish flag that is on the wall of his room. He is one of those who were in Belgrade in well-known match between Serbia and Bosnia. </p> <p class="ANAMETN0">Just after the Sarajevo – Slavija football match, there is a basketball match between KK Bosna and Partizan in Skenderija Sport Complex. The fans invite me there.</p> <p class="ANAMETN0"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-jSZ4JMvh0aYrMtzsn6Vq-pfYvzVL5K_KhKI1hqFLxgBj0tbvEZUKMfLfs1kHuERAPlmD2aAq5tv-GH1P6lAMwY2-i8jqNOsC3H28pfRMzO9_cX9nHBndxwiCzkIwheYjq3ls3uq9N5Fr/s1600-h/25subat2006+034.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-jSZ4JMvh0aYrMtzsn6Vq-pfYvzVL5K_KhKI1hqFLxgBj0tbvEZUKMfLfs1kHuERAPlmD2aAq5tv-GH1P6lAMwY2-i8jqNOsC3H28pfRMzO9_cX9nHBndxwiCzkIwheYjq3ls3uq9N5Fr/s200/25subat2006+034.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133929421614158530" border="0" /></a>Just a few notes about rival team: Honestly, I did not have information about Slavija. I would not assume that Slavija would involve in my “football life” in Bosnia. Slavija is a team from Republika Srpska (One of the two autonomous republics in Bosnia and Herzegovina). The fan group of Slavija is “Sokolovi” (The Falcons). There were 39 of them in the match in Koševo. They use Cyrillic alphabet in their banners. </p><p class="ANAMETN0"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp842T9VNjUY9oivmRNfhZF3btOZ_6LtSl4yLQOkCa3BJprZDlEpdPD7M-57wxH8RUKut-Zx81TpHUkubTUU5YhVjumcSxogYyIRIJ9qe01j3Ue42k5DFdUf0hqZOykomehlK9p49S8bkM/s1600-h/25subat2006+040.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp842T9VNjUY9oivmRNfhZF3btOZ_6LtSl4yLQOkCa3BJprZDlEpdPD7M-57wxH8RUKut-Zx81TpHUkubTUU5YhVjumcSxogYyIRIJ9qe01j3Ue42k5DFdUf0hqZOykomehlK9p49S8bkM/s200/25subat2006+040.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133929735146771154" border="0" /></a>The match was quite boring and the result was 1-1. In fact, Sarajevo is the leader in Bosnian Premier League and Slavija had been one of the successful teams. After the match, I walk towards Skenderija with Horda Zla. Entrance is free for the Horda Zla, from which I benefit as well. The famous team KK Bosna will play against Partizan from Belgrade. I do not know the details very well but they play in a sort of basketball league that consists of teams from ex-Yugoslav countries. Without doubt, it takes more attention than Sarajevo-Slavija match. Senad, one of the leaders of Horda Zla shows me good place to sit and advises me to not to leave there. Match was quite exciting with KK Bosna’s victory. A few Turkish flags take my attention in the hall. I learned that when playing against Bosnian Serb teams, etc. Bosnian fans are likely to bring Turkish flag to make the rival team upset. </p> <p class="ANAMETN0"> </p><p class="ANAMETN0"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-vpPVeufSwoff6frMYH4fhlg-7g0l20ArX8Fl4S0Vojy1PBYfv4sjgD5eChuhADW5WAX8j2aL_NhxEoiflsrF4ZZzttm8Fbpd3DtLvB2C2xrmbHriiUKcb4nfXXT2mChXlBqGpMcFG-I/s1600-h/25subat2006+092.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-vpPVeufSwoff6frMYH4fhlg-7g0l20ArX8Fl4S0Vojy1PBYfv4sjgD5eChuhADW5WAX8j2aL_NhxEoiflsrF4ZZzttm8Fbpd3DtLvB2C2xrmbHriiUKcb4nfXXT2mChXlBqGpMcFG-I/s200/25subat2006+092.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133930177528402658" border="0" /></a>After the basketball match, I had a coffee with two fans in Cafe Kolobara, which was previously a caravanserai built by Ottomans.</p><br /><p class="ANAMETN0">For visuals about Slavija-Sarajevo match:<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-e0_4oTFAw">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-e0_4oTFAw</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq4LTr3-xVk">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq4LTr3-xVk</a><br /><br />A visual from KK Bosna - Partizan basketball match:<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq4LTr3-xVk">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq4LTr3-xVk</a> </p>Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-57332212970561857262007-11-09T19:45:00.000-08:002007-11-18T14:40:46.346-08:00THINGS ARE A BIT COMPLICATED IN BOSNIA<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZcb4TGFP26KO7V94E8KGCGfJEG9TyxmA4ZlJ6OtHyzfNSvC9eKxhQutFVrbM6xtXj86pZl9pdUDC5D7vg9upXNJSu5ezm99nuXfXANBov8xtII0-rrLToG4McOa_rhOB8_VKZ7Vwy57yU/s1600-h/01mart2007+004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZcb4TGFP26KO7V94E8KGCGfJEG9TyxmA4ZlJ6OtHyzfNSvC9eKxhQutFVrbM6xtXj86pZl9pdUDC5D7vg9upXNJSu5ezm99nuXfXANBov8xtII0-rrLToG4McOa_rhOB8_VKZ7Vwy57yU/s200/01mart2007+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131058647248459538" border="0" /></a><span style=""></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0cm;"><span style=""><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->(Published in Turkish edition of "Four Four Two" in June 2007)<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><span style="">The fresh air of Sarajevo becomes extremely cold when it becomes dark. At the evening of March 24, considering the chilly weather outside I was putting on warm clothes just before leaving home to watch the match between Greece ad Turkey in a Turkish restaurant, while at the same time I was glancing over screen for the game between Norway and BiH which was played in Oslo. Yet the match had just started, Bosnian fans lit tens of flambeaus and made a heavy smoke in the stadium. It is regarded intrinsically as a great honor for fans to lit flambeaus and to halt the game for a while. Moreover, it has been a tradition in Balkans. However, now, it caused not only a few minutes, but a thirty-five minute halt which has other reasons exceeds anthropological explanations. Indeed, a banner on the rows took my attention: “NFSBiH=Mafia”. The action of Bosnian fans was aimed to protest NFSBiH (Nogometni/Fudbalski Savez Bosne i Hercegovine – Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5tj1SKxPd9U7hiyvfECFtnYXiJcqFkfXVUXVgsEehMLVdmtW8Z2ntiKGQeWXmOLdDTW9sZvzZ_Am6pmI4BRTE-lymxDcC4rYlBLFCT2y2jJld637MbT3sdYdjVgQF4ebYmuhrYffeCAe/s1600-h/21nisan2007+039.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS5tj1SKxPd9U7hiyvfECFtnYXiJcqFkfXVUXVgsEehMLVdmtW8Z2ntiKGQeWXmOLdDTW9sZvzZ_Am6pmI4BRTE-lymxDcC4rYlBLFCT2y2jJld637MbT3sdYdjVgQF4ebYmuhrYffeCAe/s400/21nisan2007+039.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131061297243281250" border="0" /></a><span style="">Boro Kontic, journalist from the weekly “BH Dani” implies that besides energy, tobacco & spirits and telecommunication, “football” is one of the cash businesses in a small country like BiH. Therefore, NFSBiH is one of the important political institutions of BiH, in a country which is separated into RS (Republika Srpska) and Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina that consists of four Croatian, four Bosnian and two mixed cantons, though de facto administered by OHR (Office of Higher Representative). Even, Jusuf Pusina, who was the first chairman of NFSBiH had been one of the closest friends of Alija Izzetbegovic. In fact, after resigning from being the chairman of NFSBiH, Pusina is actually general consulate of BiH in Istanbul. Although Ibrahim Muratovic, a sports journalist from FTV (Federal TV) argues that Pusina was one of the main effective features behind the international recognition of NFSBiH. It is known that Bosnian football fans are not easy with NFSBiH chairmen and administration of NFSBiH. Before mentioning the relationship between football fans and NFSBiH that goes beyond the events in Oslo, it would be better to have a look at institutional development of football in BiH. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><span style="">Football fans will easily remember; during the siege years, the match between those players who stayed in Sarajevo and UNPROFOR that was played at March 1994 and ended up with the 4-0 victory for the Sarajevo players took attention of the international public. NFSBiH was one of the first established institutions of BiH during the re-structuring period just after the Dayton Peace in 1995. However, recognition of NFSBiH by UEFA and FIFA had not been before RS football clubs were included, which were previously enjoying in the football leagues of Serbia and Montenegro. Bosnian Serb player Vladan Grujić’s involvement in BiH national football team in October 2002 was an important step in the name of the integration in BiH football.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbTS7bmfcQXUGVWq6Zs0i2LWuGjT85LBrBJqzH_gg1jc3THvgmXfo4fKioOixwG8EIIG_ni2l5rimlNANCPFSY1_XkWpcBB5RskIQw59DfDHey6TEnIbPtKQZYpVSb6Dw5iL61z2UDZcz/s1600-h/23mayis2007+071.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbTS7bmfcQXUGVWq6Zs0i2LWuGjT85LBrBJqzH_gg1jc3THvgmXfo4fKioOixwG8EIIG_ni2l5rimlNANCPFSY1_XkWpcBB5RskIQw59DfDHey6TEnIbPtKQZYpVSb6Dw5iL61z2UDZcz/s200/23mayis2007+071.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131061902833670018" border="0" /></a><span style="">Although the integration of Bosnian football had well been provided, fractions especially within the fans can be easily seen in BiH football. Unsurprisingly, ethnic differences are one of the main reasons. BiH Premier League consists of sixteen clubs, where five of them are from RS, and among the BiH Federation clubs four of them recognized as Bosnian Croat and seven of them are recognized as Bosniak clubs. This fractured structure is especially very much visible in the matches between the teams from Sarajevo and Slavija. Slavija is a club from Lukavica which is a subdistrict of Sarajevo, but now re-named as Istoćniy Sarajevo (East Sarajevo) within RS territory. Since Slavija has limited number of fans, violence is not observed in the matches of Slavija in Sarajevo. On the other side, when Željezničar and Sarajevo plays in Lukavica, at least thousand fans of the visitor team raid and violence is expected. Without doubt, the most dramatical clash rooted in ethnic differentiation takes place in the matches in Mostar. As mentioned by the Bosnian hip-hop group Dubioza Kolektiv, divided by emerald green Neretva, after the collapsed of Berlin Wall, Mostar remains as the only city in Europe which is divided; the east recognized as Bosniak, and the west recognized as Croatian part. The main determinant of rivalry between Velež and Zrinjski is ethnic differentiation. Adnan, Denis and Arnis, who are members of Velez fan club “Red Army” opposes to define Velež as a Bosnian Muslim (or Bosniak) team whereas Zrinjski is recognized as Bosnian Croat club. It has to be mentioned that the struggle against recognition of football clubs by ethnic identities are mostly held by those fans of so-called Bosniak (or Bosnian Muslim) clubs. As a matter of fact, it is unlikely to see any kind of expression referring to the ethnic identities of Bosniak teams. The clubs that are from RS are recognized as Bosnian Serb, whereas those who have got the squared red-white Croatian national symbol on their emblem are recognized as Bosnian Croat clubs. The “rest” are known as Bosniak teams. It has to be mentioned that Bosnian Croat teams are usually financially equipped and RS teams enjoy hiring players from Serbia. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RKpVj4ln_RD1vPOEHRGZHsDznZmAC4cBe354gf_LAi2aKoHT2zdXH93-Js3W46asLWaTh_7UjgXNdZbggFJrsNgGADFzj1huHuUSlVstexRwYxtqIlPptnWj9Uqyyb4TW4A33vfUQQNv/s1600-h/11mart2007+151.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RKpVj4ln_RD1vPOEHRGZHsDznZmAC4cBe354gf_LAi2aKoHT2zdXH93-Js3W46asLWaTh_7UjgXNdZbggFJrsNgGADFzj1huHuUSlVstexRwYxtqIlPptnWj9Uqyyb4TW4A33vfUQQNv/s200/11mart2007+151.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131059244248913714" border="0" /></a><span style="">It is misleading to argue that the only separation in BiH football is based on ethnic differentiation. A conflict like Bizans – Antibizans in Turkey appears in BiH between the cities, so to say between Sarajevo and other cities, although we cannot talk about a strict oligarchic structure in BiH football. Having been insulted as </span><i style=""><span style="">Palanka </span></i><span style="">(rural – stemming from the word “town”), those who are residents of rest of BiH except Sarajevo are unlikely to have friendly emotions towards the teams from Sarajevo being unconfident about the flow of the huge part of investments to the capital city. This is reflected in football as well. Especially, during the matches between the Zenica’s club “Čelik” and the teams from Sarajevo, bloody conflicts may occur. Even, two years ago a Željezničar fan was killed by knife after a match with Čelik. It has to be noted that, both Zeljo and Čelik are recognized as “Bosniak” teams. In case of Mostar – Sarajevo issue the case is a bit different. Whether it is Zrinjski, which is recognized by its Croatian identity, or Velež, the most important rivals of Mostar teams had always been the teams from Sarajevo.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg82cFoAqCl_1VOllaI9vcdWC7HJ5XzeyQNmEJS-A4qt9ILPViEYdNdjfS0IgP3oH4OnDMRwzdajsbtWLoKi-gQUhPB4R2y3pvd4Phqo5kwbtlV0JB5deCa4MGQmWM7BmQdj5TtlFTb66MK/s1600-h/07nisan2007+001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg82cFoAqCl_1VOllaI9vcdWC7HJ5XzeyQNmEJS-A4qt9ILPViEYdNdjfS0IgP3oH4OnDMRwzdajsbtWLoKi-gQUhPB4R2y3pvd4Phqo5kwbtlV0JB5deCa4MGQmWM7BmQdj5TtlFTb66MK/s200/07nisan2007+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131058982255908642" border="0" /></a><span style="">On the other side the rivalry between Željezničar and Sarajevo is neither based on ethnic differences, nor on rural-urban (periphery-core) conflict. Not only in BiH, in all over ex-Yugoslavia many clubs do exist named Željezničar, where it literally means “railway worker” in south Slavic languages and shows similarities with clubs in Turkey such as Adana Demirspor, Ankara Demirspor, Eskişehir Demirspor, etc. However, the most famous “Željezničar ” is the one from Sarajevo. The railway workers in Grbavica district in Sarajevo established</span><i style=""><span style=""> NK Željezničar </span></i><span style="">in 1921. Yugoslav football, representing the </span><i style=""><span style="">Danube Ecole</span></i><span style=""> had boomed during Tito Era, as in BiH. In addition to Danube Ecole’s characteristics of excellent technical capabilities, increasing stamina and modern training methodologies and new collective tactics made Yugoslavia like a “football factory”. During the socialist era in Yugoslavia, new sports clubs had blossomed. One of them was FK Sarajevo, which was established by the help of local administrators in Sarajevo. One of the basic steps for the success of that club, which was also backed by Party administration, was to attract the players of the other team in the city, namely Željezničar. Since than blue-white Željezničar, and maroon-white Sarajevo are known as prominent rivals. After a while, being more or less backed by the Party administrators, Sarajevo likely became the representative of BiH in Yugoslav football, reaching the title twice, whereas Zeljo had only one. On the other side, Zeljo had won the title three times in BiH Premier League, but Sarajevo for once. At the end of 1980’s, fan groups were established in BiH, as well as in whole ex-Yugoslavia. Both Sarajevo fan group </span><i style=""><span style="">Horde Zla </span></i><span style="">(Horde of Evils) and Željezničar’s fan group Maniaci (no need for translation) were formed in 1987. Before the formation of fan groups, Sarajevo fans were named as </span><i style=""><span style="">Pitari</span></i><span style="">, and Željezničar fans were known as </span><i style=""><span style="">Košpicari</span></i><span style="">. Pitar literally means the owner of Burek (pie) house, which signifies a person who has a well income, a good house and a good model car. On the other side, Košpicari literally means “the person who eats a lot of sunflower seeds” which is literally equal to Turkish term of “çekirdekçi”. However, differing from the Turkish meaning, košpicar is the person who wanders around with cheap sports dresses, busy with small scale illegal business, where he also eats a lot of sunflowers since it is very cheap. Today, although “pitari” is still used for Sarajevo fans, “košpicari” is not used for Željezničar fans, maybe because of its pejorative meaning, or maybe Željezničar fans have relatively more wealthy and educated vision.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFFU7Lzbvb3qu3sB60SAYKpzq94GMyHX-P9TUqVET3nEmq5AFwz5dWuvZLDndEwZf8zwAJAZ4r1pa-pPlLGqlE6BmiBviD-nvnMacVtP60KZ0si_pomoY-Op-Ev_WUfW6KdyTEWdAp8Ge/s1600-h/17mart2007+008.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFFU7Lzbvb3qu3sB60SAYKpzq94GMyHX-P9TUqVET3nEmq5AFwz5dWuvZLDndEwZf8zwAJAZ4r1pa-pPlLGqlE6BmiBviD-nvnMacVtP60KZ0si_pomoY-Op-Ev_WUfW6KdyTEWdAp8Ge/s200/17mart2007+008.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131059871314138946" border="0" /></a><span style="">Željezničar long for the good old days in BiH Premier League because of the financial crisis that they have. Being just above the death line in the first half of the season, they had a spectacular 7-1 victory against Posušje that motivated them to rise to the upper ranks. In fact, in the Sarajevo derby, which was played in FK Sarajevo’s Kosevo Stadium, they lost the game with the last minute goal. The poor condition of Željezničar does not seem to affect Maniaci. Besides, they continue to support their team as if they are struggling for the title. Even sometimes, Željezničar may find more support then their city rival who will probably have had won the title of BiH Premier League when this article is published. Probably, the most important factor behind that fact is that, Željezničar offers a more clearly defined and powerful identity to her fans. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYavgYFKMuMPVdUSveppNTcbqoDHARbpVyU0vjouIDGtBUdbLj1MmCIhkN-vglVFDNeggX4eRYQ2HKm_otp_DD4PiguHTWK7XMLhHorGCoBoAGfRQ7l-BdJtsA0GiNpjLo2HlyWmYyzbI0/s1600-h/18nisan2007+051.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYavgYFKMuMPVdUSveppNTcbqoDHARbpVyU0vjouIDGtBUdbLj1MmCIhkN-vglVFDNeggX4eRYQ2HKm_otp_DD4PiguHTWK7XMLhHorGCoBoAGfRQ7l-BdJtsA0GiNpjLo2HlyWmYyzbI0/s200/18nisan2007+051.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131060468314593106" border="0" /></a><span style="">Željezničar plays in Grbavica Stadium, named with the district that it is located. Being located at one of the central and important districts of the city, Grbavica Stadium is functional not only during the matches, but also other days because of the existence of shops within the stadium complex such as markets, petty ware shop, burek houses and restaurants. Moreover, since it is located in between blocks, stadium is possessed by locals. On the other side, Kosevo Stadium that was built for 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics, where Sarajevo plays home matches is located relatively far from the city center and is dysfunctionally located. Therefore, it is a place where fans visit only during the matches. As mentioned by Sarajevan journalist Senad Zaimović, Sarajevo fans go to the stadium as if they are going to holiday, on the other side Željezničar fans go to the stadium, which is already internalized in their daily lives. The different spatial perception has effects on identity formation. In between, I have to mention that unalike to Turkey, it is almost impossible to meet youngsters with fan scarves or jerseys in Sarajevo daily life. The basic reason behind that is; like in any other Balkan country, football fans are perceived as unemployed, trouble making, and uneducated, low cultured persons. One of the basic reasons behind the formation of such an image is “hot” scenes from the stadiums.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQUa5goMS0Kb-wl5yLtm2bK7XA0ieTKOZ6f8YcHe2smiV3xnyOs4Rbev50KrmHBgitGUGlinPgq0plplCpvTHNQxzrMlqKWfyH_Zypd7PovJ0EiQNJwktyx5hMwbQV0Zbf8hTNzsCnbig/s1600-h/21nisan2007+055.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQUa5goMS0Kb-wl5yLtm2bK7XA0ieTKOZ6f8YcHe2smiV3xnyOs4Rbev50KrmHBgitGUGlinPgq0plplCpvTHNQxzrMlqKWfyH_Zypd7PovJ0EiQNJwktyx5hMwbQV0Zbf8hTNzsCnbig/s200/21nisan2007+055.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131061580711122802" border="0" /></a><span style="">In the evening of March 24, Oslo Ullevaal Stadium was like in a fire. Norwegian football fans, which were seldom shown on TV screens were staring to that “barbaric” scene. What they were thinking was very much visible on their sour faces: “God damn Balkanians, you brought your troubles to my peaceful land!” The events that halted the match for 35 minutes in Oslo was not ad hoc. It was a protest against HFSBiH and organized by the fan group called “BH Fanaticos”. But, who are BH Fanaticos?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><span style="">One of the original peculiarities of BiH football is that, similar to that of Scotland, the national football team has a fan group. Those who established the BH Fanaticos are mainly the Bosnians in diaspora. The core of the group was the Bosnians in Scandinavia, and contemporarily they have got more than 3000 members from different countries who pay membership fees regularly. Only 370 of them are living in BiH, and as far as we have informed, during last month a Turkish academics that came to Bosnia for an anthropological research had paid his fee and became a member. Members do not have membership cards. Instead, they are given a special t-shirt that only the members are allowed to wear. The administration of BHF is in Sweden. I asked to Nizar Altinowi, the representative of BHF in BiH, if this situation creates a problem for the group members in BiH. Nizar, student of the Faculty of Dentistry in Sarajevo University, says that the division of duties is well done, and admits that in spite of the general outlook of the football fans, BHF members are well educated and that kind of personal problems do not exist in their groups. A friend of Nizar from the faculty, namely Mesut – citizen of Republic of Turkey, who also made Bosnian-Turkish translation during my interview with Nizar, validates that members of BHF are all “well educated boys”. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqw3tiAhH-_jDaMEUwvbbF-qYgGqbU3a84z6ibfvkT3O03ReDuZ9s0PW5UCZGc1DePQNh6FxZdz3rJRX-AGc9yR_B5sSmWGtoE9v-3N_BHUeAU82wt15bvjhwQR82ay1zP_Ai-58x_uk-j/s1600-h/28nisan2007+085.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqw3tiAhH-_jDaMEUwvbbF-qYgGqbU3a84z6ibfvkT3O03ReDuZ9s0PW5UCZGc1DePQNh6FxZdz3rJRX-AGc9yR_B5sSmWGtoE9v-3N_BHUeAU82wt15bvjhwQR82ay1zP_Ai-58x_uk-j/s200/28nisan2007+085.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131062302265628562" border="0" /></a><span style="">BHF was established in 2000 and had been active especially in the abroad matches of BiH national football team. BHF members from BiH do only attend in abroad matches that are geographically close to BiH. For example, it was only the members from BiH who attended the match against Moldova in Chisinau. The travel costs were partly paid by the diaspora. It is very much visible that BHF administration is quite serious on financial issues. Even, they are able to help community. For example, nowadays BHF is busy with collecting aid for the “Ljubica Ivezić” orphanage in Sarajevo where five babies had died during a fire in April 22, 2007. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><span style="">Boro Kontić argues that BHF is an indicator of identity for Bosnian youngsters in diaspora, and serves as a tool to attach them to motherland. Not only the Bosniaks, but also among the members there are Bosnian Croats and Serbs. However, it has to be added that there is no attendance from Republika Srpska in BHF. The Bosnian Serbs who are members of BHF are from cities inside BiH Federation like Sarajevo, Tuzla or Zenica, as such. İbrahim Muratović points out that Bosnian Serbs in RS do never support BiH, and adds that during the match between Serbia and BiH in Beograd, half of the Serbian fans in Marakana supporting Serbian team were from RS. In fact, as he mentions, the RTRS (TV channel of RS) broadcasts football matches of Serbia when it overlaps with that of BiH. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><span style="">BHF takes attention not only by the support given to the BiH national team in abroad, but also with the conflict against NFSBiH. In the manifesto titled “Rat Savezu” (War against NFSBiH) published in their website www.bhfanaticos.com, they clearly mention it and define their basic wish as total renewal of NFSBiH. The main reason for that wish is that, they argue that administrators of NFSBiH are all politicians and does not have football background. Moreover, they claim that they corrupt the Bosnian players to be in the squad. That is why, they claim, most of the Bosnian players playing abroad reject to play in the national team. Nizar admits that they wish to see Elvir Bolic as the manager, and Barbarez as the general director. Barbarez is a heroic figure not only among the BHF members, but also every football fan in BiH. Originally being from a Serbian-Bosniak family from Mostar, Barbarez does delight fans not only with the quality of football he plays, but also with his devotion to BiH. For Bosnian fans, devotion is an important issue when the NFSBiH presidency is comprised of a Bosniak member who declares that they had won 250.000 Euro after the 0-4 defeat against Greece, a Bosnian Serb member who affirms that he will support BiH only against Turkey, and a Bosnian Croat member who does not hesitate to show his support to Croatian national football team in the World Cup while donating his family with Croatian jerseys and flags. As asserted in the lyrics of the song “Rat Savezu” which may be defined as the “hymn” of BHF and sung by “Frenkie & King Mire”:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN" style="margin-left: 36pt;"><i style=""><span style=""> Kraljice Bosno nemoj se vise bojat<o:p></o:p></span></i><br /><span style="">(Bosnia my queen, do not be afraid anymore.)<o:p></o:p></span><br /><i style=""><span style="">mi smo tvoj stit i necemo te prodat<o:p></o:p></span></i><br /><span style="">(We are your protective shields, and we will not sell you.)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN"><span style="">After the actions of BHF in Oslo, NFSBiH is fined for 36.600 Euro. The next match of BiH will be against Turkey. Nizar mentions that they will attend to the match individually but not as a group to boycott the NFSBiH. I ask: “Who will be victorous?”. He replies: “We have to win to be promoted from the group hand-in-hand with Turkey.” As being a member of BHF and a citizen of Republic of Turkey, I smile by knowing that “we” will win. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN" style="text-indent: 0cm;"><span style=""><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN" style="text-indent: 0cm;"><span style="">(Translated from Turkish by: Özgür Dirim Özkan)</span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4ee4Xx_QDEqvYx8Sabc9D5CvRN3JIrZoI9Ur-SpIxVTR321R6TUZe_zZMbZMyK4hV1imw3yZkH6AtSdo-i0LoyZklSdaA9IThB6SKEZb5SWF5qkkb2dvm69B9quwBA9W4Zr1k0znl0UF/s1600-h/28nisan2007+037.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4ee4Xx_QDEqvYx8Sabc9D5CvRN3JIrZoI9Ur-SpIxVTR321R6TUZe_zZMbZMyK4hV1imw3yZkH6AtSdo-i0LoyZklSdaA9IThB6SKEZb5SWF5qkkb2dvm69B9quwBA9W4Zr1k0znl0UF/s400/28nisan2007+037.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131063345942681522" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmJykNMUmkz0T3tvtRvV7IszeTrK4wMPzjSJNW3K12CBXTsr87v1V4nTaUGnYbNGui9ToOFdAT8p3LeuvmRC5U2DR3YPQWkNsrUn8jDwaJu-kH2PkzKS8rSlGTTLpXl-f4ECOho7qyxZo/s1600-h/28nisan2007+037.jpg"></a><p class="ANAMETN" style="text-indent: 0cm;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">For the draft of the article in "pdf" (acrobat reader) format:</span><br /></p><p class="ANAMETN0"><span style="" lang="TR"><a href="http://rapidshare.com/files/68617481/bosna.pdf">http://rapidshare.com/files/68617481/bosna.pdf</a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <span lang="TR" style="font-family:Verdana;">(Click on "free" at the end of the page. Wait for a bout one minute when the new page appears. Write down the code in the "here" box and and click on the next button.)</span><p class="ANAMETN" style="text-indent: 0cm;"><br /><span style=""><o:p></o:p></span></p>Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8239880892670395764.post-26031515954054977882007-11-09T19:15:00.000-08:002007-11-16T12:09:06.610-08:00WHY "BOSNIAN FOOTBALL CULTURE"?<p class="ANAMETN" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="">This blog consists of impressions of an anthropologist about football culture of Bosnia who has been living in Sarajevo since February 2007 for a fieldwork entitled ““Football Fandom as a Factor in Formation of Cultural Differences: The Case of <i>FK Sarajevo</i> and <i>NK Zeljeznicar</i> in Sarajevo”.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN" style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYcKa_JChR7lhj4o8lFpP0fEKoEwrgsFdc-ZgX6_d0pmh1j_q4RV4KDTQKiZqg2NCCzGXEFlE2h-3BwKwTZyg4DIDmIjO5HyfD02YkWYQn8S9hQAyzvXCSzFXVSyH4ce08WH_7mwHfEri9/s1600-h/02haziran2007+052.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYcKa_JChR7lhj4o8lFpP0fEKoEwrgsFdc-ZgX6_d0pmh1j_q4RV4KDTQKiZqg2NCCzGXEFlE2h-3BwKwTZyg4DIDmIjO5HyfD02YkWYQn8S9hQAyzvXCSzFXVSyH4ce08WH_7mwHfEri9/s400/02haziran2007+052.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131045504648533586" border="0" /></a><span style="">Why a man would become an anthropologist, and why could he be interested in “football culture”? Above all, why he specifically goes all the way to Bosnia and Herzegovina to conduct a research about the football culture of another country and besides makes trouble himself to open a blog about it?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="">If you are interested in that, read the brief inscription below. If you do not want to bother yourself with it, just take a look at the blog and probably it will evoke your concerns and make you to come here back.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="">Being side by side with academia, I would prefer to introduce into the subject matter with some boring academic staff. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN0" style="text-indent: 0cm;">As well as sociology is the science that is interested in social facts and events, economics is interested in production and distribution, the basic concept of “anthropology” is “culture” where the term itself is formed by the conjugation of “anthropo” which means “mankind” and “logos” which means “science”. The generally accepted definition of the term “culture”, which is a term deprived from Latin word “cultura” that means “agriculture, is; “Things which the people possess, think and do as members of a society”. In other words, everything related to mankind is a part of culture. In spite of the general consideration, culture is not only possessed by literate, university educated, those who often goes to theaters, etc. Everybody, every society, every community has a unique culture. Culture is learned, shared, (re)produced and highly valued with symbolic meanings. Another feature of culture is that, it has “special” fields and meanings as well as general ones, such as Aborigine culture, Rock culture, or any local cultures, etc. Football culture is such a unique specific culture. Only by looking at the history of football itself may help us to conceive how it has a unique, specific culture.</p> <p class="ANAMETN0" style="text-indent: 0cm;"><span style=""></span>Without doubt, games similar to football had been played in different places and in different eras like the ts’u<i style=""> kü </i>(Ts’=to play, kü=foot) that was played in China around 2600 BC (4600 years before). However, the birthplace of modern football is recognized as England. The reason behind that fact is that, the rules of the modern football had been shaped in England. It cannot be just a coincidence that England is also the first industrialized country. It was unavoidable to keep football away from the culture of “modernism” when everything in the society had begun to function like the wheels in a factory. Spread of industrialism, and modernism in all over the world had surely affected “football”. In fact, whether if by colonization, or by trade, one of the cultural facts that the English had brought with themselves was “football”. </p> <p class="ANAMETN" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="">Football, which had been diffused to the globe from England, was quite successful in digesting the local cultural peculiarities. New styles of football appeared like Brazilian style, African or Italian styles and even Danube style. The reader might have realized that I am trying to take the word to something close to the region. Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of those where the Danube School was effective. I have to mention about my “special” interest in Balkans, which can be an answer to my interest to Balkan football among many other regions in the world. But why is it Bosnia and Herzegovina?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="">With some exceptions, those who come to BiH for a research likely to be interested in post-war social relations, ethnic conflicts and such topics. Even, it becomes very difficult for a social researcher to find funding for his/her research if he will not deal with those topics in BiH. In fact, it has been twelve years since the war had passed. The great influence of Western countries that perceive the “region” as a chess field prolongs the effects of the war. Despite those, very different dynamics do appear in the daily lives of the ordinary people. That is what made that anthropologist to conduct a research on those different dynamics through football fandom, and come along to BiH after having a fond from TÜBİTAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) with great difficulties. Of course, I think I do not need to explain why my topic is about “football”. Just pass me a ball, a smashed can or a pinecone, and watch out how I react despite my really very limited talent of playing football. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="">Another aim of me to establish such a blog is about my desire to have a travel in the enjoyable and daily journeys of football, apart from the narrow area of academia. Of course, I do not hide that the critiques, or any sort of feedback may transform you to be my study subject. So, be careful about it.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="ANAMETN" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="">And, of course I cannot be tolerant more on the fact that this peaceful, lovely and friendly country is still only recognized with war, blood and violence. Maybe this blog may have a modest oasis where I can share that kind of<span style=""> </span>“intolerance”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Dirimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14073906077708433371noreply@blogger.com6