Petkovic's methods instil sense of belief

BELGRADE, May 24: Serbia&Montenegro coach Ilija Petkovic has won praise from local media and coaches for introducing a new sense of discipline and team spirit into his squad.

The present crop of players are seen as possessing the kind of desire and belief needed to do well -- qualities that previous and more talented generations of players from the Balkans seemed to lack.

Perhaps that was because of the upheavals going on in the region, but experts and fans at home and abroad now believe the team could do rather well in Germany despite being in a tough group that includes Argentina, the Netherlands and Ivory Coast.

Under Petkovic's guidance, the team reached the finals by conceding only one goal in the qualifying competition and remaining unbeaten in 10 matches, winning six and drawing four games.

Petkovic, 61, had a fine playing career with OFK Belgrade and French side Troyes and scored six goals in 43 appearances for the former Yugoslavia from 1968 to 1974.

He was an attacking midfielder and was a member of the team that beat England 1-0 in the European Nations Cup semi-final in Italy in 1968 and went on to finish as runners-up after a 2-0 defeat to the host nation in the replayed final.

He began his coaching career as a staff member of the Under-21 side of the former Yugoslavia national team that won the World Youth Cup in Chile 1987 and was in charge of OFK Belgrade from 1991-93 before guiding Swiss side Servette Geneva to a league title in 1994.

He went on to become an assistant coach of the side at the 1998 World Cup finals and had brief spells as manager with Japanese J-League side Avisca Fukuoka, then Aris Salonika in Greece as well as two Chinese first division teams.

Petkovic guided Serbia&Montenegro to the World Cup finals in Germany in his second spell in charge -- his first spell ending after only one competitive match, a 2-0 win over Luxembourg in an eventually futile World Cup 2002 qualifying campaign.

REUTERS