Vardar's ardour daunts Prva Liga
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Article summary
New Serbian coach Ratko Dostanić has issued a daunting statement of intent at FK Vardar as the new Macedonian season kicked off a team light on last season.
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Summer refit
After a miserable fourth-placed finish last season, five-time champions Vardar had a summer refit with 48-year-old former FK Crvena Zvezda, OFK Beograd, FK Bežanija, Dalian Shide Siwu FC and PFC Slavia Sofia coach Dostanić taking command. Macedonian internationals Artim Polozani and Toni Meglenski joined the club after spells in Albania, while Nigerian Idi Aba also signed up.
'I'm impressed'
The benefits of all of these signings were soon demonstrated as Vardar kicked off the season at the weekend with a 3-0 win against 2006/07 champions FK Pobeda. "I'm impressed with what I saw," purred Dostanić. "There was an extraordinary atmosphere on the pitch and in the stands. A lot of fans came to see our debut and I hope that we continue to play like this and the fans keep coming in significant numbers."
Baskimi withdraw
The most significant number of the first weekend of the season was eleven, with the withdrawal of Kumanovo-based FK Baskimi leaving the 12-team league a team short. The 2004/05 Macedonian Cup winners pulled out due to financial problems and there was no time to bring in a replacement. That left FK Pelister without a game, while Baskimi themselves may cease to exist in the coming weeks.
Milano hopefuls
Second last season, Baskimi's Kumanovo neighbours FK Milano failed to progress in the UEFA Cup first qualifying round, losing out to AC Omonia of Cyprus, but are likely to be among the top sides in the Prva Liga again this season. Bilbil Sokoli has replaced Gjore Jovanovski as the club's coach, and with the arrivals of Blagojce Gesoski and Adrijan Cuculi from Pobeda, they boast a squad capable of winning trophies.
Rabotnicki opener
They made a comfortable start to the new season, winning 2-1 against newly-promoted FK Metalurg Skopje. Metalurg's fellow newcomers FK Turnovo – from a village near Strumica – had an even tougher first game, being trounced 4-0 at FK Makedonija GP Skopje. Meanwhile, champions FR Rabotnicki kicked off with a 1-1 draw against FK Napredok in Kicevo, with many predicting they will have a tough season this time around.