Recently, Oceania Football Center reported that Digicel Fiji Premier League’s side Nadroga FC announced the signing of a new head coach; Hadzi Stefan Ristic, with vast experience in European football environment, the Serbian is set to arrive in Fiji this Sunday (25th March) to take over the heading coach position of the Stallions.
Ristic talked to Oceania Football Center about his upcoming challenge to bring success to Nadroga FC again in the Fijian football scenario. “I am receiving a lot of messages asking me why I decided to come to Fiji and which are my projects for Nadroga that I can not handle“, said Ristic.
The start of the history of the Serbian head coach – that has experience in countries such as Estonia and Dominican Republic – with Fiji has started this year in a very different manner: “My girlfriend by that time and I planned that vacation in February, when I talked to people from the club and agreed to watch the game when I was there. I didn’t plan to work until the summer, in the meantime I broke up with my girlfriend, but I still decided to go to Fiji and, as it turns out, I’m staying there” said the 31-year-old Serbian head coach – “I am coming to take Nadroga to the Champions League, I will be focused on that and on my business“, added Ristic.
As Ristic mentions, he had a meeting previously with Nadroga’s board members and then decided to take up the job; he seems pretty much aware of the challenge he is having as he is set to take club’s head coach spot: “I think it’s clear to everyone that I didn’t come to Fiji to earn millions, I want to give maximum benefit and make the next period historically the best for this club. Nadroga existed before me and this administration, and it will exist after us, so it is very important that we all give our best in these moments. When I say everyone, I mean the administration, the city, the players, the fans and of course myself” he explained.
Ristic mentioned some of his projects for Nadroga and explains his views of is important to be changed by the club vision for the upcoming months: “we have to improve the communication between people and that negative atmosphere that reigns should be directed in a positive direction that would bring something good to the players and a motive to show that this position we are in now is not realistic” said the Serbian – “when I see that we are on the right track, then I plan to open an academy and a structure in the junior selections of Nadroga, which would remain after me and create players who would play for their local team. I want all 11 players from the Nadroga-Navosa area to come out at Lawaqa Park at some point in the future. Then I will consider that I have done a good job. There is a lot of talent in this area, it just needs to be well directed. As for the arrival of new players from abroad, we will only bring them where we have a deficit, and those will be players with experience who can help local players. Domestic players are still the priority“, added Ristic.
Nadroga sits 7th in the table of the Digicel Fiji Premier League with only one win from three matches – this proves Stefan Ristic is certainly going to have a big challenge as he mentioned his biggest goal is to reach the OFC Champions League of the next season with the Stallions.
Oceania Football Center 