Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Obilić took 10th place during the interrupted season and was among those teams that needed to play for survival in the Arcus League. On several occasions, the head of the coaching staff of Obilić, Danijel Petković, pointed out that the primary goal is to preserve the elite status acquired two seasons ago.
- There was a rejuvenation of the team, mostly players who played lower ranks, without the experience and habits required to play at the highest rank. Stojic and Becirovic stopped playing, Nikola Miljakovic moved to America at the end of September, Milan Corovic’s family problems, frequent obligations of Anicic, Miric and Pavic shook us. We had to adapt to the given situation.
All this, as Petković points out, affected the results in the autumn part, even though they were close to victories in some matches, such as the duel with Samot, Partizan, Kikinda or Rudar.
- Young and new players like Dotlić, Savić, Erić, Mitić did not do well in the new, much more demanding competition compared to what they had played until then, while the older ones had too many oscillations, individually and in groups.
During the winter break, were there any changes in the playing staff?
- Vokši and Erić left the club, and individuals who have been the bearers of the game for a long time still had a little more training than games. Corovic still could not help. But newcomers Knezevic, young goalkeeper Tasic, Uros Savic, Dotlic and the most convincing newcomer Dragovic were mostly the initiators of the rest of the team. Podraščić and to some extent Jestrović stood out for their stability of form. If there hadn’t been an inexplicable loss of points in Leksovac and a mistake with Chamot at home, seven rounds would have brought about an „awakening“.
The season was annulled, in the end no team left the Arcus League and in the next season the league will have 16 clubs. According to the proposal of the new model of the competition, Obilić will be part of group B, which also includes Metaloplastika, Železničar, Novi Pazar, Šamot, Rudar, Crvena Zvezda and the winner of the barrage from the Super B league of the East-West group.
- My club was against the expansion of the league, in addition, we also advocated for a single league for the benefit of handball. In some conversations with colleagues from Kostolac, Leskovac, Subotica, etc. we came to the same conclusion. It is different because of the audience and the motivation of the players when they play against Vojvodina, Metaloplastika, Partizan and Crvena Zvezda, in whatever composition they are, they are always an attractive opponent for the audience above all. This way, we will be in a situation where next season we may not have an eternal Belgrade derby, for example, Petković states his opinion.
Where do you see your club in the new competition model?
- There is a chance that we will be among the four teams, because Zeleznicar is weaker without a pivot and the Left Back, Novi Pazar is also not so strong anymore. So we will be able to fight for the top of the table. In the second group, the first three places are safe, in the season of the psalms, four teams will be eliminated, it will be much harder, concluded Danijel Petković.
