Mislav Oršić and Vedran Jugović Interview
Week 7 is upon us and with that Ulsan is in town for a 3pm kick off on
Saturday. The Dragons notched their first Classic win in week 6 at Incheon and
both teams looked strong, in the K league Cup on Wednesday, with convincing
wins respectively. A few ex-Dragon players will be lacing them up for Ulsan on Saturday,
including former fan favorite – Mislav Oršić (above). This week's preview is a bit
different as Alex Meyer and I sat down and asked 24-year-old Ulsan attacker Oršić and 27-year-old
Jeonnam midfielder, Vedran Jugović, ex-teammates, and fellow countrymen, a few
questions
Did you enjoy the couple of seasons spent with the Jeonnam Dragons and your time playing with another Croatian player - Vedran Jugović?
Mislav Oršić :
Yes, I really enjoyed my one and half year in Jeonnam, especially the last 6
months when Vedran Jugović and Stevica Ristic were there because we had good
relations on the pitch and outside of the pitch. We enjoyed every moment.
It must have been hard for you
coming all the way from Croatia to play soccer with the Jeonnam Dragons in
South Korea, but having another player from Croatia already here when you
arrived must have helped settled you in. How much of a help was Oršić and how
did you feel after he left for China?
Vedran Jugović: I said many times it
wasn't easy and it was a big change for me but also I was looking forward to it
as it was a new challenge and experience. I was lucky because I had two great
football players - and even greater people - to help me adapt quickly. Stevo [ex
Jeonnam striker, Steviva Ristic] and Oršić were not only my teammates - we were like a small Balkan family in Gwangyang! I
miss them both a lot but I'm happy for Stevo because now he is on a well
deserved post-career vacation with his family and also I was happy for Oršić when he got the chance for a new experience in China because he really deserved
it.
How did you feel about leaving
the Dragons and heading to China?
MO: When I was leaving Jeonnam I felt a
little sad because I knew my situation in club was nice and I enjoyed every
moment there, but on the other hand I was happy because in front of me was a new
challenge in China.
How much has the Dragon’s team
and style changed since Oršić played with you?
VJ:
It was a hard moment for Dragons when Oršić left but we managed it and achieved some
really good results. Many Korean players took responsibility and we were maybe
better as a team and also we got two great players in Tomi [Jeonnam’s
26-year-old Australian center back, Tomislav Mrcela] and Jair [Jeonnam’s
28-year-old Brazilian number 10, Jair
Eduardo].
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Mislav Oršić signs for Ulsan Hyundai in February 2017 (image via the-afc.com) |
MO:
Of course I was happy when I came back to Korea, to Ulsan. Ulsan is one of the biggest
clubs in Korea and it's really nice to play in the Champions league because you
have an opportunity to play against the best clubs from other countries, who
play a different style of football to Korean clubs.
This will be your third game back from injury; how’s the body feeling and how are your fitness and confidence levels?
VJ: I
got injured two days before the first round and it was really bad for me. I was
sad and angry at the same time…but now it’s ok. With every game, I improve my
condition and form and of course if we start winning more, I’ll have more
confidence on the field.
You had some beautiful free kick goals and great home play for the Dragons, how do you feel about coming back to the Dragon’s Den and what type of fan reception do you foresee?
MO:
I'm excited to come back to Jeonnam stadium, of course now in another shirt
color, because I have some nice memories from there. But Korean fans are very
nice and there will be no problem.
When you and Oršić last played
together, there was some great chemistry on the field.
VJ: Yeah, Oršić and me had a great chemistry outside the field and on the field. I even knew
when my eyes were closed where he was or where he would pass the ball, but of
course it was easier for us because we speak the same language and this helped
us a lot. And both of us love the same style of football with many passes and
movement.
Can you tell me a little about
you opponent, what are his strengths and weaknesses, if any?
MO: Jugo
is very good midfield player, but he also has the ability to play as a winger.
He gives everything for the team, reads the game very well, gives nice passes
to attackers and can make a lot of goals... Without him, Jeonnam would not be
the same.
VJ:
I could speak about Oršić's strong points, but I think he speaks enough for
himself on the field. He’s shown everyone that he’s a great player who makes a difference,
scores a lot of goals and because he’s still young, I think he can still achieve
a really high level of football. I hope we will find out his weakness on Saturday.
Haha!
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Jugović helping the Dragons to their first points of the season versus Incheon last time out (image via Dragons.co.kr) |
VJ:
Yes, we finally got three points. It looks like we’re slow starters every year –
haha! To be honest, I'm not the one who needs to speak about our formation, but
I can say at this moment I prefer the one we played in Incheon. But also the mental
condition of the players and team confidence are very important and you can
only improve these things by winning.
What kind of a game do you expect this week?
MO: I
expect a hard game because they won their last game against Incheon and the FA
cup game [against Jeonju midweek]. They have confidence for the next game, but
we have our tactics and we are coming ready for a good game.
Would it feel a little extra
special to get a win against Ulsan and Oršić?
VJ:
I would love to get this win, of course.
Maybe it would feel a little special, but it’s just one of the many games we
must give one hundred percent and try to win.
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