From Bosko Djurovski to Michel Pont, via Christophe Ohrel, Marco Pascolo and Jean-Michel Aeby, all those who have rubbed shoulders with the Serbian coach at Servette underline his great humanity.
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Ilija Petkovic, in May 1994, on the bench of Charmilles in Geneva.
Eric Lafargue
So, Ilija Petkovic went to Belgrade on Saturday at the age of 74. The Serb, who coached Servette FC from March 1993 to April 1995 – culminating in the title of champion in 1994 – died after spending three days in intensive care in a Belgrade hospital.
“Ilija had an ulcer in the intestines and it would appear that this ulcer was perforated, causing profuse bleeding, explains Bosko Djurovski, former Serbian defender, who wore the servant jersey for six years (1989-1995). He was rushed to hospital, where he was further diagnosed with Covid-19. “I think the combination of the two problems was fatal, even if the best doctors in the country took turns to save him.”
“Petko” was a mouth, methods from ancient Eastern Europe, but a big “heart” too. “Petko always correct”, he liked to repeat while rolling the “r”. And, loyal to his principles, he did not hesitate to nail the bill to “partisan journalists” who dared to criticize the sometimes defensive play style of his team – the author of this article remembers it.
“Here in Belgrade and Serbia, everyone is talking about the death of Ilija,” Djurovski continues on the wireless. Even Dejan Stankovic, the former Inter player and current Red Star coach, sent a message. Ilija was a very, very loved person. And me … ”He pauses, taken by a sob. Before continuing: “I am very sad, very moved. I’m at a picnic with my family, I try to change my mind, but I can’t do it and I cry. ”
–Bosko Djurovski, here in 2015, in front of the Servette training center in Balexert.
Eric Lafargue
Djurovski swallows his tears to evoke the servetian period of Ilija Petkovic. “In two years, he marked the history of Servette,” he says. We were a big family. It was I who called some elders on Saturday to tell them about his death. We all shared unforgettable moments. ”
Jean-Michel Aeby: “Work, respect and integrity”
Djurovski’s former teammates vividly remember the special moments they experienced from the moment Petkovic arrived. “He was the coach Servette needed at the time,” recalls former midfielder Christophe Ohrel. We had some strong characters in the locker room, and he was able to find the right method to get his message across – even if he did not speak French well. He was able to make us understand that talent was not enough. And he was right, since it led to a title. ”
From his goal line, Marco Pascolo was well placed to see how much Petkovic knew how to federate: “There were great personalities in this team, but he knew how to make everyone leave their egos aside,” he said. He had this requirement and the rudeness of Eastern European culture, but he knew how to be human and warm too. Sometimes we even felt like he was nursing us! He has left a mark on the history of the Servette, it is indisputable. ”
Jean-Michel Aeby was not the least affected by the death of his former coach: “He was a wonderful person. He loved his players very much. Somehow, we were all his kids. He was strict, demanding, but he had a certain form of humor too. He knew how to instill in us the values of work, respect and integrity. And he was always on top notch, high class. It was really a great man who went away, and I feel lucky to have been able to meet him. ”
Pont: “Last year Köbi, now Petkovic …”
Michel Pont, who was Petkovic’s assistant on the Servettian bench, was also very touched: “Last year, it was Köbi (note: Kuhn, of which he was assistant for seven years in the Swiss team) who left us at 76, and now it’s Petkovic’s turn, at 74 … Bosko Djurovski left me a message on Saturday evening, it hurt me. Petkovic is a personality who marked me. With his big voice, he gave an impression of harshness, but that hid a big heart and a certain form of joviality. His personality caught the eye of Paul-Annick Weiler, the president at the time, who worked a lot by feeling. ”
Michel Pont also retains the love that Petkovic had for his players: “He took them in his arms, he protected them, he really adored them. I was complementary with him, as with Kuhn and Hitzfeld for that matter. He conveyed certain ideas that were starting to be out of date – the individual marking 10 to 10 across the field, while Roy Hodgson swore by the Swiss team zone – but his method brought us to the title in 1994. C ‘so it was good!’
–Michel Pont (right) alongside Ilija Petkovic: it was May 17, 1994, when Servette FC celebrated its title of champion of Switzerland in Charmilles.
Eric Lafargue
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