The national team of Serbia has been affected by several adverse events this year. There was the case with Nikola Jaksic, who missed the World Cup Division 1.
Something similar happens this summer. Head coach Uros Stevanovic can’t count on all players he called for the upcoming actions.
Dusan Mandic won’t play for Serbia this summer.
This information has been circulating for the past few weeks, but there was no official confirmation until today.
Mandic was on the list of the players called up to the preparations, announced by head coach Uros Stevanovic. The national team has prepared in Kragujevac since late May. The players who participated in the Champions League Final Eight joined the team last week.
But Mandic is missing.
The Water Polo Federation of Serbia (WPSF) hasn’t released an official statement regarding Mandic, but a piece of information that he won’t play for Serbia this summer has become official today.
Jugoslav Vasovic, the president of the Sporting Commission of the WPSF, spoke about Mandic, among other things, in the podcast of the TV station Sport Klub today.
Vasovic confirmed that Mandic hadn’t appeared at the preparations. He said that Mandic had sent a letter to the Federation. In the letter, Mandic explains that he isn’t physically and mentally ready for the challenges with the national team this summer and that he needs a rest. The 2021 Total Player wrote that he would be available for the national team from the next season. The Federation accepted Mandic’s request and let him rest.
A turbulent season is behind Mandic. He hasn’t played a match since the Regional League Final Four held two and a half months ago. Novi Beograd lost to Jug in the semifinals of the Regional League. After that, Mandic was suspended by Novi Beograd. He trained with Novi Beograd’s development team, which finished the season early in May, and watched the Final Eight from the stands.
All involved in Serbian water polo expect the left-handed goal-getter to get back into the desired shape playing for his new club Ferencvaros, the club he joined last week.
Serbia will participate in three competitions this summer – in the qualifications for the European Championships late in June (the tournament in Turkey), in the World Cup Final in Los Angeles, and in the World Championships in Fukuoka.
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