Three days ago, Serbia head coach Uros Stevanovic announced a 22-players list of candidates for the roster for the Group A of the World Cup Division 1 in Podgorica.
This evening, Serbia started the preparations in Kragujevac, but Stevanovic counts on 21 players.
Olympic champion Nikola Jaksic didn’t come to Kragujevac because his club Novi Beograd didn’t allow him to join the national team in the preparations.
In an official letter, Novi Beograd informed the Water Polo Federation of Serbia about its decision, the WPF of Serbia announced. The club said it thought it was better for Jaksic to train with the club because he recently had recovered from an injury. The Water Polo Federation responded that Jaksic would have all the necessary conditions for quality work with the national team. Despite the WPF’s response, Novi Beograd maintained its decision.
A case like this hasn’t happened for a long in the Serbian water polo
Jaksic suffered a left arm injury a month and a half ago. He was out of the team for several weeks. Last weekend, he played for Novi Beograd for the first time since mid-January. He helped the team at the Regional League tournament in Dubrovnik. On Tuesday, he contributed one goal to Novi Beograd’s win over Ferencvaros.
“We are sorry that Nikola is not here. He would have all the conditions to train at the highest level, and I hope that he will be with us in the coming period – Viktor Jelenic, the Water Polo Federation Serbia president said for the Federation’s official website.
Jaksic was Serbia’s captain at the New Year tournament in Texas two months ago.
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The clubs are obligated to let their players prepare with the national teams on the dates set by the World Aquatics for the national teams’ activities if head coaches call them. However, the Water Polo Federation of Serbia obviously, has not insisted on enforcing these regulations and tried to solve the problem in a different way, but with no success.
The list of the players that will participate in Serbia’s preparations for the World Cup
Goalkeepers: Branislav Mitrovic (Vasas), Lazar Dobozanov (Radnički), Vladimir Misovic (Crvena zvezda), Pavle Gavrilovic (Sabac)
Field players: Nemanja Ubovic (Ferencvaros), Nebojsa Toholj (Sabac), Djordje Lazic (Brescia), Dusan Mandic, Radomir Drasovic, Strahinja Rasovic, Viktor Rasovic, Djordje Vucinic (all Novi Beograd) Marko Radulovic (Novi Beograd from next season), Sava Randjelovic (Vasas), Filip Jankovic, Nikola Lukic, Nemanja Stanojevic (all Radnicki), Petar Jaksic, Marko Dimitrijevic (both Partizan), Vuk Milojevic (Crvena Zvezda), Nikola Kojic (free agent).
Serbia will train in Kragujevac between March 2 and 6. On March 7 the picked players will travel to Podgorica.
Follow the results and statistics of the World Cup Division 1 on Total Waterpolo Arena
More articles about the World Cup and the former World League
