In the premises of the Sports Center of the Football Association of Serbia in Stara Pazova, a meeting of the Executive Committee was held, chaired by Dragan Džajić, president of the Football Association of Serbia.
The executive board appointed Branko Radujek as the new general secretary of the Football Association of Serbia. The decision was made unanimously respecting the laws of the Republic of Serbia and with the consent and regulations of the European Football Union (UEFA). The new first escort of the football organization addressed the members of the Executive Committee.
– I thank everyone for the trust shown. Serbian football has great opportunities and numerous challenges, and we in the federation have a great responsibility. It will be hard work, dedicated and unsparing. It is not the first time that I have accepted a serious job and I intend to, as always, leave behind an organized and sustainable system, a successful organization that achieves the set goals.
Football is the most popular sport and the biggest entertainment in the world, but also a serious, powerful industry, important for the gross domestic product and economy of each country, for its international reputation, for people’s health and for general social values.
The most powerful companies invest in football and thus build and strengthen contacts, their own reputation and positions on the global market. We too have to change the perception and deal with football in a way that will provide us with long-term competitiveness and that our society and state will return more than what is invested.
And today, our country invests in football and in sports in general more than ever. Serious buildings are being built all over Serbia, we are building the National Stadium, the infrastructure is being built. Next year we will host the UEFA Congress, we expect the organization of the Europa League final, we want to host the European Championship for young players, in the near future and many other important football events in our country.
The national team regularly plays big competitions, now also the A group of the League of Nations, the cadets played in the semi-finals of the European Championship, a lot is expected from that generation…
Crvena zvezda, with a fantastic streak of eight years in a row in the Champions League or the Europa League, shows that we can be competitive on the European football market. TSC is playing in the group stage of European competitions this year. Partizan is a big club, they will play again in Europe, there are better Čukarički, Vojvodina, Radnički Kragujevac has risen, Novi Pazar is getting stronger, football centers are rising and we must not stop now. On the contrary, it is necessary to roll up our sleeves and go full throttle into the dynamic development of Serbian football.
We will raise the atmosphere in Serbian football. We will react decisively and very quickly to any activity or irregularity that could lead to negative consequences for our football and our status in UEFA. There can’t and won’t be any compromise on that.
Our priority is to create a healthy and sustainable system that will enable Serbian football to develop continuously, from football schools, through the youth age to the highest levels.
I strongly believe that the Football Association of Serbia can be a leader in the region in terms of innovation, transparency and unity.
We will invest in the serious education of coaches, professional staff and referees. We will strengthen support for grassroots programs and football schools. The people to whom we entrust talented children must be trained to work with them, so that our talents do not deteriorate or are constantly injured. We have to guide such children to become top athletes, great champions and national team members of their country, but also quality people. We will not be ashamed to ask and ask for help from FIFA, UEFA and the most successful European federations, let them send us instructors, to share the knowledge and experience with which they reached the highest results. Not only about player training and training, but also about preparation, recovery, injury prevention, nutrition, logistics, infrastructure.
We will not neglect futsal or women’s football. This is our obligation towards UEFA, but also our human and professional duty. We will publish regular reports on business, on the realization of sports, financial and business results.
We will be open in communication. The doors of the association will be open to every former national team player, coach, successful sports worker. We will accept every constructive proposal, question and well-intentioned criticism, but we will not waste our energy on flat and unfounded stories.
In the first days, we will analyze the past and current activities of the Association, we will take a detailed look at the financial situation and personnel and organizational capacities. We will very soon present the plans to the public and start implementing measures and activities for their realization.
Football is loved in Serbia, football belongs to all of us, and that’s why I invite everyone – clubs, fans, media and the wider community – to build a new chapter of Serbian football together.
Anyone who is not ready for hard and honest work is not for this team. There are no reasons why we can’t succeed! Long live Serbia! – said Branko Radujko, thanking the members of the IO FSS for their trust.
BIOGRAPHY OF BRANKO RADUJK
Until his appointment as Secretary General of the FSS, from 2021 he was working as the Director of the Customs Administration within the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Serbia.
Prior to that, from 2012 to 2021, he worked in the company NIS Gazpromneft, within one of the largest energy companies in the world, Gazprom, as executive director for retail sales, i.e. director for the Adriatic region.
As the general director of Telekom Srbija from 2008 to 2012, he led the company’s transformation process and with his team launched IP television and the development of multimedia services with a focus on creating sports content and programs.
During 2011 and 2012, he renewed and improved the strategic cooperation with the FSS and the First League Association in order to improve the football infrastructure and create the conditions for playing matches in marketing-attractive evening times with a new dimension of monitoring and broadcasting domestic football competitions on a larger number of channels and a significant increase in income. from television rights for all clubs.
In addition to supporting sports clubs and national associations through sponsorship and business projects, since 2010 he has participated in the management and management bodies of the Crvena Zvezda Football Club, the Grafičar Football Club and the Athletic Association of Serbia.
Before his corporate business career, he worked in the governmental and non-governmental sector, that is, at the very beginning of his career, in a reputable Belgrade law firm.
He was born in Knin in 1974.
Graduated in 1998 at the Faculty of Law of the University of Podgorica.
In 2013, he obtained the title of Master of Management at the Faculty of Economics, Finance and Administration in Belgrade.
He speaks English and Russian.
He lives in Belgrade with his wife Aleksandar and sons Stefan
Source: hotsport.rs
