Football passions between walls, sea and cemetery

Many of the generations of players of the Piran Portorož football club have made pilgrimages to the home stadium on Saturday, which, with its location and stunning scenes on air footage, raises a lot of interest even among those who are not even attracted to the most popular sport. At this year’s football festival, which was just one of the events of honoring a century -old history of ball play in our most comfortable city on the Coast, we witnessed genuine football passions, excellent socializing and entertainment.

Successful work of eight years

NK Piran Portorož President Mitja Udovic He had his hands full of work with the performances of all selections, but he did everything with great pleasure, in the meantime he even found time to play in a central magazine race, when Piran veterans competed with former members of the Slovenian national team.

NK President Piran Portorož Mitja Udovič also received the Slovenian national team’s commemorative jersey.

“Eight years ago, we took over a club that was quite at the bottom. We had only two selections, until the age of nine and eleven. With colleagues Luka Jurin and Andrei Gudic We put together a coaching headquarters and then gradually added new coaches and selections. Now we have all the selections from seven to 19 years, we only miss the team. I hope that in the future our work will be upgraded and a member team, « Udovič told us.

All selections of Piran football presented themselves on the artificial green. Photo Ways Creative Agency

He also revealed the basic mission of the club: “We have a lot of children, about 250 are together with those from elementary schools. We strive to be happy with us, to make new friendships, to develop the virtues of companionship, to encourage each other because they are part of the team. We also work with our parents to encourage their children, leave unrealistic ambitions by their side and give children impetus to play sports. Eleven coaches operate in the club, recently joined by goalkeepers. ”Udovič praised the cooperation with the municipality and the mayor Andrei Korenikawho has long been his teammate in all selections of the club, also enjoy support elsewhere in the local community. They practice and play on two playgrounds, in Lucia and under the walls, and the third would be welcome.

Photo Rok Tamše

The stadium was designed by Stanko Bloudek

Neset Dulai He spent four decades at the club as a player, coach and girl for all when it was the hardest and the club was just before the collapse. With immense will and love for football, he worked with young hopes, so he proudly looks at the current situation in the club. In recent times, he has devoted himself to writing a book about the history of Piran football, which will be published in the fall, when the academy will be a century of football in Piran.

Neset Dulai writes a book about Piran football that will be published in the fall.

“In the recent period, I have devoted myself entirely to the book, and I have been dealing with it three to four hours a day. I enjoy it very much, they help me Venčeslav Japelj and Danilo Sergas. It was interesting when we searched for football records in the Piran archives in 1925, when organized playing was supposed to begin. We found nothing but we are in the archive of the Trieste newspaper Il Piccolo found records of football in Piran from 1923, when the Piran team played friendly matches with neighboring clubs, including Izola and Koper. Well, in 1925, Piran played the first official matches in the Championship of the Trieste region, « he said.

The initial blow to the memorial match was performed by Marjan Tomšič (on the trolley), one of the oldest club members. Photo Rok Tamše

“It should be borne in mind that at that time we belonged to Italy, which was a world football force. There were even four teams in the Piran municipality, which later merged or shut down. They had four playgrounds: in Lucia, at the entrance to the Sečovlje Salt -pans, in St. Peter and even in Strunjan, who had his team in the 1950s. Finally, in the early 60s, the present playground under the walls was built. Interestingly, the entire sports park was designed by a design house Stanka Bloudka. Fortunately, we also have all the documentation and plans of this project, « Dulai, director of the public company Environment Piran, also served with interesting stories.

Piran meant him more than Paris

The artificial greenery of the iconic stadium, which is probably surrounded by walls from the 16th century, the sea and the cemetery, was also grown by the legendary Danilo Sergas – – Figure.

Selectors Jože Prelogar and Danilo Sergas masterfully led the selection of the Slovenian national team and the home club. Photos of Rok Tamša

“For a seven -year -old rural boy, Piran meant more than Paris. He had twice as many residents than today. As a goalkeeper, I progressed quickly as I defended for juniors and members, I was too young, so I performed under a foreign name. Soon from Izola, which quoted much higher, came the president of the club Vinko Gregorič and the head of the municipal party. I played for Izola for eleven years, and after my acting career I returned to Piran as a coach and youth leader. At that time, we progressed with the membership team to another Slovenian league, at that time they stood out Hvastija, Veselko, Peršič and Gortan. Many have stopped playing football because of their study and work responsibilities, now they are successful businessmen in reputable companies. I believe that they were also helped by football experience and sporting values, « said Sergas, who also worked as a goalkeeper coach in various national team selections for years.

Danilo Sergaš with Delo’s Annex on the Champions League and in the company of Judge Mate Tozana Photo Rok Tamše

Prelogar returned Knavs

This time, he led the veterans of Piran in a friendly showdown with the Veterans of Slovenia, which was also enriched by the Piradi fan group. Under the walls is the selector Jože Prelogar invited a home ace Matej Mavric Rozic and Andraža Struno (his brother Aljazalso a former national team, was absent) who played for the national team. Beside him, the captain’s feast was perpetuated Gregor Židan, Alfred Jermanish, Robert Englando, Aleš Kokot, Ermin Rakovic, Nenad Protega, Željko Mitrakovic, Goran Jolič … Joni Novak Due to knee problems, he accompanied the match from the edge of the playground.

Piran football fans welcomed the former ASA, including Alexander Knavs (the first from the right), who this time made his debut for the veteran team of the Slovenian national team.

But special attention was paid to Alexander Knavswho returned to his homeland after many years of absence and now to Slovenian football. Namely, the head of Prelogar convinced the former excellent defender that for his premiere in the veterans ‘veterans’ team, he was commissioned by the Football Festival in Piran.

Slovenian national veterans also had a lot to say after the match; From left: Jože Prelogar, Alfred Jermanis, Davor Škerjanc, Robert England, Goran Jolič and Alexander Knavs. Photo Rok Tamše