Serbian Football Association gets new chief

Yugoslav football legend Dragan Dzajic was elected by 78 of the 79 FSS assembly delegates who attended the meeting. The election comes a day after Dzajic’s rival Nemanja Vidic pulled out of the race. Vidic said in a statement that his vision of a national team of top professionals met with opposition but did not specify from who.

There was speculation for days that the decision on who would head the FSS would be taken by the Serbian president. Sports writers said that the public prefered the much younger Vidic to the elderly Dzajic. Sports news outlets recalled that Dzajic was arrested several years ago on charges of manipulation and embezzlement in the transfer of players.

Professional Football Players Union Nezavisnost leader Mirko Poledica told N1 on Tuesday that he walked out of the meeting before the vote in disappointment over the outcome. He claimed that some of the delegates told him they were ordered to vote for Dzajic.

The vote was held at the FSS Center in Stara Pazova where the Serbian authorities are planning to build a national stadium which will be bigger than any in Belgrade.