1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,360 Okay, welcome back to the podcast everyone. On this episode we have special guests Alan Vukobrad 2 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:11,760 and Niko Grandov. Alan was the coach of the North American U-14 football team in the Memorial of 3 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:16,800 Vukovar Defenders Tournament. The tournament aims to provide a platform for young Croatian 4 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:21,520 footballers in the diaspora to showcase their talents while also honoring the memory of those 5 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:27,520 who sacrificed their lives in the war. Our other guest Niko is one of the players who participated 6 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:31,520 in the tournament and we're going to hear from him in a little bit about his first-hand experience. 7 00:00:32,160 --> 00:00:36,320 But now we're going to hear from Alan about coaching the team and the goal of the tournament. 8 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:42,800 Alan, thanks for coming on the podcast. Thank you Stanko for having me on your podcast. 9 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:50,480 And again, it was a great experience for myself and for my colleague, her way that I also was 10 00:00:50,480 --> 00:00:58,000 like the coach and like involved in this like the process from day one. Also I would like to 11 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:01,920 mention we had like a couple more like coaches that they didn't have like opportunity to go this 12 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:08,560 time with us but I'm expecting them like next year. The feedback that I got from the players 13 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:14,880 and the parents was like an amazing learning experience for them because they came from the 14 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:20,800 different environment to Croatia. Again, it's a completely different environment and for some of 15 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:25,760 them it was like the first time that they're visiting Croatia but in general like I didn't 16 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:32,080 get like one negative. Wow, yeah I mean it sounds like an incredible experience. I mean really for 17 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:37,360 everyone involved and you know I want to find out a little bit more about that but before we go there 18 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:41,120 you know I want to ask a little about you. You know can you talk a little about you know where 19 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:47,920 you're from and your background a little bit? Sure, born and raised in in Belovar. It's like 20 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:54,560 a small city like in Croatia not far away from Zagreb capital city and 21 00:01:57,200 --> 00:01:59,680 I'm gonna say now like the last one years I've been in Toronto. 22 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:08,560 I had chance to coach Toronto, Croatia like the biggest club outside of Croatia for two years 23 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:14,480 and I stayed in football like I played back home nothing like you know like at the top like 24 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:20,080 let's say like a third division maximum but I'm gonna I'm gonna one of those guys that 25 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:24,560 you're gonna say like I like I should have like a great career but I had like a lots of injuries 26 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:36,720 but I'm gonna skip that part. Basically I like loved the game. Started to coaching, educating myself 27 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:43,600 to help like the young generations. Well I just mentioned that I spent like seven years wearing 28 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:51,840 like the football club Barcelona shirt. Was like an assistant technical director in FC Barcelona 29 00:02:51,840 --> 00:03:01,920 academy here in Toronto and also like the coach for U-12, U-14 and after Covid that program was 30 00:03:01,920 --> 00:03:09,680 like closed and I was just looking like for another things and last year we had like the first 31 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:15,280 high-ness camp in North America. Was like in Toronto and after that in Cleveland. I met with 32 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:21,280 few people from high-ness and basically they asked me like would you like to help us to 33 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:26,240 you know like to bring this like on the higher level to make like a selection and 34 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:35,600 and bring those boys like together to Wukowar in April and we did like this was like the first 35 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:42,400 year that I was involved with my colleagues in this process and I'm hoping that next year 36 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:47,360 it's going to be better. We're gonna idea is basically to spread more words 37 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:53,440 to Croatian families in Canada and North America. Again it's a huge 38 00:03:53,440 --> 00:04:01,440 creation diaspora and I'm hoping you know like in the future more people is going to be aware of 39 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:08,880 what we are doing and you know maybe one day we're going to have our Christian Pulisic that is going 40 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:14,800 to play for Croatia. Yeah yeah that would be awesome. Yeah he's an incredible player. It's 41 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:19,440 I mean he's playing for the U.S. of course but it would be awesome if you know he played for Croatia. 42 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:26,560 Yeah maybe if he had like this program like 10 years ago maybe he would play for Croatia but 43 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:31,440 unfortunately but again what's happened happened like I'm just looking forward with my colleagues 44 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:37,360 and I'm not hoping like I'm sure sooner or later we're going to have someone because 45 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:45,040 it's so much potential. We just need basically you know get those kids expose them to high-ness and 46 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:50,320 then I'm pretty sure they're going to be in good hands. I'm sure yeah definitely. I want to point 47 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:56,640 out real quick you know you said you moved from Vjelovac to Toronto that's a that's a big difference 48 00:04:56,640 --> 00:05:03,600 you know how are you liking Toronto? Well you know after 20 years I'm okay now 49 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:11,200 like the first couple of years were like very challenging. First of all like the weather and 50 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:18,480 of course we cannot ignore that you know like you don't have like a France you need to start like 51 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:23,760 you know like a new life language as well. There was like so many like you know the challenges but 52 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:29,760 you know if you look positive you're going to adapt. This is like the one I'm going to say 53 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:33,920 of like our like human characteristics that we can adapt like you mentioned that you are born 54 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:40,320 and raised in LA now you are like in Zagreb like you know how that works right? Yeah yeah it's 55 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:46,960 definitely difficult moving to you know from one country to another for sure. You know I was sort 56 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:52,000 of getting back to the tournament and everything how many different teams was there only one team 57 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:56,240 in North America? How did the tournament work I guess how many different teams were there 58 00:05:56,240 --> 00:06:07,280 throughout the whole tournament? Yeah basically they invited like the diaspora team like from North 59 00:06:07,280 --> 00:06:13,840 America, US and Canada together and I think that this is like the right way also we had like for 60 00:06:13,840 --> 00:06:21,360 the first time like the the boys from Australia as a team right and we had of course like the 61 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:29,840 kids from Germany, Sweden but they haven't been like before as well like there this is was this 62 00:06:29,840 --> 00:06:36,800 was like a 19 tournament next year they have like a huge plans for for 20th and maybe we're going 63 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:42,640 to have like more teams but basically this year I was like the four diaspora teams plus all like 64 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:51,280 the first division like other Croatian clubs like decent on like U14 teams plus Vukovar and 65 00:06:51,280 --> 00:06:57,520 Tzibalia which is like a total of 16 teams divided into like the four groups we are like in the group 66 00:06:59,280 --> 00:07:05,680 at the Noghvini club like Rijeka, Sibenik and Varazin like all these teams that are playing 67 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:11,200 like the first Croatian division yeah. Okay yeah that's a pretty big tournament then and so how 68 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:17,280 long did that take? How many was that like a week that everyone was in? Basically it was like on 69 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:24,560 from April 14 to 16. I wish that we had like a more more time between or like before to have some 70 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:29,280 you know like maybe friendlies after the tournament we went to Bosijek and we played like the one 71 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:34,800 friendly game against like kids from a Noghvini club Bosijek also like a great experience but 72 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:40,880 you know when you're bringing someone from far I would like you know like to expose those kids like 73 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:46,080 in like a to more like other clubs and like the people over there and maybe to play like 74 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:50,960 five six games you know but this is the plan for the next year just you know when we are going there 75 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:55,920 that we're going to stay maybe like 10 days together instead of you know like three four days. 76 00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:01,280 Well you mentioned that some of the players you know it was their first time in Croatia what was 77 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:06,480 that like for you to see you know this the diaspora come back and experience Croatia for the first time? 78 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:12,160 Oh it was like you know you have the kids that you know basically they don't train together they 79 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:17,200 don't play together and then like after a couple of couple hours you see them you know like they're 80 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:22,800 hugging each other they're talking they're smiling you know joking of course they're kids. 81 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:30,080 For me was like again I learned a lot you know in just like a couple days about the boys 82 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:36,560 I'm gonna say one thing I always ask like at the people in hotel did anyone complain about our 83 00:08:36,560 --> 00:08:43,840 you know like the boys but behavior was like at the top on and off the field like I'm gonna give 84 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:50,720 I'm gonna give credit to the to the parents for that again all experience was like great 85 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:57,200 like I said not even one like a negative comment like on or off the field. 86 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:04,960 Wow that's awesome and so that's all from all over the U.S. and all over Canada together in one team 87 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:09,120 you know they're just meeting for the first time you know right as they're as they're going to play 88 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:14,880 in the tournament. I mean that's awesome to bring you know the diaspora together like that and then 89 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:21,040 of course to bring them to Croatia and part of the tournament as well was you know being in Vukovod 90 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:26,400 and you know remembering the veterans and everything that happened in Vukovod during the war 91 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:31,840 did you guys do any sort of you know like field trips or walking around the city to 92 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:37,520 to see some of the landmarks and everything? Yeah like the first day it was like idea to 93 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:47,040 to see more because like the was like the short trip and that like the first day we spent time 94 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:55,200 like to go to Ocarra spent some time there and just the boys they they can you know like 95 00:09:55,200 --> 00:10:04,080 they can hear like some like facts and after that we went to the Vodotoran was like a 96 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:08,160 great experience for the boys and of course they had like lots of questions it's a good thing 97 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:14,240 at Ocarra we had like the presentation in English that they can understand. Also we had like some 98 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:20,480 parents that you know like they're like a first time in Croatia after maybe like 30 years and 99 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:28,160 was like good that we had like they're like a very good service thank you for the people there and 100 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:35,600 yeah like some boys they had like even like a couple days later like some questions you know 101 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:41,680 like what's happened you know why we are here I think again it's a good like the learning 102 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:48,240 experience for them as well. Yeah definitely it's definitely you know a good experience I think 103 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:53,280 everyone should you know learn the history and see you know what happened I've been to Vukovod 104 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:59,920 I think twice now and yeah it's really I mean I feel like it's important you know to go and 105 00:10:59,920 --> 00:11:05,680 and learn about what happened and you know to keep that and remember you know so you know something 106 00:11:05,680 --> 00:11:09,600 like that can never happen again so that's definitely awesome that you guys were able to 107 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:17,040 do that with the team. I want to ask is there any difference in sort of style of play between 108 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:20,720 you know sort of the North American team and then you know the the Croatian team? 109 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:26,800 You know just before I just want to mention something we had like a those like a day comes 110 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:31,600 like at the last summer but what we did after that basically we we started like preparing like 111 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:36,880 a selection because we knew already like some boys we got some informations about like the 112 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:41,520 another boys and like we brought them in in January in 113 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:48,320 in Hamilton where we did like another selection was like at the pool of like 114 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:52,240 30 players that we selected and we brought them there and basically from that selection 115 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:57,520 plus like a couple boys that didn't have like a chance to come we did the the final selection of 116 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:05,840 20 players 14 was like from Canada and six from US. A style of play you know 117 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:10,560 you know like it's not like the big difference between like the boys you know like 118 00:12:10,560 --> 00:12:17,760 13-14 years some of them they're playing like in MLS clubs some of them they're playing like in 119 00:12:18,560 --> 00:12:24,400 you know let's say like at the top years like in Canada maybe like at the you know like at the 120 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:31,600 physical component was like because we brought like five boys that are born like a 2010. 121 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:38,400 This tournament mostly was like focused on boys like a 2009 but again the idea was just to prepare 122 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:44,000 them maybe for next year that they you know they are not surprised that they have you know like 123 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:49,120 already experienced from the last year and I'm expecting from those boys one of them is Nico 124 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:57,840 Brando who will be our leaders next year because they saw today I mean this time like the older 125 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:05,520 boys how they you know like basically stepping up on the field you know like supporting the 126 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:13,760 younger boys and that was idea like expose them to this kind of environment and next year like 127 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:18,560 I said I'm expecting again from Nico and the rest of the boys that they had like a chance to be 128 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:26,480 this year to be those like leaders and you know like help those younger guys because idea is also 129 00:13:26,480 --> 00:13:30,960 to next year to bring like if we have like other those boys that they deserve to go with us like 130 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:36,560 to bring like a few younger boys as well. Sorry for the interruption but this episode is sponsored 131 00:13:36,560 --> 00:13:42,640 by me and the book I wrote All Things Croatia from Los Angeles to the home. I talk about growing up 132 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:47,520 in the Croatian diaspora and ultimately moving to Croatia to further connect with my roots. 133 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:51,920 It's available on Amazon as an ebook if you want to check it out. Now back to the episode. 134 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:57,520 Yeah and you mentioned Nico we're gonna he's gonna speak in a second here 135 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:02,160 about his experience and everything and I just want to thank you Alan for taking the time to 136 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:06,400 come on you know the podcast here and I want to ask just you know sort of last question 137 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:12,080 how can people get involved you know and help out both you know kids who you know say they're 138 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:16,000 they're listening or you know kids who are playing football who are in the diaspora who didn't hear 139 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:20,080 about this program before and like you said for the next year you know you guys are trying to 140 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:26,080 expand and make that bigger. Where do they go is there a website or someone they can reach out to 141 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:32,960 to see you know about sort of trying out or you know being participating in some way. Yeah the 142 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:38,080 social media is doing like the great job. I need to say like a thank you to you as well because 143 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:45,200 I'm pretty sure like a lot of people is going to see like this like a podcast and we have a you 144 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:51,920 know like some like the flyers that they went out basically with my email the people down there 145 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:58,000 like they're reaching out like those like the social medias also like through the parents 146 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:03,200 because the parents you know like they had like a positive experience and they are spreading the 147 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:07,920 words. I just want to mention you know like we know how is like in North America it's pay to play 148 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:14,800 system. My idea from day one was like when we started like the process to selecting the kids 149 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:20,400 I said everything is to be free because we want to we want to see we want to put like the boys 150 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:25,280 first like not money. Lots of parents called me said like hey how much we need to pay for those 151 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:31,040 trainings in Hamilton. How much we need to pay for the uniforms, truck suits, backpacks, 152 00:15:31,040 --> 00:15:35,840 transportation during the tournament. We're going to find the people you know that 153 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:42,160 they recognize this project like and we had like a couple of sponsors that they help us. My idea is 154 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:49,680 to have like the same concept like a next year like a just you know like a focus on the boys. 155 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:55,760 Those ones that they deserve to be seen and exposed and continue with that. Yeah. 156 00:15:56,800 --> 00:16:00,480 Well that's awesome. Yeah it can definitely be expensive you know those types of tournaments 157 00:16:00,480 --> 00:16:04,560 and things so that's awesome that you guys were able to you know provide that with sponsors so 158 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:10,000 that you know kids of all you know different backgrounds and you know everyone who's 159 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:17,120 deserves to play is able to play in the tournament. Exactly. Yeah that's really awesome. Allen I think 160 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:22,000 it's really great what you guys are doing. I almost got goosebumps when you said you're talking about 161 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:27,440 you know Pulisic and saying we could get the next one the next Pulisic and even when you said 10 162 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:31,600 years ago if this program was around maybe he would be playing for Croatia so that's awesome 163 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:36,400 to think about how you know the Diaspora can become get more connected to their Croatian roots 164 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:49,760 through this. I mean you know Rakitic, you know Simunic, the Kovac brothers, Klasnic, Petric, 165 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:55,600 so many like we have like a players that they you know play for Croatia but they came from you know 166 00:16:55,600 --> 00:17:03,040 like Australia, Germany, Switzerland. And now I was like thinking why we don't have someone like 167 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:10,720 from North America because I'm here like the last one years. Thanks to Barcelona I travel around 168 00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:16,560 like Canada. I went to US as well and I saw so much potential you know like I was thinking okay 169 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:24,080 like if we put that like together it's impossible that you know like sooner or later and that's my 170 00:17:24,080 --> 00:17:28,000 goal basically and then the people that you know the old coaches that are volunteers here 171 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:32,720 this is our goal basically the one day that we can say you know here we go we have like a baby Nico 172 00:17:33,360 --> 00:17:39,120 it's going to be that one or another kid from Canada or US that it's going to you know like 173 00:17:39,120 --> 00:17:47,200 participate in the youth selections or even better to represent Canada by Croatia on the Euro or World 174 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:52,880 Cup. Yeah that would be incredible. I'm getting goosebumps now yeah that's awesome Alan. 175 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:56,720 I'm really on board with what you guys are doing I think that's great 176 00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:00,800 we're going to go to Nico now to hear about his experience but Alan thank you so much for coming 177 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:07,200 on the podcast. Thank you Sanko I hope you'll stay in touch. All right well now I'm here with Nico. 178 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:12,720 Nico thank you for coming on the podcast. Thank you too. You know really awesome having you on. 179 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:16,960 I want to ask about your experience in the tournament but you know first if you don't mind 180 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:20,480 can you just tell us about a little bit about yourself and about your background. 181 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:26,480 My name is Nico Grandal of course I'm a 2010 I played for New York Red Bulls and I went to this 182 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:33,600 tournament Rookabye. And how was it did you enjoy it? Yeah it was really fun. What was the process 183 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:41,120 like so there was a selection process for you to qualify for the team? So I went to a camping in 184 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:50,320 Toronto Canada and basically they picked the kids for a 2009 youth group and they were 185 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:56,560 all in the same group and then we all flew to Rookabye and we had like one training and then 186 00:18:57,360 --> 00:19:03,360 we had a couple games there three games in a friendly. Okay so you only had one training 187 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:09,520 so you met all these other teammates for the first time or did you know anyone? No I met them in 188 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:19,760 Canada. Okay okay and then flew how long after to Rookabye? A couple weeks. Okay and was that 189 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:27,600 in Croatia? No I go there often. Oh really was it your first time in Rookabye? Yeah. What was it like 190 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:31,760 there aside from you know tournament and playing did you get to walk around the city a little bit? 191 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:40,400 Yeah it was really nice. Yeah it's not like where I'm from in Zadar it's like it's different 192 00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:47,440 like in that part of Croatia. Yeah yeah Slavonia I guess is the region there so your your family's 193 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:53,840 from Zadar then you have family there still you go in the summers and do you see relatives there? 194 00:19:54,480 --> 00:20:01,280 Yeah. And so how long have you been playing soccer your whole life you've always been a soccer fan? 195 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:07,200 Well I started playing like soccer like on the team when I was six but I always played soccer 196 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:13,680 like for fun before there. And now is it something that you're I mean how did you find out about the 197 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:18,240 program did your mom or your dad tell you about the program were you excited at first did you 198 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:26,160 not really you were excited? Yeah so my parents basically found it off of Instagram off of their 199 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:33,040 page and then we decided just to go to the camp to see what it's about and then we thought it was 200 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:38,080 good so we just went to Rookabye with them. That's awesome would you recommend the experience for 201 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:44,160 other other Croatian diaspora like yourself? Yeah of course of course it was very fun. Oh that's 202 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:49,680 awesome I have just a couple quick questions for you. The first one being you know is there a 203 00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:55,600 difference in play because you were playing you know of course the Croatian teams from over there 204 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:01,360 and you know you're from you know on the North American team was there sort of a difference in 205 00:21:01,360 --> 00:21:08,560 style difference in play? Well I would say in America it's a lot more about physicality and 206 00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:17,520 but and they're also like better at the fundamentals there. Technically and like they're also like 207 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:22,240 better at shooting and stuff like that like maybe Americans are like better at like dribbling 208 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:27,200 but they're like very good at the simple things which were not as good as I hear. 209 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:32,160 How were the results of the the games that you guys played? So the first game we lost to 210 00:21:32,160 --> 00:21:37,920 Šibenik which was a must win we should have won that game but then we had an all-side goal 211 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:46,640 and the second game we lost to Nocilieka and the last game was a 1-0 loss to Vlaardersdien 212 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:53,840 who won the tournament and we had a friendly against Oztek 2010 and we tied them 1-1. 213 00:21:53,840 --> 00:21:59,440 Oh wow okay wow so 1-0 to Vlaardersdien who ended up winning. Yeah. That's a good result then yeah 214 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:04,480 so they must have been a strong team. Were you able to talk to the the opposing players at all? 215 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:08,800 Was there any sort of meeting with them or anything outside of the tournament or no? 216 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:15,600 Well we had a hotel that was organized for us and it was all the other diaspora teams so we 217 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:22,400 got to hang out with them a bit. So you met some of the other players that you played with? 218 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:26,960 Mm-hmm. So you met some new people from from the other where were the other diaspora teams from? 219 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:36,080 Germany? I think it was Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria and then Australia. 220 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:43,280 That's cool was it cool to to meet with other people and you know you have different experiences 221 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:48,640 and you know they're from parts of the world that's awesome. Well Nico you know I didn't want this to 222 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:52,960 go on too long so I just want to thank you for for taking the time to come here on the podcast and 223 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:57,360 you know share your experience you know that's a really awesome I wish well first of all I wish 224 00:22:57,360 --> 00:23:02,240 that I was good at soccer and then second of all I wish that I would have been able to do this program 225 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:06,000 you know when I was your age you know that would have been so cool for me to meet other you know 226 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:11,760 Croatian diaspora around the world and Croatians you know in Croatia to be able to go and do that 227 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:16,320 I think that's an awesome thing that you were able to take part in. Last question before we go 228 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:23,200 not soccer related what's your favorite food to eat when you're in Croatia? Cevapi. Cevapi of course 229 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:28,480 mine too I think. Well Nico thank you so much for taking the time to tell us a little about the 230 00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:46,800 tournament. Thank you bye. Thank you bye.