Nikolić: The goal is clear - creating players for the first team and a title at the end of the season

- The most important thing in every preparation period is that all our players are healthy, i.e. that no one was injured, considering that Vanja Marinković had a stomach virus for a period and was out of the team. For this reason, we had excellent work in the field, and we were able to do everything we imagined and planned before the actual gathering. For the third year in a row, we have been preparing in Vrnjačka Banja, where we already have an established rhythm, which shows well on our players, while the conditions are also at an enviable level. When I sum up the entire preparatory period, I can be satisfied with the work in Belgrade, then in Vrnjačka Banja, and finally in Palić, and when the championship starts, it will only be seen how we prepared - started Slađan Nikolić.

Nikolić believes in his team and is convinced that next year we will see boys born in 2007, as well as younger ones, in the first team of Crvena zvezda.

- When we gathered at the beginning of July, together with the coaching staff, I introduced the players to the story, which boils down to the fact that they have already stepped into the world of professionalism, because they are now 16 years old, and in a year, I hope, they will apply for the first the team of Crvena zvezda or Grafičar, that is, the youth selection of our club, must therefore take this period as seriously as possible, if they want to continue playing football. It is certain that in this selection, as in previous years, there are many talented children, some of whom, I am sure, will make it to the senior team of Crvena zvezda next year.

The experienced expert also touched on six preparatory games, in which the cadet selection scored as many as 45 goals, and wishes to continue in the same rhythm when the championship starts.

- We played six control games, while most of the opponents were the same as in previous years. Now the results were more convincing, the rivals did not give us more resistance, as in previous seasons in the preparatory period. Whether it's because of the opponent or our quality, we'll see, but I'm sure I'm satisfied, because the approach was at a high level in all matches, regardless of the result, in Belgrade, Vrnjačka Banja, as well as the final game in Hungary. What is key is the approach, energy, discipline in the game and I think that day by day the children are improving a lot, even faster than I expected in this period.

The previous season, the title eluded our cadets due to a worse mutual score, so Nikolić emphasized that luck is an integral part of life and he hopes that this time it will be on our side.

- Luck is definitely needed. Knowledge, quality, struggle and discipline are useless if you don't have enough luck, which is an integral part of life, and especially sports. I hope that this season they will be on our side and that we will celebrate at the end - concluded Slađan Nikolić.