A memorial service was held for Tomislav Toma Milićević

The meeting was attended by a large number of Zvezda legends, coaches, sports workers such as: Dragiša Binić, Slobodan Marović, Dušan Savić, Dragan Džajić, Vladimir Petrović Pižon, Stanislav Karasi, Nedeljko Milosavljević, Živan Ljukovčan, Miloš Šestić, Cvijetin Blagojević, Zdravko Borovnica, Jovan Kule Aćimović, Milan Jovin, Ratomir Dujković, Dušan Maravić, Zoran Filipović, Nikola Lazetić, Aleksandar Janković, Milovan Rajevac, as well as members of the board - Svetozar Mijailović, Mitar Mrkela and Marko Marin, as well as representatives of the Youth School led by the director - Nikola Jelić .

After honoring Tomislav Milićević with a minute of silence, the president of FC Crvena zvezda - Svetozar Mijailović addressed the audience. 

Dear Sir/Madam, another one from the gallery of Zvezda's greats is leaving, one of the most deserving for the discovery and development of the constellation of great players born in our far-famed Youth School. Toma Milićević, a player, coach, teacher and gentleman who spent half a century in his and our Crvena Zvezda, has left us. He left an indelible mark, which his colleagues, players, sports workers, people with whom Toma worked and socialized with testify and say goodbye to him. He worked responsibly and dedicatedly, he possessed that refined feeling to discover and recognize a talented boy and, more importantly, he was able to organize all those values that the football game requires, so that the child becomes a good player and that in the future he will be a well-educated and educated person. Toma was a coach who cared a lot about the children he worked with, how to learn, how to behave, taking responsibility especially for those children who came from other areas and needed support in Belgrade. I worked with Tom for a long time and I personally saw all the values that adorned him, and summed up in two words - Mr. Man. Dear Tomo, we are proud to have had you in our ranks, with your work you have enriched the treasury of our club, to the pride of your loved ones, your family and friends. Rest in peace, may you have eternal glory - said Svetozar Mijailović. 

The former ace of Crvena zvezda - Ratomir Dujković spoke with respect about the character and work of Tomislav Toma Milićević. 

- It is always the hardest to say goodbye to a man who is unique, whom you know will not be born again, live, work and dedicate his whole life above all to Red Star and children, whom he prepared for a thorny football path from a young age. It is especially difficult to find words for the human and football greatness of our Tomislav Tom Milićević. Football was his passion, and Crvena Zvezda was his life's inspiration, emotion and the club he was dedicated to for 84 years of his life. He took charge of Crvena zvezda at the beginning as a player, a football expert and a man with manners, and then as a coach, a "hunter" of talents and a man who knew every child in Serbia who ever rolled a soccer ball and wanted to do the most important secondary thing. in the world. Back in his playing days, the legendary Miljan Miljanić recognized his talent for coaching, and often let him lead some training sessions, even though he was a football player at the time. For more than 30 years, Toma Milićević was involved in the coaching business, so even during his lifetime he became a symbol of the Crvena zvezda Youth School. He discovered talents like Dulet Savić, Milan Janković, Neđa Milosavljević, Dejan Stanković, Boško Janković, Marko Pantelić, Marko Grujić, Luka Jović, Strahinja Eraković... and if we wanted to list all the players with whom he devotedly worked every day, we would need several hours. He brought up boys full of enthusiasm, taught them good manners, how to first of all be good people, and only then top footballers. He often said that a Zvezda player must be a personality and possess an authentic football appearance, besides that he must be modest, correct in his behavior, disciplined in training, but also in his private life. Toma Milićević was like that, often strict for many players, but always fair and consistent. He shaped our youth and numerous legends of the Red Star, and he left us in debt forever. I am honored to have known him, may he be eternally honored and thank him for everything - said Ratomir Dujković. 

An emotional speech was also given by Dušan Savić, who had the opportunity to work with Tom Milićević and was the first player that the former "talent hunter" recognized, who then played in the first team of Crvena zvezda. 

- Today we gathered not to say goodbye to Uncle Tom, because he will always be with us and in our hearts, as well as in our memory. We came to say a big thank you for everything he did for Red Star. Toma Milićević is the symbol of the Crvena zvezda Youth School. He was a creative coach. Today we have competitive coaches in the world, who are known, recognized and appreciated, earn millions, such as Mourinho and Klopp... But neither Mourinho, nor Klopp, nor the other coaches, would be what they are if someone did not create players for them. They were getting diamonds, which someone else was creating. Toma was a coach, teacher, pedagogue. He was a football teacher. On March 21, 1972, I came to the rehearsal at Crvena zvezda, on the clay court. Toma received me and then I remembered the two sentences he uttered. He told Professor Rašković, then the president of the youth committee for education at the school, who did not have the key to the cabinet where the players' identification cards were kept - "This kid can't leave until he signs." He ordered Milisava, the finance officer of the Youth School, to find a hammer and a screwdriver, to break the padlock, so that he could take the identification cards. When I signed everything he filled out and got the card, and I didn't even look at what I was signing, he told me the most beautiful sentence - "Bato, from today you are a football player of Crvena Zvezda." When I finished my career and returned to Serbia and Belgrade every March 21, I called him, wherever I was, to remind him. Toma was appreciated not only here, but also throughout Yugoslavia. A few years ago I was talking with a colleague from the now former state about old times and I asked him - "Do you have any talented children?". He told me - "There is, probably even more.", and then asked me - "How is it with you?". I told him that there are plenty of talented footballers and that they are not hard to find. He answered me with - "It's easy for you, you have Tom.". He was appreciated everywhere Toma went to watch the games and they were afraid that some talented kid would steal them away. Toma was able to recognize not only football talent, but the most important thing was to recognize talent in those children who were neither Džajić, nor Šekularac and Pižon, but those who had something, but for that you had to have knowledge and experience and eye, to recognize what that child has, who should be brought to Red Star, and then work to raise him to the level of the first team of Star. I can say that I am proud, that I am the first player of his who became the first team. In 1971, Toma finished his playing career, and on March 21, 1972, after a few months, I came to try out. That's why we're not saying goodbye today, but thank you very much - concluded Dušan Savić. 

The funeral of Tomislav Toma Milićević will take place today, October 28, at 2 p.m. at the Central Cemetery.