On Friday, Dragan Stojkovic, Red Star’s president, was answering our fans’ queries received via e-mail. As expected, the interest of our fans was enormous. We logged more than 300 e-mailed questions for Stojkovic, covering a wide array of issues and topics.

While it was impossible to respond to each and every question, we tried to make Stojkovic’s task easier by identifying a smaller number of recurring themes in our fans’ e-mails. In addition, our president has promised to repeat the experience, as he underscored the importance of open communication and contact with our fan base.

The first question for Stojkovic was a bit of a surprise for all. Namely, it turned out that a large number of e-mails were concerned with the prospects for a new electronic score board at Marakana stadium.

“As far as I know, there was a lot of talk in the past about the new scoreboard. A lot of empty promises were also made in this regard. But it was just talk – nothing more. It is quite different when there is a concrete project at hand. I can assure you that this issue is on our minds, but only as part of a more complete plan for the reconstruction of the stadium. The blueprints are ready and they certainly include a new, modern, scoreboard”, was Stojkovic’s response.

Many fans wanted to know more about the reconstruction of Marakana and its surroundings. Numerous e-mails referred to the plans for rebuilding that had been made public in the past years.

“Every idea that benefits Red Star is still very much on the table and we intend to keep it that way. The construction of a new pitch with artificial turf, just behind the North stand, is already under way and we expect to see its contours in the coming months. Adjacent to the new field there will be a four-story building, with new locker rooms, a gym, practice facilities. It is truly a multi-purpose edifice that will also feature a Red Star boutique. Its construction should be completed in the next couple of months. Once we have reorganized and filled the remaining seats on the Board, we will continue with the realization of our “Football Academy” project. Before that, however, we need to finalize the club’s financial restructuring”, were Stojkovic’s words.

Many questions concerned the currently incomplete Board of Directors and its implications for the ongoing and future projects. Here is Stojkovic’s reply:

“All of our current projects are major undertakings and one has to exercise caution when talking about them. They all require substantial funds and effort on our part. Recently I have held numerous discussions concerning the creation of an official pool of sponsors which should enable us to move ahead with our plans, one at a time, with clearly defined priorities. It is imperative that we reestablish our place in Europe; however, it cannot be done overnight. There is no other alternative for us but to keep working on the good projects already under way and on introducing some new ideas that ought to bring us back into the elite. Although we already have facilities like few other clubs in Europe, we are always aiming higher”.

Many questions for Stojkovic addressed the team itself. The fans were eager to hear Stojkovic’s impressions, whether he was satisfied with the results achieved since he took office.

“Although we did not have too much time, we tried to inject fresh blood into our team’s roster at the start of the new season. The first team is really the measuring rod for everything else. When their results are good, everything else runs smoothly. Against time-constraints and numerous distractions we still managed to make several acquisitions. For example, we were successful against Braga because the entire team played well, but still, I have to mention the outstanding contributions of Purovic, who was our only scorer, and Stojkovic, our excellent goalkeeper; both players joined the first team just this summer. Our recent successes must not lend themselves to a feeling of euphoria, however; games of huge importance are only ahead of us and there can be no let down. Overall, I think that we can be satisfied with the positive direction that our club has taken in the recent period”, said Stojkovic.

The next question was about the team roster and the likelihood of it remaining unchanged for some time to come

“One of my first priorities was to persuade Nikola Zigic to sign a contract extension. I think that it was a good move since he means so much to our team. Clearly, the success of a team is contingent on a stable foundation and we intend to keep it that way. Nevertheless, we are already planning to bring a few reinforcements during the winter signing period. We cannot afford the most expensive players, so we must be realistic and make do with the limited financial resources that we have. We will concentrate on certain positions in the team that we feel still need improvement” says the president of Red Star

Many fans wanted to know if Red Star was in the position to sign some top rated player.

“That is contingent on a whole number of factors. Red Star has always had star players and it needs them now as well. We must work toward that goal. However, it takes a lot of maneuvering to sign a major player. The prospects are pretty good, although we are constrained somewhat by our finances. This means that I cannot promise our fans that I am going to bring a big time player whom we just cannot afford right now. What I can say is that, with all due respect to our national Championship, Red Star’s ambitions transcend our borders. Our goal is to forge a new team image that will resonate in the international arena. Accordingly, we will need some big name players, but only those who do not put themselves above the team”, said Stojkovic, while refusing to consider the hypothetical scenario in which some of our players could be offered lucrative contracts abroad.

“Whether some of our players could be traded abroad is a question that only our Board can rule on. Individually, I cannot make such decisions. If it comes to that, we will sit down and carefully analyze the ups and downs of each offer”, Stojkovic added.

Next, came the question about Red Star’s priorities.

“I don’t like to promise anything, but it is no secret that winning the Championship is our goal. The competition is tough and it won’t be easy. That is our priority not only this season – but always. I won’t call it a tragedy if we should fail in that effort, but that is our big motive. Next comes the restructuring and strengthening of the club’s organization and the team as such. This would include our success in the UEFA Cup competition where I believe we have good chances to keep playing well into the Spring. Third, we need to improve the youth cadre. Part of the problem is that our facilities are quite limited and we need to address that very soon. Those teams deserve better, since they can play the role of our main talent pool. In that context, we have formed a team of professional scouts whose main job is to keep track of the developments in other clubs, here and abroad. We want to bring every talented player under our wing. To that end, we will make sure that our plan for a Football Academy becomes a reality in the near future, which would afford the youngest of players a great environment where they would hone their talent”.

One recurring theme in many e-mails from our fans who are living abroad was how to improve communication and contact with the club. Also, many of them wanted to know whether Red Star had any plans for playing near their places of residence.

One of our current projects concerns the creation of our very own TV Channel. We already have a studio at the stadium, the blueprint is finished and I really hope that it will come to fruition. I am well aware of the support we enjoy outside our borders and, yes, there are always plans for paying a visit to some of those countries. Right now it is difficult for me to say if that could be Canada, Australia or some other country”, were the Red Star president’s final words.