Football players and coaches are mostly considered not the wisest athletes, but a few exceptions and quotes would go in history as an example of great wisdom, charm, and contemplation.You are all probably familiar with that famous Gary Lineker’s thought: “Football is a simple game: 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and, in the end, the Germans always win”.However, unlike much-praised former England striker, many footballers and tacticians undeservedly stay in anonymity globally despite some of their pearls of wisdom. Even those who spread the football knowledge across almost every single continent.Like Milan Zivadinovic, a former Ghana national team boss, who died in Serbia on Saturday at the age of 77. ##EDITORS_CHOICE##Zivadinovic, nicknamed Ziva, was not the best foreign gaffer on African soil. He was not the best Yugoslav national team coach neither. His stints with dozens of clubs and on the international stage rarely lasted more than a few months, let alone years. He never guided his sides to the World Cups, the Euros, or the African Cup of Nations…Yet, Zivadinovic’s trace goes far beyond trophy lists and his modest Wikipedia biography because of his charming personality and unique straightforwardness. After a decent playing career that ended due to spine issues, Zivadinovic engaged in the dugout and enjoyed lots of success with several low-profile Yugoslav slots. But it was his two-year-long tenure with then-mighty Red Star Belgrade that made him famous. Taking charge of the team that won the European Cup title only two years prior, Ziva faced dramatic poverty caused by a raging war that saw all Red Star players like Dejan Savicevic, Vladimir Jugovic, and Sinisa Mihajlovic leaving the club days before his arrival.Bikokwa’s second league goal in five years dims Stima in NakuruInstead of crying for his bad luck, he gathered a die-hard side comprised of mostly young, not such gifted guys, whom he would even borough money when they were short due to staggering inflation in the country.However, despite such non-sporting obstacles, they won the national cup in a two-leg tie against much stronger archrival Partizan. And that return leg was Ziva’s first moment of brilliance when he decided to change his keeper for the penalty shootout. Unlike Southgate, who did almost the same with Sancho and Rashford, bringing them in seconds before the final whistle in the EURO 2020 finals, Zivadinovic’s move proved clinical.Саутгејт није гледао емисије кабинетског типа и самим тим није знао да се за пенале може заменити голман, никако играч који би касније изводио пенал.За разлику од њега Ван Гал је преписао од Живе, заменио голмана у 120. минуту и одвео Холандију у 1/2 финале СП 2014. pic.twitter.com/4tkBx6lfCP— Жан Луј Попје #50 (@samoczv) July 17, 2021 The new keeper pulled off as many as three saves in the shootout and brought a night of enormous joy for the then-depressed Red Star.As a trail-blazer, Ziva made a late keeper substitution that was everything but typical in those days, and it won’t be seen again until the 2014 World Cup when Louis van Gaal did the same in the semifinal.And won, too.Milan Živadinović, ancien entraîneur de l’Etoile Rouge et sélectionneur de la Yougoslavie, est décédé à l’âge de 76 ans. pic.twitter.com/xRIlfYCf7Z— Fudbalski Hram (@Fudbalski_Hram) July 17, 2021 No one knows precisely when, but it had happened in those days that Ziva launched his most quoted statement. Asked by the press why his team drew despite being two goals up, he said something that looks like a joke, even flirting with mockery, albeit it’s anything but that…”You see, a 2-0 is the most dangerous result.”Of course, he wanted to say that players generally tend to relax and sit back when they are two goals in front. That 2-0 is not such a huge lead that can not be denied in just a couple of minutes. And we witnessed at least a few dozens of those matches where the team that was two goals down pulls of a stunning comeback late in the second half, changing the game’s momentum instantly.Ziva knew that. And enjoyed the adventures, just like the one with Black Stars in 2002. Although it ended after just a couple of months in dispute with the Ghana Football Association (GFA), he laid a foundation for the team that would later qualify for the Black Stars’ World Cup maiden appearance in 2006. Today in History, 14 yrs ago, on June 17, 2006, Asamoah Gyan emerged as the first Ghanaian player to score Ghana’s(Black Stars) first Goal at the FIFA World Cup against the Czech Republic. Gyan & Muntari scored the goals that gave Ghana their first win on the world stage. pic.twitter.com/qVjIKmGA8y— GHANA FACTS & HISTORY (@GhanaianMuseum) June 17, 2020 His connections with Africa continued throughout the years as he was scouting fine, young players that would later find their luck in Europe.The word retirement was not upon his dictionary, so when he ended his coaching career in 2011, Ziva became a much-loved pundit. God-given charm and sincerity brought him phenomenal popularity for the man of that age, with tons of memes and gifs made in his honour.So when the news of his sudden death broke out this morning, it caused sadness regardless of the continent, club colours, and standard dividing among the football fans. Such a shame. A 2-0 lead is not that dangerous anymore.By: Bojan Babić
