Slovenian Minifootball star lifts the lid on all things football
With his team KMN Mladinec from Murski Crnci Mitja Flisar after second place (2012) next year in Radomlje hit the big trophy of the best among amateurs in the country in 2013. His cabinet got a new trophy next year in Murska Sobota (2014) as second team on Slovenian National Final’s. In the national team jersey same year enriched European amateur silver in Montenegro with six scores and great assistances while Europe’s minifootball convince the MVP award for the most valuable player EMF EURO 2014 in Montenegro. With Mitja Flisar, which Slovenian National Minifootball Team missed very much in the past EMF EURO 2015 in Croatia, we revived memories of EIRO 2014 in Herceg Novi, analyse last EURO fifth place in Croatia, learn about working conditions at his current club in Austria and we felt the possibility of a return to the national team with a lot of other interesting details.
Mitja Flisar, for the introduction, how took place your sports career from Slovenia’s silver EMF EURO 2014 until today?
“I have to say that everything continues to run in an orderly manner, just as before this championship. I started to train at 6 years of age, so I have since then every day one way or another connected with football or minifootball. I am glad that back in 2014 I had the opportunity to play minifootball for the Slovenian national team at such a big event. I am glad that the tournament was held during the football club’s pause, so I gladly accepted the invitation to join. This was also the reason why I could not attend the EURO’s in previous and last year.”
What kind of memories you have to miniEUR0 2014 where you shined as MVP?
“If I look back on the tournament, I must admit that everything that happened at that time I just have a good memory that will remain always written in my heart. I have to say that from the first training I’ve done with the team, immediately felt the chemistry between. All very well received me, so the adaptation was not a problem. Already the road trip to Montenegro was somehow filled with optimism that this year we could really reach the highest places, but we still remained modest and said among themselves to go match by match. And indeed, after the first game we lost to the subsequent finalist Romania, everything else was a fairy tale. As for the title of MVP, I have to say that this is a reward for all of us, because it is right that the team made individuals and so it was also in my case. This I would like once again like to take this opportunity to thank all my team mates and executives. ”
This year you were out of the national team. Are you sorry that you could not help the team?
“As I said earlier, I regret that dates of the championship this year did not allow traveling with the team. Otherwise, I would gladly want to be close to the team and friends and help fight and do my best. ”
Did you watch the national team matches and how do you saw we play?
“To tell the truth I watch live just the match against Italy, but even this match was interrupted due to a bad weather. Due to the obligations I did not see live any other, but I later reviewed in detail. I was constantly in contact with the players, so I was immediately reported about the results and what happened on the pitch. I personally saw something in the sense that the players were not relaxed enough, maybe due to last year’s results, so they played with psychological crunch and were too burdened with this. They should be relaxed and then the play will be much better and I know what they’re capable of. At the same time there were quite a few new guys and well-trained may not have been sufficiently optimized. But I think we can still be satisfied with this year’s fifth place, which is for me also a good achievement. ”
You are currently a member of the Austrian SV Lebring football club. What is the level of the league and what are your goals with the club?
“It is true I am a member of the SV Lebring and participate in “Landes liga”. It is a fourth division ranking in neighbouring Austria. A member of this club I have been four years and in I played the first two years in fifth division. We have progressed a higher division and we are now two years into “Landes liga” (fourth division). The quality I can definitely say is compared with Slovenian second division but from the organization side they are much more ahead. Let me just say that we have organized the team preparation twice yearly, we have the main pitch superbly prepared, few other pitches, fitness studio, sauna, etc. My goals are always the same, be better every year and strive to the fact that it is always something to improve. This season we are doing well with first ten matches undefeated, last four we slightly eased, but we are still on the top of the list and I hope that this will also be the end of the season.”
You are one of the few Slovenes in the team. How you did the cooperation with this club?
“After playing in the first and second Slovenian football division, I decided to pursue a career in the near Austria, where I was brought by the coach of the club SU Straden Zlatko Gabor. Even then I saw that in Austria is everything differently, and that the Austrians in the lower divisions very much investing in the development of their clubs. There I spent three and a half years, then I moved to Maribor, where I live. Then I examined all offers and Lebring offer was immediately convinced me and so I ended up here. Each club throughout Austria has a certain number of “foreigners”, but they must also therefore be at least better than the rest of the team. However, if there are no results you are also the first to be sorry to leave immediately and they are seeking a replacement for you. So I’m really glad and happy that I am healthy and that I can play at their best for quite a long time. ”
How are you satisfied with the current status in your club?
“With my status in the team and in the club I am very happy because I coach trust me so I can be free and I exercise around a pitch and I do not have specific position in the game. Thus I have greatest impact on a game itself which of course I very please. Teammates accepted completely since we are also very good friends outside the club. ”
Next EMF EURO 2016 will be even more nearest, in Hungary. Will we see “Balotelli” to be defending the colours of Slovenia?
“As I have stated above everything will depend of the date. If I will not have obligations with the club I would be pleased to again attend the European Championships and try again attack the very top of Europe! ”
How do you see the project of Slovenian Minifootball Association and its purpose?
“In any manner I consider it as a very positive thing. The aim is definitely reached, as it is always good to promote the sport in our case minifootball. Nice to see that every year there is organized the final national tournament, which covers the entire country and on that basis there are selected players for the national team which later promote Slovenia internationally. As for the project itself and scenes around I do not have an opinion, because I’m player and I am in charge for doing things on a pitch. ”
What you want most out of 2016 and what would be your messages to minifootball enthusiasts?
“In the year that comes, I most want health, happiness and personal satisfaction. At the same time, I would like to continue to play well in my team and maybe in the national team. ”
Top scorer of football club SV Lebring and also a member of the “best eleven” of Austrian “Landes liga” autumn players in season 2015/16 comes, in his own style, with a message to all lovers of the round leather:
“To all lovers of football, whether it will be big, small, mini, indoor or whatever, I want to enjoy when they are on the pitch, because we are only then when we play in “our world “!”