Serbian White Eagles this season have a different appearance and strategy. For the first time, and already announced before, the Eagles have been rejuvenated and refreshed by players who were born and developed in Canada. The idea is that the good and experienced players from back home will combine with the added native talents, to play with them and to successfully defend the colors of the Eagles for many years. With great success, the Eagles colors were defended by Budalić, Braletić, Šćepanović (who also is a coach with the Eagles this year) and a lot of players nicknamed here, but it was long ago that these three vital players were so important for the Eagles’ game. This began with the already experienced and retired Miloš Šćepanović, the second year for the regular Filip Velasevic, and then Luka Milidragović joined, followed by Dušan Kovačević, and three weeks ago by Ivan Nikolic. And they have already picked up the sympathies and respect of both teammates and trainers. They are an ideal set of youth, speed and experience. They enter into matches ready and eager to prove themselves, present their talents, respecting the older and more experienced players, meanwhile gaining valuable experience against good teams and Serbian communities.
Luka Milidragović
He began playing football at the Branko Pavlovic Academy for 7 years. He played hundreds of games for Serbian White Eagles by the age of 11. Back in our summer leagues, our squad’s players return to the homeland and we did not have enough players; since 11 years he has played for best teams in Ontario, Erin Mills, Mississauga Falcons, West Toronto, TFC Academy and Vaughan Azzurri, but during the winter he continued to defend the Eagle’s colors in the winter leagues on smaller terrains, sometimes playing for three teams. He is one of the few who can boast of winning three Ontario Cups in the strongest divisions. He won the Ontario Cup with Mississauga Falcons under 12 years and Vaughan Azzurri under 21 in football and for Etobicoke in basketball under 17 years. He also won the Disney Cup, the strongest division with Vaughan Azzurri. He had bids from 12 NCAA Division 1 teams, but he decided to play for the best academically ranked and most expensive, for Holy Cross, next to Boston. As a freshman, he started and played 12 matches. Luka plays equally well as the last midfielder as he does in the center-back position. He is tall, strong, technically remarkable and with extraordinary work habits, and in the exceptionally academically difficult program he is the best student. In addition to numerous offers without thought, this summer he decided for his Eagles, a team of our community, and he was thrilled with the way that he was accepted and by the attitude of much older co-players to him. After entering from the bench in two first games, he earned a starting position. Unfortunately, this year he will only play two more matches for the Eagles due to his obligations in college.
Dušan Kovačević
Dusan was born in Oakville and since he was 7 years old he started playing soccer for local Erin Mills, where he and Luka played two seasons. After that, he played for North Mississauga and several recent seasons for Oakville. He played for younger categories of Serbian White Eagles for several winter seasons. He was the top scorer in the OYSL, the strongest league for younger categories in Canada. Unlike Luka, Dusan decided to stay in Canada and play for McMaster University, where along with being a starter and one of the main players, he’s the best striker and he’s a great student. For Eagles he made his debut with an assist and a goal, he scored three goals in the previous four appearances and impressed all with his play and behaviour. Dusan is a born striker since he is fast, strong, has an explosive first step and technically great, decorated with an innate sense of scoring.
Ivan Nikolic
He’s only seventeen and has great chances for a great career. Ivan started and played for all the younger categories of Eagles for a long time. He often played for two years older. After Eagle for several seasons he played for Moordale, and for several years he has been playing for Sigma, one of the largest and most successful academies in Canada. Ivan is already receiving calls from the strongest colleges and is sure to play for either one of the strongest college in the NCAA or maybe go to Europe. He played two games for the first team and left a great impression from the bench. Ivan is happy to play for Eagles and is in a good circumstance that he will be able to play until the end of the championship. He is capable of high speeds, technique and penetration, and due to his high elasticity, he easily changes direction, you never know whether he will go left or right.
We wish them a lot of luck in Eagle’s shirts and in their college teams.
We hope this is just the beginning of something that Eagles and the manager and the legend of the club Uroš Stamatović are doing:
“I’m very happy because this year, boys like Luka, Dusan and Ivan appeared. That’s what has been missing for a long time. A combination of youth and experience. I only have the words of praise for them and we are all thrilled with their playing qualities, and also by behaviour and attitude towards the game. I want they feel like this is their home and truly this is home for such talented and well-educated children. I would like to have a lot of success both on and off the field. Next year, we are planning a tour in Serbia, so we invite all talented players from this region, and there are many to join us.”
We hope that a lot of our talents will play for other teams in Ontario, that we will form a young, strong and talented team of Eagles with already proven players from the country and that the idea that the Serbian White Eagles will finally visit their homeland and they will play with teams from the first league in their homeland.
Z.M.