Football in Macedonia

Sometimes the circumstances (dressing rooms-pitches) are far from ideal in Macedonia.... If you ever wonder why Vardar Skopje has difficulties to take points in the Europa League... well here are some reasons (apart from the huge difference in budget):

* 3 games a week for some time now on pitches like on the photo: big risk for injuries. Photo above and below is taken after the"Cup"-game in Shkupi. Hello Macedonian Federation ???

* Because there were a lot of games in The National Stadium (Vardars' Home ground), the last 3 "home"-games before New Year will have to be played somewhere else. The Federations' pitches (where Belgiums' U19 played recently) will be used by Rabotnicki... Why not by Vardar ? Political issue too complicated to explain...

This means small and bad pitches of 2nd or 3rd division teams. And 4 days later Europa League against Real Sociedad, Rosenborg or Zenit ...

* Heavy trips for Europa League : leave Skopje @ 5 o'clock in the morning on wednesday and fly (with a fuel-stop in Warschau ?!?) to Saint-Petersburg. Game thursday at 21Pm and arrive back in Skopje Training-centre on friday @ 6.30 AM (!!!) Next game = sunday 1 Pm !

My "Stylo MatchMakers" shoes deserve a better treatment :-(