Pandev’s shot at redemption
GORAN PANDEV is the star of this FYR Macedonia team but statistics don’t tell the whole story.
He may be the nation’s all-time leading goalscorer, but he has been for two years, ever since overhauling Georgi Hristov’s record of 16 in 2009.
He may have scored 23 goals for his country, but his last goal in a qualifier was in September 2008, a penalty against Holland.
In fact, his last goal from open play in a competitive match for Macedonia was in October 2007. So Pandev goes into today’s game against the Republic of Ireland with plenty to prove — and his country has a right to expect.
The striker has been the toast of Milan since his dramatic late winner helped Inter beat Bayern Munich in their Champions League knockout tie earlier this month.
It was his most important goal for Inter since he first joined them, aged 18, in 2001, after one season at his local club Belasica. Inter loaned him out to Spezia and Ancona before moving him to Lazio, as part of the deal that saw Dejan Stankovic go the other way. In five years, he scored 49 goals and played 159 games for Lazio, but left under a cloud.
In summer 2009, he asked to leave, at which point president Claudio Lotito sent him to the reserves, branding him a traitor. Pandev did not play for Lazio again and after a legal battle he was released from his contract and paid €170,000 for emotional distress.
“I spent five wonderful years with Lazio. I improved a lot and I always behaved well. But my cycle with the club was over. I wanted to find a new motivation at another club,” Pandev said.
Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs were all linked with Pandev but in January 2010, he returned, on a free transfer, to Inter.
“Goran is a modern striker,” said his then coach Jose Mourinho. “He’s exceptional, and allows us to play with two or three up front. He’s a champion who adapts himself to all tactical schemes.”
Pandev played a major role in helping Inter win the first treble in their history last season.
His relationship with the national team has been up and down as well.
Previous coach Srecko Katanec resigned after a row with Pandev in 2009, when the player cited injury when refusing to go for a walk with the rest of the team ahead of a World Cup qualifier against Holland.
“If you don’t want to walk, you can go straight to the airport,” Katanec reportedly told him. Macedonia lost the game 4-0, and Katanec quit, though claiming it was because of rifts within the team, rather than the fallout with Pandev.
Last October, Pandev threatened to retire from international football after fans booed the team following the home draw with Armenia.
He soon changed his mind, but demanded respect from the supporters. “I was only trying to represent the opinions of the team. The players felt hard done by, we want some patience and to point out that we are in this together, the FA, the team and the fans.
“The national team shirt is sacred to me and I’ll always play for Macedonia with pride. But we need the fans to respect us.”
His comments caused a national outcry, with fans branding him a coward. The media turned against him too. “One wonders why Pandev is bringing unrest into the team before two crucial games against Andorra and Russia,” read an editorial in Nova Makedonija newspaper. “The fans pay for tickets and have a right to voice opinions.”
That furore has died down, but results have not improved. After a 2-0 win over Andorra, Macedonia lost at home to Russia and need a positive result against Ireland. “Ireland are a good team with an experienced manager in Trapattoni,” Pandev said.
“But we are under no pressure and that could be our secret weapon. I believe we have the quality to take our chances.”
Pandev’s contribution will be crucial. “Pandev will play in a new role, one he hasn’t been used to until now,” revealed Mirsad Jonuz. Pandev, now 27, is running out of opportunities to fulfil his expectations on the international stage. And while his team is under no pressure to perform, he certainly is.
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