Legia's Yugoslavian pioneer

After leading Legia Warszawa to the Ekstraklasa title and breaking TS Wisla Kraków's vice-like grip on the Polish title, coach Dragan Okuka knows that his decision to leave Yugoslavia for Poland was a good one. A Yugoslavian pioneer The 47-year-old former NK Velez midfield player coached at FK Obilic and FK Cukaricki in Yugoslavia before making the decision to become the first ever Yugoslavian coach to take charge of a Polish club. "I did not know what was awaiting me in Poland," he admitted. "I had read a lot about Polish football and I realised that things were improving so I decided to give it a try. Of course, I tried to find out as much as I could about the country before I packed my bags and I left and today I am sure I did not make a wrong choice." Seven-year drought Legia had gone seven years without a trophy before sealing this season's Polish title and Okuka was thrilled to see his unfancied side topple Wisla from their perch. "It has been a positive experience for all of us," he said. "No one thought of us as favourites - the odds were stacked in the favour of Wisla who have ten national team players. I kept on telling my players that this situation suits us and that we should look for our chance to strike from the shadows. They have listened to me, they believed in their own abilities and we have deservedly won the title." uefa.com Magazine: How is your relationship with the club? Okuka: They are satisfied, of course. They are praising me. At the last match the fans made a banner saying, 'Dragan, thank you - please stay with us'. uefa.com Magazine: Have you spoken with the club about a contract extension, since your present deal expired at the end of the season? Okuka: No, because we still have to play the Polish Cup semi-final against RKS Radomsko. I am expecting to reach the final and another clash with Wisla. After that we can sit down and talk about a new contract. My ambition is the UEFA Champions League and therefore we have to change a lot of things. uefa.com Magazine: What do you think of the quality of Polish football? Okuka: They have decided to change the competition system and playing tactics, which has brought results. For a long time they have been far behind others and now they are travelling to Korea/Japan for the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals and the league is even and good. If they continue this way, in a few years they will reach the western European standard. uefa.com Magazine: You have brought three fellow Yugoslavians to Legia - defender Marjan Gerasimovski, midfield player Aleksandar Vukovic and forward Stanko Svitlica. Have you been criticised for that? Okuka: No, I have been free in taking decisions. The three of them are now very much appreciated in Poland. In the decisive rounds Svitlica scored seven goals. I know that they are also thinking about staying at Legia. uefa.com Magazine: Do you plan on returning to Yugoslavian football? Okuka: No, at least not for the moment.