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Episode 20: An exclusive interview with FC København's Marko Stamenic
384 Plays1 year ago
I sat down for a chat with FC København midfielder Marko Stamenic, whose rapid rise through the ranks saw him graduate from FCK’s U19s to the first team to play a pivotal role in midfield during the 2022/23 season, including starting in 3 of the Champions League group stage games. Hailing from New Zealand and with Serbian & Samoan roots, Marko’s journey to Danish football is a fascinating one and we talked about loads including life in Denmark, playing in the Champions League and which player he’d trust to drive the team bus in an emergency!
If you want to support Danish Dyna-Mic please consider becoming a Football In Denmark Patreon by visiting the page here.
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Transcript
Introduction to Danish Dynamite Podcast
00:00:08
Speaker
This is Danish Dynamite, the Superleaguer podcast, brought to you by footballindermark.com.
Milestone Celebration: Episode 20
00:00:16
Speaker
Welcome to Danish Dynamite episode 20. The magic number given most podcasts don't make it this far. So I'm very glad to be here at the business end of the season. It's a tough time for players mentally and physically. So to have another player give up some of their time to talk is something I'm immensely grateful for.
Meet Marco Staminich: Rising FC Copenhagen Star
00:00:31
Speaker
Today on the Pod, we have a guy who, while only 21, has played a key role in a Champions League campaign, represented his country and moved halfway across the world in the midst of a pandemic. The player in question is none other than FC Copenhagen midfielder Marco Staminich. Marco, welcome to the show. It's a huge pleasure to have you aboard. Thank you, Henry. It's a pleasure to be on board with you
Copenhagen Derby Defeat: Handling Setbacks
00:00:51
Speaker
as well.
00:00:51
Speaker
Fantastic. And before we get into the questions, we're recording this the day after the Derby at Parkham where Promby came away with a 1-0 win. As a team, how do you put setbacks like this behind you and prevent them from damaging momentum in the title race? Yeah, for sure. I think, you know, we've had a rough couple of weeks. I think there are, as any season, a lot of ups and downs. And I think the best teams know how to handle this. We're obviously still
00:01:17
Speaker
in the first position in the league and we're still in the cup race. So we have a lot of things to look forward to and a big month ahead of us. So I think we just need to find that motivation to keep going and that we will eventually reach our goals of winning the league and hopefully winning the cup as well. So yeah, I think it's important that we just continue to remember what we've done and how we've brought our comeback from the start of the season to where we are now. And remember that in the back of our heads when we
00:01:46
Speaker
go on the field the next time and I'm sure the boys will do that well.
Marco's Journey: From New Zealand to FC Copenhagen
00:01:50
Speaker
I wanted to go back to the start and growing up in New Zealand there must be a lot of competing sporting interests. It's a very sporty nation, very good at lots of sports given its size. Was there ever any doubt that football would take priority for you? No, I started it when I was very little with my dad. He was a big football enthusiast. From Serbia he watched a lot of football and a big fanatic in that area and
00:02:13
Speaker
When he moved over to New Zealand, had me as his first born, I knew he wanted to implement a bit of his past into this kid. And so he rode me into football and obviously my mum's side saw more and in there, you know, the genes of the Samoan, it just reminds you of, you can say the rock.
00:02:30
Speaker
they're built big, perfect for rugby. I was a small skinny kid so I didn't really fit into the category of rugby so my dad put me into football and I actually really enjoyed it and ever since then I just continued going with it and see where it went and as the years went past I started to get it.
00:02:49
Speaker
an even bigger passion for it. Man could see that I was doing quite well and could take this as far as I wanted to. Yeah, and I think even if you're not built like Jonah Lomu, you've definitely got some of that Samoan fighting spirit in the way you play. I wondered, how did the move to FC Copenhagen come about?
00:03:08
Speaker
It all started at the World Cup in Brazil, 2019. We played an under 17 World Cup for New Zealand and I was selected for that. We had three games there and knowing the World Cup and the biggest stage in the world, there was a lot of young talent there and a lot of scouts along with that. So I remember there was a game against Brazil that we played and we got thrashed 3-0, but we had actually a pretty good game. A few of us did and there was a scout named Michael from the agency that I'm with now.
00:03:36
Speaker
and he was looking out for Brazilian players and he ended up spotting me and from then on he flew over to New Zealand after World Cup because obviously I had to go back and finish school and get back to the normal life that I was used to and he flew over.
00:03:51
Speaker
within a month of after the World Cup to meet us on a personal level and let us know his plans for what he wanted to do with me and my football and we found that really acknowledging that he would fly all the way from Europe all the way to New Zealand just to have this conversation that we could have easily had just like me and you are right now but it just showed the commitment that they were willing to put in for me and we decided that we would sign in and work with them and see where it goes.
00:04:17
Speaker
After that, it was the month of March in 2020 where I got a call from Mikkel and he said, there is a club FC Copenhagen and Denmark that are willing to give you a trial, a two week trial and see where it goes from there.
Challenges and Triumphs: Trial During Pandemic
00:04:30
Speaker
So I packed my things up. I said bye to mom and dad with no return ticket to see, hopefully that if I could get my first pro contract. And as you mentioned before, that's when the pandemic was, was all over the place. So.
00:04:42
Speaker
I was there for maybe 10 days and then the football stopped. The club FC Copenhagen told me that there's no longer any more trainings. We're going to put, the whole country is going to go and lock down and you have a decision you can stay or you can go back home and then we can resume in the summer and see where, see where things are in the world. So I went home and went back to my academy, LA football academy, trained, hoping that one day I'll get that phone call to
00:05:08
Speaker
to return back to Copenhagen to finish my trial and I did two days before my dad's birthday in July. So I flew back over there and from then on I stayed with them to finish my trial and stayed for I think it was a couple of months before I signed my
00:05:23
Speaker
my official contract and that's where it all started. Amazing. Going over for a trial must be quite daunting because you know that you've got to play your best stuff in a very short period of time. There's no time to pick up an injury, to have a few off games. Did that throw you off your rhythm or was that a motivator? For sure, a motivator. I think just going here and reminding myself of how much my family sacrificed for me to be able to be in this situation was a big motivator in itself.
00:05:52
Speaker
I think I had a lot of motivation when I arrived there and I knew that there was no time to waste and I needed to show them what I'm capable of doing. So I used every minute, every hour possible to show them on and off the field and ended up working out as planned. Obviously, you spent some time with the under-19s. Moving up to the first team, aside from the individual quality, what was the biggest thing you noticed making that transition, whether it's in terms of preparation or mentality?
Transitioning to First Team Football
00:06:20
Speaker
I think the major difference, even if we compare New Zealand football to under 19s itself, when I first came, it was the tempo in the play. I think I was used to being able to take four or five touches before any person would come near me in New Zealand.
00:06:36
Speaker
now coming into the professional football. And as we said, under 19 football, I was having to take two, three touches before someone came up to me. And then moving up to the first team, it became one to two touches. So I think the tempo was a big factor in all of it. And in between that as well, you had a loan to HBCo. I wondered how important was the loan to managing that step up in level?
Loan to HBCo: Growth and Development
00:07:05
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. At first I was a bit in doubt if it was the right thing for me, but I knew I had to take a step backwards to take two steps forward. It was a good move and I'm really happy that I did that. I learned a lot about myself on the field and off the field. And I think I grew a lot as a person while I was over there having to play a pretty big part in a team that was fighting for a position in the first division of Danish football.
00:07:32
Speaker
Yeah, it was a really good experience. It was very physical. I grew a lot in my body and also I had, you know, amazing coaches that were able to pass on their knowledge. Daniel Agar, Lars Jakobsson, so big names that I learned a lot from.
00:07:48
Speaker
Amazing yeah that must have been really important and it obviously prepared you for coming into the first team where you joined the first team in the thick of a Champions League campaign and I've got a confession to make that back in the day I spent a crazy amount of time playing football manager and there were times where there was a big Champions League game where I play the anthem and recreate the scene where I'm stood there on the pitch
00:08:11
Speaker
I wonder, before your first Champions League game, can you be honest and tell me, did you do that at home? Did you have the music playing and just practice your deadpan look into the camera? Yeah, I definitely had, you know, like, I would imagine it, you know, just on the bus there as well. It's like the anthem. I know my dad sent the Champions League anthem to his ringtone. And this was like one of the days that he flew over for the Man City game. And he got a phone call and it was, you know, the anthem. I was thinking, what?
00:08:40
Speaker
What's going on here? For sure, I was reminiscing a lot from the Man City game of my first Champions League and the anthem was always ringing in my ears.
00:08:53
Speaker
I was actually in Manchester for that game with the FC Copenhagen fans, which is an experience in itself. And I thought that it was amazing that despite being on the wrong end of a result to a very good team, the FC Copenhagen fans were the only ones making noise in the stadium all game. And that must be amazing to have that sort of support wherever you go. Yeah, it was truly amazing. You know, when I moved to the first team, I was thinking, oh, we're playing away. Like, it's going to be tough. But then we
00:09:19
Speaker
I think for the majority of the games, maybe not against Bonbu because we don't have them there, but for the majority of the games throughout the league as well, it's like we have the best fans for sure and they're always the loudest and it's a huge motivator and you really feel it when you play and it's an amazing feeling as well to celebrate a goal or a win with them.
00:09:39
Speaker
Going back to that Champions League campaign, you started three successive Champions League fixtures, Sevilla at home and then both legs of Man City. What fixture from the campaign stood out the most to you and were there any individual moments, whether it was tackling de Bruyne or stepping out onto the turf for the first time that will really kind of stick with you from that experience? Yeah, I think definitely, obviously, I have to mention that the debut in my Champions League campaign against Sevilla
00:10:08
Speaker
That was a really important moment for me and for my family. But I would say that the biggest moment for me was having my family there for the home game in Parkin against Man City. I had everyone that is very important to me in my life there. And I also had my coach that coached me in New Zealand for 10 odd years. So it was really amazing.
00:10:29
Speaker
experience. And we also got a reasonably good result against probably the best team in the world. So yeah, it was a really good day for me and my family and the team and the club as
Champions League Debut: Family Support
00:10:40
Speaker
well. Yeah. And I think FC Copenhagen, particularly in the home games, that campaign came away with quite a lot of credit because it was a really, really difficult group. And to pick up three drawers at home was excellent. So
00:10:52
Speaker
Yeah, that must have been a real experience having them there for you. And I think you said that the Man City Away game was the first time they had seen you play a professional game or your family had seen you play a professional game in person. Yeah, it was. Yeah, they hadn't flown over, or they did, but they'd only watched the national team games and guitar. And then they came over that summer that I rejoined with Copenhagen from Hobiku. And yeah, they were
00:11:17
Speaker
They saw a friendly game, but this was the first official professional game and Champions League is why you can't really get any better than that. So yeah, they loved it. Incredible. And this season between August and October, you started almost every league game in a squad that's as deep as FC Copenhagen's. It's perhaps natural that there will be games that you don't play. But I wondered, how do you cope mentally and physically with preparing for a game and then not getting on the pitch?
00:11:43
Speaker
Yeah, I think with the amount of games that we have to play throughout a year, throughout a season, you know, we talk about it all the time. Everyone has to be prepared because you never know what will happen. There could be injuries, there could be suspensions and what to do next. You're the one next in line.
00:12:00
Speaker
I think that's the mentality that I had when I rejoined from coup as well, that I had a good preseason. Maybe I didn't start the first couple games of the league and I knew that my time was coming up soon. So I was just doing everything I could and I still continue to do that even though my situation's a bit different. But yeah, I'm there for the team and always preparing myself and eating the right food, sleeping the right way.
00:12:23
Speaker
I think good karma will help when you do all the things right. Amazing. And a few months ago, it was announced that you would be moving to Red Star Belgrade in Serbia. How has it been playing in this interim period knowing that you're going
Focusing on Present Goals Before Red Star Belgrade
00:12:37
Speaker
to be leaving? I haven't been focused too much on Red Star at all in terms of how I'm going to be playing there yet. It's more focusing on winning the league and winning the cup because I'm still under contract.
00:12:51
Speaker
I'm still wanting to give everything that the club has given me as well for the last two, three years. So I have a lot to give back to them for what they've done for me.
00:13:00
Speaker
giving me the opportunity to step on the field and champions the game and take a step into the water of international and domestic football. So yeah, it's a tough period right now in terms of playing time, but I've always had in the back of my head that I'm doing everything for the team and that we will win the league and win the cup and that's what's most important now.
00:13:21
Speaker
And having made it into the first team set up, started building a life there. You got a girlfriend in Copenhagen. How tough a decision was it once you knew that Redstar were interested? Yeah, it was a really tough decision because there was nothing going wrong with Copenhagen at all. It was more just an opportunity to continue the Champions League run there.
00:13:42
Speaker
We had started and I saw Red Star as a great opportunity to take a step forward into playing that regularly every year as they're so dominant in their league, in their country. I also have Serbian roots from there and a lot of factors that just worked out to be more beneficial for me and also my family. So it was a tough decision to make, but I think that in the end of the day, I was looking out for myself and my family and that's what was most important.
00:14:12
Speaker
Yeah, also my girlfriend is from Copenhagen and she obviously would love to be here and she has her family and friends and all childhood here but she's also same as me. She wants to go out of her comfort zone and try new things and experience a new life and I think she's also really excited for that.
00:14:32
Speaker
Cool, that must make the transition much better knowing that she's going to be coming with. I noticed that Redstar are, I think, 25 points clear in the league at the moment, so it looks like you'll definitely be stepping into a team with plenty of opportunity for trophies and European football. I wondered, you said you haven't been thinking too far forward about that, but in your head, do you see your role on the pitch as being identical to what you do at FCCo, or do you think it will be more attacking, more defensive, or is that just pie in the sky for the moment?
00:15:02
Speaker
No, for sure. I think, you know, we, we have conversations with the club and they, when we were negotiating and they were telling me how they see my role in the team. And, you know, it's all up to the coach really on the game day. They, they change it like any other team it would be. Some days I would play as a nine or a 10 or an eight or a six, maybe even center back, like a,
00:15:23
Speaker
It really depends on the day, how the coach is preparing for the game. So I see myself as an attacking and defending midfielder. And that's what I like most, being able to do both. But obviously in a team this big, there's always going to be competition. And if I have to play six or if I have to play eight in this game and I have specific roles, then that's what I have to do. And that's what I'll do. Key we Patrick Vieira. I like that. Yeah.
00:15:52
Speaker
Back to the Super League, which is your favourite stadium to play in outside of Parkin? Outside of Parkin? That's a good question. I hope you care then. It's got some history behind it and I've got history with them. I enjoyed playing with them. It was like a family playing with them. The fans were really nice and yeah, it was just like a... reminded me of when I was in New Zealand, the sort of the football stadium we played in. So I would say I enjoyed playing there as well.
00:16:21
Speaker
Brilliant. Anyone listening to this, forgive me, because I've asked, I've asked everyone this question, but it's, I'm just really fascinated by it. How does playing on artificial services affect your game personally? Do you notice a big difference? Does it affect your passing or first touch or anything like that? Yeah, for sure. Like I think you, you have to prepare yourself differently when you, when you play on turf, because the ball moves a lot faster, a lot more bumpier, I think.
00:16:49
Speaker
obviously depending on what turf you play on. The whole ball and bounce of the ball is all different so I think it's just you have to prepare yourself for these little small changes in the game but ultimately there's not much difference.
Celebrating First FC Copenhagen Goal
00:17:04
Speaker
I think it's the little fine details that will change a lot of the game but other than that it's
00:17:11
Speaker
not too much of a hassle for me personally. Good stuff. You're yet to score for FC Copenhagen, but if you do get the opportunity before the end of the season, do you already have a celebration planned or would it be something spontaneous? I think, yeah, I've been thinking about it. If I did get the opportunity to score a goal, I would definitely celebrate with our ultras, our fans.
00:17:32
Speaker
I love when we engage them in the goal because they're also part of it. They have huge impact on how we play and so I would definitely go to the fans and then I always syndicate to the cameras because I know my my parents and girlfriend are also watching. Brilliant. I wanted to ask a few sort of off the pitch things and firstly FC Copenhagen have loads of fans in the city. One of the if not the best supported club in Denmark. Do you get recognised out and about and how do you find that if so?
00:18:02
Speaker
Yeah, I think definitely once I've begun to start regularly for the first team, I started to notice a lot more people recognizing me and stopping me when I would have coffee with my girlfriend and say, oh, well done last night, it was a good game and small things like this. And yeah, occasionally you get a person asking for photos and it's a nice feeling. In Denmark, they're quite reserved people.
00:18:28
Speaker
It doesn't come across too of a harassment type. So it's a nice interaction with fans. And yeah, it was a nice, nice new experience compared before when I had no fans really. So it was, it's really nice. You must have grown to love Copenhagen as a city. I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm assuming you must have grown to love it because it's such a cool city. Talk me through some of your favorite spots, whether it's for coffee or a walk or wherever, where are you going to miss in the city?
00:18:57
Speaker
Yeah, we live in a place called Vestibul. It's quite close to Tivoli. And there's always nice cafes around there. And it's very close to the Long Street stop. And there's a lot of shopping centers and all sorts of restaurants and nice places me and my girlfriend will definitely miss. But yeah, there's way too much to mention on this, of the places we'll miss. But I think it's more the people and the friends that I'll miss as well.
Love for Copenhagen: Building Connections
00:19:23
Speaker
I've met so many awesome people over the last three years that
00:19:27
Speaker
Yeah, we're definitely going to stay in touch with them, but yeah, we'll have to be the friends and connections that I'll miss most, I think. Maybe when your final contract at Real Madrid expires, you'll come back to Copenhagen for your swan song. Yeah, that's something that we actually talked about, me and Monika, my girlfriend. I really love the city. It's got everything you can ask for. I'm really big on fashion.
00:19:52
Speaker
restaurants and all of these nice things that we like to enjoy for once in a while. And it's just a city full of everything in the culture, especially in the summer. It's just a nice vibe that I think most people really love in Europe. The only thing I could doubt is that I have some things to say as to whether I won't miss the winter here.
00:20:12
Speaker
You're a regular in the national team for New Zealand, which must be amazing, but I wondered how you manage the international breaks given, you know, when you go and play over there, there's a huge time difference and that must impact your body and your schedule.
Family Support Across Time Zones
00:20:27
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. I think we look at the last international window. It was in March and we had a, I think it was a six or seven day window and we played in New Zealand. So majority of us play in Europe already.
00:20:40
Speaker
The flight there alone is almost two days and you also miss it miss a day because of the time zone. So It is a tough trip and then you also get off a plane and then the next day you have to play 90 minutes and two days after that another 90 minutes So it is a tough transition but anything for my country, you know, I love playing for for New Zealand especially when we get to play at home in front of
00:21:03
Speaker
family and friends so it's a good experience. And several months back I wrote a piece about Super League of fans around the world and amongst those I featured were your mum and dad back in New Zealand who told me that they watch every match whatever the time of day the neighbors might not like it if it's at 4am but so be it. How much does it motivate you to know that even if they're not in the stadium wherever you're playing whatever time they're at home supporting? Yeah it's a huge privilege you know I know
00:21:31
Speaker
that they're always there supporting me. I get a text even in the last three or four months, even though I'm not playing so much, and good luck, son, if you come on. And it's a nice feeling to have the parents and also my little sister there support me so much. And I think it's going to be a huge factor for me to go further and further in my career.
00:21:52
Speaker
Brilliant. I wanted to ask about some of your FC Copenhagen teammates, and I wanted to ask which of them you would choose for various different things.
Dream Five-a-Side Team from FC Copenhagen
00:22:01
Speaker
So the first one is, say you're putting together a five-a-side team, and I'm going to take it as a given that you'll be in the five, but who would you pick? Would it be more defenders, more attackers? Who's filling out your five-a-side lineup? Wow, that's a good question. Do I have to pick a keeper?
00:22:17
Speaker
If you want to go with a rush keeper, be my guest, but that sounds like a dangerous tactic. I'll go for a rush keeper, you know, okay. I'll start with Russ Busfelk, amazing player, good in tight spaces. I'll have him for sure. Zekka, when he's fit, that, you know, heart of the team, I'd have him there. I'd have a new player, Jordan Larson, quite good on the ball, silky smooth. I'd have him, how many is that? Three? Four?
00:22:46
Speaker
Plus me. That's four including you. Okay, one more. We have a midfielders in the text. I might have to go for defender. I'll go Elias yellow. The right back. Yeah, he's got the all around package. I think
00:22:58
Speaker
And he's a good laugh to play with. So I have him on the team as well. It sounds like you've got a good balance of, uh, of runners and passes. So that could be good, but Rasmus Falcon goal for, for any period of the game, feel, it feels like a huge waste, but let's go with that side team. Who would you pick if you had to have one of your teammates cook a meal for you and your family? Who would you trust in the kitchen? Kevin Dix, I think.
00:23:25
Speaker
Yeah, I think he's got that Asian twist and I love that. Love that food. I think he's good in the kitchen and he could take care of me and my family quite well. Yeah, Kevin Dix.
00:23:36
Speaker
Brilliant. Shout out Kevin in the kitchen. I had the privilege of speaking with him earlier last year. Great guy. So I had no idea he was such a chef. What about who would you pick if the driver of the team bus suddenly wasn't able to drive you on a away trip? Who would you trust behind the wheel of the coach? Let me say just one thing. Definitely not Valdima Lund. I have to say that. Or Elias.
00:24:04
Speaker
No, I had the privilege of driving with them over in Portugal. I'm not going in the car with them again. I would say William Clem.
00:24:15
Speaker
He was good. He took over. He took the shift. Um, yeah, he was quite good. I'll say him. Nice. So we've got our coach driver and the final question is if one of your teammates, you had to choose one of them to sit next to you on a red eye flight to New Zealand.
In-Flight Companion: Choosing Elias for Humor
00:24:31
Speaker
So for all 19 hours or whatever, who would you be stuck next to? Oh, that's a great question. None of them.
00:24:43
Speaker
Someone's getting the ticket. I need to know who to give it to. I would say Elias. I think me and him gig quite a lot along quite well. And yeah, he's always got something funny to say. And yeah, he would keep me entertained. Yeah. Elias. Nice. I wondered if you were going to choose someone who'd put you to sleep, but someone to keep you entertained sounds good. Yeah. Yeah.
00:25:05
Speaker
Brilliant. Back to the pitch, which player has been the biggest help to you in terms of developing your game?
Mentorship from Carlos Zeke
00:25:13
Speaker
I would say Zeke, Carlos Zeke. I think when I joined, we were definitely in the... We have very similar playing styles, I feel. He was initially the first player I looked up to and knew actually before I joined FC Copenhagen. I played with a national team player who also played with him in the Arcos.
00:25:34
Speaker
He told me to also say hi to Zeke on behalf of him. And I think that started the conversation from there and the relationship we built from that. And ever since then, like ever since I stepped into the first team, he's always looked after me and he's always asked me, are you all right? Do you need to go for coffee? Should we talk? And he's always been a great help on the field as well with little things that I've picked up on defending and both attacking. So I think he's been a huge help to me in my development over the last couple of years.
00:26:04
Speaker
Amazing. Yeah. He's obviously a fantastic leader and I guess developing young players is such a key part of FC Copenhagen that that comes with the territory. So I'm glad that he's had such a positive effect. I wanted to know what's been your favorite FC Copenhagen shirt that you've worn since you've been there? Design-wise, aesthetic. You said you're into fashion, which has been your favorite one that you'd wear with jeans. I really liked our third kit of this season, the sort of red, dark, red colorway. I really liked that.
00:26:33
Speaker
Not the pink one, not the hot pink third kit. The red one. Yeah, not the pink one. The red one. Definitely, yeah, the red one. The army one was kind of cool as well last year, but I think, yeah, the white, just this plain white home kit. I know my dad really liked having Carlsberg at the front before they changed it to Unibet. So I would say that's my favorite kit. And that's also the one I first wore when I came. So the home kit with the
00:27:00
Speaker
the Carlsberg best beer in the world, right in the front of the home kit. Yeah, it was so much better with Carlsberg than Unibet, wasn't it? Just aesthetically, it just looked amazing. So yeah, I'm with you on that. Is it still cool to go into the dressing room and see your shirt hanging up with your name on it? Or are you used to that by now? Yeah, it's definitely still cool. I mean, it doesn't be the first time that you see your name as well, because, you know, when I first came, I remember going through a little tour around parking and
00:27:28
Speaker
and seeing all these big names and going into their dressing rooms and seeing that their names are all built into the wall and their own little locker rooms. Me imagining, one day I wanted my own locker, so it was really cool when I got my debut and also joined the first team that I eventually got all of that. To see it every weekend and every game is awesome as well.
00:27:51
Speaker
With all the travel and hotel stays and the fact that the training finishes early in the day, it feels like the life of a footballer, especially one playing away from home, can be quite solitary at times. And even when I see footage of travel to a match, players often have headphones on. Is that the case or is it more sociable than it seems? You know, do you hang out with teammates often outside of training? Yeah, for sure. I think, you know, we, we, I have, I've built so many good connections over the last couple of years. We always,
00:28:20
Speaker
find ways of connecting with each other outside of football because I think it also relates back onto the field as well, how good your connection is with your teammate. We always find opportunities to go out to eat or have a coffee and just talk about life and how things are going and I think that's really important for me as well.
00:28:41
Speaker
If I was to go to training and then I would just come home and don't have really much to do, I'd obviously have my girlfriend and we would also find things to do to keep ourselves busy, but it's also important to have that with your teammates. But on these away trips, it's also nice to stay at a hotel for a night. We find card games pretty intense with one another.
00:29:02
Speaker
They get pretty heated at times and it's quite a fun environment to be a part of. So we've been indulging in that in the last couple of games and it's been a good atmosphere. Have you caught anyone sneaking a look of other people's cards? Oh yeah, Jordan Larson is really guilty of that.
00:29:24
Speaker
There's a fellow Kiwi on the other side of Copenhagen, Joe Bell at Bromby. Are you close to him and has it helped having another guy nearby who knows about LMP? Yeah, you caught me off guard with that. Yeah, really, really good guy. We've got along ever since we met on the national team, really good guy. And we, you know, we, we have to be quite careful with
00:29:48
Speaker
with these things because he's from Bonbur and I'm from Ixico. So we pick and choose times where it's probably sensible. I don't think I would have seen him the day before yesterday, but on an international break, we see each other a lot for the international games and occasionally we might go out for dinner and so on like that. So yeah, I keep in touch with him a lot over WhatsApp and he doesn't live far from me either. So it's an easy travel term.
00:30:14
Speaker
I've only got a couple more questions because I know you need to put your feet up and we're doing this just after training.
Values Gained at FC Copenhagen
00:30:20
Speaker
But once you leave, what values as a player will you bring from your time at FC Copenhagen? Yeah, it's a good question. Like I said before, I learned a lot about myself on and off the field. There's plenty of things that I've learned well here in terms of building myself as a player. And like I said before, tempo and playing with less touches and reading the game more intelligently.
00:30:43
Speaker
but also building these relationships with teammates. I never was in a team where I had come in before as a newbie, if that makes sense. I had to grow up with the same team as a young child and played with some of these guys for eight, nine years. So I wasn't really used to being in a new environment. I think it was good for me to be uncomfortable and because that's the only way to be comfortable with yourself and the environment you're in. So I think I learned a lot from that, but also how to deal with things while my family weren't there.
00:31:12
Speaker
I think it was really tough for me when I first moved, especially on either side of the world, not having the people that meant most to me in the world. And it was really tough at first, but I think that's what I meant. I just learned a lot about myself and how to deal with times where I have to be alone after trainings and then having to build a new life here in Copenhagen and now in Belgrade as well, where I have to make new friends and a new relationship. So I think that's all things that I learned over the last couple of years, which I think will help me over the
00:31:42
Speaker
next 10-15 years of my career hopefully and I don't have any doubts that I'm going to stumble across even more obstacles or I'm going to even learn more so it's an exciting time and I'm excited to learn a lot about more football and also about myself. That's an amazingly mature response. I wish I could have heard my response to that when I was your age because it would have been
00:32:04
Speaker
absolute nonsense. So yeah, that's that's amazing. And just finally, if someone stops you on the street in Belgrade and asks what your what your memories of the Super League are, how you describe the Super League in Denmark as a whole, like what's your what's your sort of brief summary of what it's like in terms of how it's like to play there, how it's like to live there, would you recommend it?
Recommending the Super League and Copenhagen Lifestyle
00:32:25
Speaker
For sure, I'd recommend it. I mean, it's arguably, I would say it's one of the best cities I've ever been to. And we've we've traveled a lot around Europe. And this
00:32:33
Speaker
small three years that I've been here and I would say it's just very nice and everything just seems to work. There's not much problems and everything is very equal and I think it's a really nice lifestyle I think. In terms of the league as well, it's a tough league. I think it's you know there are some teams that were in first division a couple years ago and now are in the mix of a title race so it's very unpredictable with the league and it's very equal I feel. There's obviously a couple teams that are above
00:33:03
Speaker
but above the rest of them I could say FCCo are. So I think it's a competitive league, very physical league and intense and the tempo is quite high. So especially if you play for a club like FCCo, you're going to have a great life and great time here.
00:33:17
Speaker
Yeah, and you only need to look at the players who have come through FC Co early in their career and see what they've achieved to prove that point. So yeah, exciting times ahead. Marco, thank you so much for coming on. Wish you the very best of luck for the rest of the season. Bag those medals before you leave so that you've got something physical to hold onto from your time in Copenhagen and wish you very best of luck on your next adventure. I'm sure you'll make a big success of it. Thank you so much. Thank you for having me, Henry.
00:33:46
Speaker
That was Marco Staminich of FC Copenhagen in conversation with myself here on Danish Dynamike. Once again, thank you so much to Marco for giving up his time. Really fascinating young guy, amazing story and a superb attitude. I think he's a credit to FC Copenhagen.
00:34:03
Speaker
I really think that he's going to go on and achieve great things. Before I sign off, there was some amazing action in the Superleaguer this past week. A.C. Horsons began proceedings needing a win to ensure that they kept a healthy distance between themselves and the relegation group. They ended up with a tool draw with OB, so the gap at the bottom
00:34:26
Speaker
has reduced and as things stand now they are only four points clear of Aoburg in 11th place and the reason they're 11th place and not 12th is because they won a really important game against Lungbi a game that was nil-nil heading into the 80th minute when Aoburg won a penalty who steps up for the penalty Alan Souza and what does he do
00:34:47
Speaker
Penenka is the goalkeeper, which is the most high risk situation that you can try Penenka. And maybe that was the double bluff. Maybe the goalkeeper thought there's no way he's going to do a Penenka in this situation because if he misses, it will be such a disaster. But the ball went in, Sousa celebrated like mad, and our ball picked up an absolutely vital three points that
00:35:08
Speaker
leapfrogs lungbi in the league and puts them, yeah as I said, within four points of safety. Other notable results from the weekend were obviously the Copenhagen Derby that we touched on. I don't think anybody predicted a brombie victory and when I was perusing social media before the game, almost all the talk from both sets of fans were how many goals FC Copenhagen were going to win by. There was a feeling that this could be, you know, an embarrassment fixture, a 4-0 or a 5-0 and it just didn't happen that way.
00:35:36
Speaker
Bromby were not the dominant side, but they hung on. They took their chance very well. Oh, he arriving at the far post and he's just got such a knack for arriving in the right place at the right time and making the most of those finishes. And a brilliant penalty save by Mads Hermansen. Wasn't the best penalty in the world by Vavro, but with the amount of pressure of that moment, he did very well to get down and make that stop. And yeah, Bromby emerged with
00:36:03
Speaker
a huge amount of confidence from that. I think there was a feeling that all they had left to play for this season were really the Darbys and these were going to be two cup finals. And if this result ends up spoiling an FC Copenhagen title, they'll be delighted at that. So I think this, this has just ramped up the intensity of the return fixture.
00:36:22
Speaker
in a couple of weeks over in Crombie Stadium and FC Copenhagen will be hell-bent on seeking revenge in that one. So, yeah, another twist in the tail. And FC Nordschulen could have taken full advantage of that. They played AGF at home, but failed to because they lost 1-0. Very nice goal by Michael Anderson. But once again, FC Nordschulen failed to be at their best and
00:36:45
Speaker
They could have gone top with a victory and instead it remains as it was. So the weekend finishes with FC Copenhagen remaining two points clear plus significantly better goal difference at the top of the table. The big winners this weekend were Viborg who pulled off a 3-1 victory at Ranners where they ran away with the game. They looked
00:37:05
Speaker
back to their best. And they're now within three points of the leaders. So I don't think it's a hot take at all to say that I think V-Borg are really in with a shout of the title now. If they can continue this momentum with both FC Ko and Nordschuland floundering somewhat, they could take advantage here. And three points is not a lot to make up with five games to go. So all to play for. And the final two fixtures of the season for V-Borg are, you guessed it, FC Copenhagen and FC Nordschuland.
00:37:36
Speaker
It's effectively in their hands, which is quite exciting for those of a V-Borg persuasion. FC Michelin won very convincingly on Monday night against Silkerborg. I think Silkerborg have more or less down tools now. Gustav Isaksson really putting himself in the shop window. And that was the weekend fixtures wrapped. Next weekend, there's another relegation six-pointer as Alborg take on Horsons on Sunday.
00:38:02
Speaker
Lungbi take on Michelin in what is arguably the toughest game you can get in the relegation group. Silkeborg host Obie, not a game that I think is likely to be high octane given the fortunes of both teams and what they stand to gain at the remainder of the season, but it could spring a surprise I suppose. Rana's take on Brumbi in Uland and a chance for Rana's to really
00:38:27
Speaker
put that V-Borg performance behind them, but they're going to be playing a Bronbe side who are obviously boosted by that Derby victory. AGF host V-Borg, and this is really the battle of the best of the rest. You know, who's going to take third place or potentially kick on and go for more? The result of this one is going to be fascinating. So that's the game that I'm going to have my eye on on Sunday. And then on Monday evening, we are treated to FC Norjland,
00:38:55
Speaker
hosting FC Copenhagen in Faram with both teams having slipped up this previous weekend. This is a high stakes title encounter. Whatever happens in this game, it's likely to let V-Borg in with a chance, should they?
00:39:07
Speaker
Should they pick up points this weekend? So another incredible weekend of action to look forward to. I'll be back next week with another guest to review all of that action in a bit more depth than we've done this week. But I wanted to present you the interview with Marco in full. It's not every day that you get a Super League player in. And we've had two in two weeks, which is a very fortunate position to be in. I hope you've enjoyed both of those.
00:39:32
Speaker
So until next week, thanks very much for listening. Thank you again to Marco for his time and look forward to another great weekend of Super League action. Take care and I will catch you next time.