Serbia Coach Excludes Goalkeeper Rajkovic for Non-Professional Reasons

Serbia's national football team coach, Veljko Paunovic, has excluded former Maccabi Tel Aviv goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic from the upcoming squad, citing non-professional reasons and disciplinary decisions. Paunovic stated at a press conference that players not selected fall into specific categories and criteria, but he declined to name individuals publicly.

Rajkovic was also absent from the squad for matches earlier in the summer, a decision that had previously led Paunovic to offer his resignation. When addressing the current squad absences, the coach mentioned "disciplinary decisions" among the factors considered. He emphasized that the team's selection is based on current form, team needs, and squad depth for upcoming challenging matches in the UEFA Nations League.

Paunovic highlighted that a crucial criterion for selection is the players' commitment, attitude, and other analyzed parameters since November. He clarified that while not explicitly calling them disciplinary measures, certain actions have led to these exclusions. Serbia is set to play Greece and the Netherlands at home, followed by away games against Germany and the Netherlands.

The excluded goalkeeper, Rajkovic, has a history with Paunovic, having been part of the Serbian U-20 World Cup-winning team under his coaching over a decade ago. Rajkovic has since played for Maccabi Tel Aviv, Reims, Mallorca, and currently Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, and has represented Serbia in two World Cups and a European Championship. Despite a recent muscle tear, Rajkovic played a full 90 minutes for his club on September 11, seemingly ruling out injury as the reason for his exclusion and strengthening the belief that disciplinary issues are the cause.