Filip Filipovic : « Let say that semifinal will be our gold target this year »

Interview with Filip Filipovic
Realized by France Water-polo

A presentation of Filip Filipovic’s career has been made. Look at it by clicking here.

Thank you very much for allowing us some time, while you are preparing for the World Championships.

Source : ffilip10.com

You are champion of Italy again this season (Pro Recco is title holder since 2006). Does it not become difficult to stay motivated and performing every season ?

Be player and of Recco brings you all benefits as one athlete can imagine, but also the great responsibility and target to win everything possible every single year. If you accept this call you’re in. If not this can be your last year.

After flying over the group in Champions League (10 wins in 10 games), you fail the doors of the final against Jug Dubrovnik. What did it miss for the group to get into the final ?

I think we didn’t need anything! Actually we just got into the game very late. Playing against Jug is not easy at all if you give them 3-4 goals of advantage! We had really our chance to come back, especially the fact that they fall in the 3rd and 4th quarter. I honestly think we needed one game before this famous semifinal to get into the rhythm.
Review the summary of the Final of the Semifinal of Champions League Jug Dubrovnik – Pro Recco.

Is it not worth finishing 2nd or 3rd of the group and playing a quarterfinal to get into the rhythm of the competition rather than entering the semi-finals ?

Totally agree with you ! This one and so many final six tournaments in past showed that actually they are giving a chance to the teams who finished 2nd and 3rd to have better start cause the fact that they already played a game day before put them in better position.

What are your goals for next season ? Will you still be a Pro Recco player ?

Goals are the 3 trophies as always! Cup, Champions and Champions League . I signed new 3 years contract with the people of Pro Recco.

Serbia is three-time reigning European champion, reigning Olympic champion, reigning World Champion and last World League winner. Is another result that champion a failure for you this summer in Budapest ?

Off course not ! We are raised to be a champion, but also to be smart and human on first ! It’s so normal that somebody else take the crown and we’re not worrying at all about this. Honestly it’ll be perfect for us if we succeed to come in to final fase. Let say that semifinal will be our gold target this year.

How is your preparation for these world championships organized ?

We spent most of the time in Serbia. Today our federation are facing with a big economic problems , so our coach Dejan was forced to organize whole preparations in one modestly atmosphere . We are happy that all players are together and nobody has great hesitations.

Do you have the list of players selected for the competition ?

Yes we do. Difference from Rio are Nemanja Ubovic on the place of Nikic and Viktor Rasovic who took place of Zivko Gocic.

We allways finish our interview with the silly question : « In the skin of which Super Hero would you love to be and why ?

I never thought about it! Maybe the one who never showed his face and he did a lot for this planet. Nikola Tesla, is one of a kind.

You can also find the interview Filip Filipovic gave us, last July 8th, in which he told us about the « Marzouki & Filipovic camp » which will be held next August (« I dreaming to play for the PSG Water -polo Club« ).