Our great editorialist Hussein Marhoon continues to deliver for SempreInter.com. Here is his latest text about Il Drago, Dejan Stankovic:
Interisti bid farewell to one of the most iconic figures of the club’s recent history. Dejan Stanković saluted the enthusiastic 42,000 plus spectators who attended Inter’s league season opener against Genoa in an emotional farewell as his name echoed around the legendary Giuseppe Meazza in appreciation of what he did throughout his ten seasons in the Nerazzurri colors.
Fans favorite ‘Deki’ was adored unconditionally by Interisti not because he was the most skillful player the team had, rather it was for being a real warrior who never spared a drop of sweat or even blood for the sake of the team.
Dejan Stanković was born in Belgrade, the capital of former Yugoslavia, on 11 September 1978. He started his professional career with the country’s most successful club Red Star Belgrade and later moved to Italy to join Lazio in the summer of 1998 after catching the eye while playing for Yugoslavia in the 1998 World Cup in France. Dejan spent great five and a half years in the Italian capital during which he won a Scudetto (1999/2000), a Coppa Italia (1999/2000), two Supercoppe Italiane (1998 and 2000), a European Cup Winners Cup (1998/1999) and a European Super Cup (1999).
Inter signed Stanković from financially distressed Lazio in January 2004 beating competition from arch rivals Juventus and he immediately won the hearts and minds of fans with his commitment, determination, versatility and spectacular goals. He earned the nickname ‘Il Dragone’ (the Dragon) because of his trademark long range powerful shots which were likened to dragon fumes that troubled many opposing goalkeepers over the years. The versatile midfielder soon became a pivotal player for Inter when he was reunited with his last coach at Lazio, Roberto Mancini, when the latter became the Nerazzurri’s coach in the summer of 2004.
Roberto Mancini deployed Stanković as a wide midfielder (on the right and also on the left) and he also used as a trequartista behind strikers. In his first real season at Inter, Dejan helped the team to win their first title in seven years when they lifted the 2004/2005 Coppa Italia beating Roma over a two-legged final. The Nerazzurri started the 2005/2006 season well by defeating Juventus 1-0 to pick up the Supercoppa Italiana but injuries hindered Dejan’s campaign and he ended up making only 23 league appearances as Inter finished the campaign in third place behind Juventus and Milan respectively, but Juventus’ title was eventually revoked when the Calciopoli hell broke loose and Inter were assigned with the Scudetto badge crowning them as Italian champions for the first time in 17 years.
Il Dragone’s finest season at Inter was the 2006/2007 record breaking season. Following to the aftermath of the Calciopoli scandal, Inter made great signings in the summer of 2006 as they bolstered their team with world class players such as Zlatan Ibrahimović, Patrick Vieira and Hernan Crespo and most their rivals were either penalized or handicapped due to the unfortunate scandal that rocked Italian calcio. Inter went on to win their second consecutive Scudetto so easily notching a record breaking haul of 97 points in the process, and on the individual level Deki enjoyed a great season as he scored six league goals, one of which was his memorable piledriver from outside the box to beat Dida in Inter’s 4-3 ‘away’ victory against Milan in the Derby della Madonnina.
Stanković scored Inter’s first goal in the 2007/2008 season in a 1-1 home draw against Udinese, but surprisingly, that was his only goal in that campaign in all competitions. He suffered with injuries and lack of form and only featured in 31 matches in all competitions that season, but the fans will never forget what happened in the historic match that won the Scudetto for Inter at the Ennio Tardini on 18 May 2008. The Nerazzurri were in desperate need for a win as their title rivals Roma were topping the table temporarily thanks to their 1-0 lead in Catania with 30 minutes to go when Il Drago picked up the ball in midfield of the park and fed second half substitute Zlatan Ibrahimović who unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box into the low corner of the net to score Inter’s decisive opener. Inter players hysterically ran towards the hero of the moment, their savior Zlatan to embrace him while Dejan was laying on the ground with his head faced down hitting the turf with both hands in a sign of disbelief… it was like what he needed to erase the pains he suffered because of all the setbacks he went through during that season, and it also showed how much he cared about his team, it all came from the heart… Inter went on to win the game 2-0 to win their third Scudetto in a row. Despite that historic triumph, Roberto Mancini was sacked few days after the winning the Scudetto and Inter who were hungry for more successes (especially on the European level) chose no other than the Special One to fulfill their dreams and aspirations.
Like any new coach, José Mourinho came with his own ideas and methods. Dejan Stanković was broadly seen as being a loyal servant for the old regime under Roberto Mancini who never mistrusted or doubted Deki despite the difficulties he gone through especially in the 2007/2008 season. In fact, Dejan was so close to joining arch rivals Juventus that summer (2008) as Mourinho was not too convinced with him and his abilities. When Asked about Stanković earlier that summer, the Special One responded: “As for Stanković, I do not see in him the player who he was at Lazio”, but somehow Dejan ended up staying and José’s words somehow, spurred him to become one of Inter’s best players in the 2008/2009 season. He scored five goals in José’s first season in Italy which included two magnificent strikes against Roma and Milan. It was his second best season for Inter on the personal level and the team ended up winning a fourth consecutive Scudetto and also won a Supercoppa Italiana.
In José’s second season, Inter signed gifted Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder who was like the missing link that the team needed to make the jump in quality they were yearning to make for years. However, Sneijder’s arrival didn’t limit Dejan’s role in the team as José deployed him in other roles in midfield including playing him in front of his back defensive four. Inter’s 2009/2010 gone into the history books as the club’s best ever season as the team won an unprecedented unforgettable treble. Fittingly, the fans will also recall two remarkable moments from Dejan that season, his memorable trademark long range missile that went past Marco Storari against Milan in Inter’s 4-0 derby demolition and his ballistic missile from the halfway line to beat Genoa’s goalkeeper Marco Amelia in Inter’s 5-0 win at the Marassi.
Inter added three more trophies to their cabinet in 2010/2011 season (Supercoppa Italiana, Club’s World Cup and the Coppa Italia) and on the personal level Il Drago enjoyed his most ever prolific season at Inter as ended up scoring 9 goals in all competitions. However, that season signalled the beginning of the end of an unforgettable era of the club’s history and the demise of so many players who helped in writing it.
Stanković’s final two seasons at Inter (2011/2012 and 2012/2013 ) were marred by injuries as he missed most of the team’s games and only managed to play in 23 matches in all competitions. following the appointment of Walter Mazzarri this summer, Dejan and Inter decided to rescind his contract (which was due to expire in June 2014) and his glorious career at Inter came to close.
Dejan Stanković will always be remembered by Inter fans. Deki was unique and his love for the shirt was second to none. Inter fans can’t thank him enough for all what he did during his 10 seasons at the club. All I can say now is grazie Deki. Addio Dragone!
Dejan Stanković, la lala lalah…. Dejan Stanković, laaaaa lala lalah!!