It’s already 30 degrees in the shade but Eddie is proudly wearing the scarf, much to my amusement and the total confusion of the various Americans and Scandinavians who are my ‘free tour buddies’. I point to it and make a comment about the match and that’s me sorted with Eddie the tour guide.
Opposite of tragic optimism free#
Before I head to the Celtic Pub in the city centre, I’m keen to understand more about this fascinating place and its turbulent history, so after breakfast I pick up some local currency and a free walking tour (you can take the Bhoy out of Springburn…).Īs I enter the booking office, the first thing I notice is a Celtic/FK Sarajevo half-and-half scarf hanging on the wall, taking pride of place. I’m then handed a croissant, packed off to bed and told to help myself to drinks from the minibar. Within minutes, the man returns with two bags, each containing a delicious roll filled with local spiced sausage. ‘You do as you’re told when you’re here!’ A beautiful girl with a beautiful heart, Miss Sarajevo has welcomed me to her city and I am already a friend. I protest, slightly embarrassed but she’s having none of it. Next thing I know, Elma has taken a banknote from her own purse to dispatch one of the guys to the shops. I had been advised by the hotel beforehand that these could be picked up no problem, however, I suspect neither they nor I had factored in arrival times. I also ask her about changing money to the convertible Bosnian Marks, which are used locally. Are you hungry?’ I make the fatal mistake of saying ‘yes’, assuming that the hotel restaurant is still open. She is half my age but treats me like her son. I’m greeted with more smiles at the hotel, which lives up to its name with the VIP welcome I receive from the lovely Elma. ‘Tourists!’ says Atif with an air of disapproval. It is late evening – bedtime – but still very busy around the old Mosque area. All minarets and domes, this could be Istanbul or somewhere in the Holy Land. We head through a part of old Sarajevo which helps explain why this city is sometimes called the European Jerusalem. I happen to mention Dragan Dzajic and the World Cup game between Yugoslavia and Scotland in 1974 and Atif tells me that he was actually there that day in Frankfurt with his dad, as a 12-year-old boy.
We talk about the history of Celtic with respect to Yugoslav football, Vojvodina, Red Star (but not Partizan – I’ve not got over that yet!). Turns out that the driver, Atif, is an FK Sarajevo supporter who will be going to tomorrow’s game. ‘Ah, you are here for the game tomorrow!’ Smiles appear from nowhere and then for the next twenty minutes or so we use the international language of football to communicate our shared passion for our clubs. I say Scotland and the atmosphere changes at a stroke. Then he asks me in broken English where I’m from. He’s very quiet and I’m knackered, with no local language skills so, unusually for me, there is a strange silence in the car as we make our way into the city. I feel like a VIP, ironically the name of my hotel in Sarajevo. I had arranged for an airport pick-up and, sure enough, the chap is waiting with the sign. The vibes I had picked up on social media beforehand were very much that our supporters would be warmly welcomed in the city, largely as a result of the widely-publicised, ongoing support for the oppressed Palestinian community. Apparently, he is a friend and/or colleague of Rudi Vata.Įarlier, I had picked up a message from an old Celtic mate who told me that his nephew and his pals had run into a bit of bother at the stadium, advised by security staff there that it was ‘dangerous’ for them before being chased by a gang. The Albanian Premier would be one who would get caught up in the Celtic spirit the following day, photographed with supporters in the city. Turns out it belongs to the Turkish President who is in Sarajevo with many other leaders around the Balkans for a political get-together. Leaving the aeroplane, I’m aware of other passengers taking photos of the Republic of Turkey jet parked adjacent to us. From there, it was onto Vienna and finally Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia & Herzegovina, arriving around 2200 local time. Trip began on Monday with an early drop-off to catch a flight to Heathrow. Sitting in Sarajevo Airport gathering my thoughts after one of the more poignant trips I’ve made to follow Celtic abroad over the past forty years. Matt Corr J‘Something inside, so strong…the spirit of Miss Sarajevo,’ Matt Corr’s Diary, Dedicated to the victims of the Siege of Sarajevo and the massacre at Srebrenica… Met the loveliest of people but abiding memory will be hearing at first hand about their heartbreaking recent history.
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