Mihael Kovacevic can still recall the thrill of pinching possession from Luka Modric.
“He was so good that you felt like celebrating every time you made a tackle, it was almost impossible to get the ball back,” the former Dundee United ace smiled.
“He was only 21 years old, but you could already see he was special – although I cannot say I predicted he would be one of the greatest midfielders ever!”
Although Kovacevic was a teenager of some promise with Dinamo Zagreb, there was no shame in failing to make the grade at that time.
As well as Modric, the squad included Vedran Corluka, Ognjen Vukojevic and Eduardo, later of Arsenal.
Yet, such were Kovacevic’s subsequent exploits at Tannadice – particularly in the Scottish Cup-winning campaign of 2009/10 – that a reunion with the Croatian icon was becoming an increasing possibility.
“I was in talks with the (Croatian) national team,” revealed Kovacevic. “Slaven Bilic was the coach, and he contacted me.
“Maybe I could have been teammates with Modric again. But when my injury happened, he just told me to keep working.”
That injury. The injury. We’ll get to that.
Welcome to Tannadice
Kovacevic proved to be something of a steal.
United were able to sign the player from FK Koper due to Dinamo demanding a fee in the region of £50,000 from the Slovenian outfit, who had been under the impression Kovacevic would be a free agent.
As such, Koper made it known through intermediaries that Kovacevic was available to any club willing to fork out that sum. After a two-week trial (that only lasted a week, such was the impact he made on Craig Levein) in January 2008, United stumped up.
His debut was at Celtic Park.
His second appearance was the galling CIS Insurance Cup final defeat on penalties against Rangers at Hampden.
“To go from Parkhead to the Scottish national stadium, I couldn’t believe it,” Kovacevic laughed. “I thought, what team have I joined? Always playing in the biggest matches.
“After my first game at Celtic – getting a (0-0) draw – of course I hoped for another chance, and it was amazing to play in a final so early in my career, although the result hurt.
“You always felt you had a chance to play with Craig Levein as manager, because he never had favourites. If you were the best player in training, you would get an opportunity. I liked that approach.”
There were bumps along the way.
Literally.
Like the time Lee Wilkie fractured his eye socket when training ground tempers got out of hand.
“That was unexpected,” he continued, somewhat understatedly. “It was just in training – nothing special – but we got in an argument, and I stepped towards him, and he hit me in the face. I thought, for what?
“But I know he regretted it and apologised many times.”
Ibrox heroics
Kovacevic’s most impactful moment in tangerine came on March 14, 2010.
The 15th anniversary of his goal against Rangers at Ibrox passed with little fanfare last week. Naturally. Who celebrates a quarter-final? Especially when the game was only a draw.
Yet, without Kovacevic’s 80th-minute leveller to make it 3-3 at Ibrox, the glories to come would not have been possible.
His only goal for United – but what a time to get it.
“I remember that day so clearly,” he continued. “When we were 3-1 down, the game was almost lost.
“But it would become the day when the players who never scored, scored. Andis Shala with the first, then Morgaro Gomis (awarded as a Steven Whittaker own goal after a massive deflection) before I was in the right place to equalise.
“It was a very special game for me, and especially when we won the replay at Tannadice and knew how important it could be in the history of the club.”
Kovacevic would go on to recover from a hamstring complaint in time to start the final against Ross County, cementing his place in Terrors folklore by putting Ross County – for whom he would later play – to the sword.
“I had a big fear that I would miss the final,” he continued. “But I knew that (Peter) Houston wanted me to play and the physio did an amazing job. I came back to training a week before the final and I was so happy to play my part.
“The match and the celebrations will live with me for my whole life. Seeing the supporters in such big numbers; the dressing room after; the parties in Dundee; tens of thousands of people in the square in Dundee – such amazing memories for me.
“That was the highest point in my career, and I had no idea that my lowest point would come a few weeks later.”
Biggest high to shuddering low
A mainstay in trophy-winning United side; a crucial goal against Rangers; pedigree as a Switzerland and Croatia U/21 international – it was little surprise to see Bilic taking note of Kovacevic.
However, everything came crumbling down when he suffered a devastating cruciate knee ligament rupture mere weeks after holding the Scottish Cup aloft. He describes the injury hell as “not only big for my time at United, but my whole career”.
From the cusp of international football, with suitors in England and the continent, to the operating table.
“I was getting ready for pre-season in my free time and was playing with some friends, then I landed from a jump and twisted my knee,” rued Kovacevic. “In that moment, so much changed. Unlucky, but that is life and that is football.
“The biggest challenge was the mental part of it. I was a young player, on top of the world and preparing to play in Europe with United. I had scouts watching me, I could sign pre-contracts.
“You never know what could have happened. Maybe I could have been playing in the English Premier League one day.
“But overnight, my career changed.”
No regrets
Kovacevic – who will be in attendance for United’s 2025 Gala Dinner this Friday, celebrating the heroes of 2010 – ultimately departed after playing just two games in 2010/11. Still just 23 years of age.
He readily confesses that he needed a fresh start – on and off the pitch – after three-and-a-half years in Dundee, acknowledging his conviction for speeding in 2011 among the factors weighing on his mind.
Spells in Croatia, Bulgaria and Switzerland followed, as well as two years in the Highlands with County, but Kovacevic ultimately hung up his boots at the age of 29.
But there is no sense of bitterness or what might have been.
Kovacevic is now a luxury car salesperson in Switzerland and runs a construction company. Having gained his Uefa ‘A’ Licence while at County, he sates his appetite for football by coaching with local amateur side HNK Croatia Basel.
“I always had thoughts about starting my own businesses,” he recalled.
“So, I gave myself six months and said, “a really good offer needs to come to keep me in football”. When I didn’t, we moved back to Switzerland, I got married, started a family and settled down.
“I can have no regrets – and we have a good over-30s league that I can still play in most Fridays!”
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