Bavli Vajik had a rough start in Bagen.
The quest for prestige did not start a single game – and this summer he was ridiculed for his homework.
“I’ve got a ping-pong lung,” explains Vagic, who will now return to his home in Malmö to face the Parents’ Club.
Maybe you remember the pictures?
Hammarby faced Värnamo and did his best to score the winning goal. In the final minutes, the newcomers had a chance to change and top scorer Marcos Antonson set the pace.
Next to him he had Bavli Vajik. Hammarby has just been replaced and he had to be light and gentle in his step. However, Antonson managed to overtake in no time, create a gap of tens of meters and score the winning goal with a shot.
Vagic didn’t have a chance to keep up and on social media, the clip ran back and forth. Many of Bagen’s supporters wondered what the speed and physicality of the new acquisition actually was?
– Yes, I saw that… I know the fans are excited about the team. When they see something like this, they will react. Then you can react in different ways, but of course you have to love me.
– But I can promise you that I always do my best to win matches.
“I received criticism, but…”
The 22-year-old also has an explanation for the weird photos.
– I got criticism, but I just jumped into the match. There was a lot of running back and forth and anyone who played football knows you can have table tennis at the time. I got it. Antonson played the whole game, I had just entered, and then I have to be faster. But sometimes it is football. The fans responded because they love the club.
Unfortunately, the incident speaks of Vagic’s introduction to Hammarby. Brought in as a prestige takeover from Rosenborg, he was a regular fixture on the U21 national team and even called up to the senior national team during the summer.
But at Bagen he was a marginal player. Vagic hasn’t started after one game, making seven appearances but never appearing for longer than 32 minutes.
The main reason is that I have good players to compete with. They have done a very good job for me, it is just about showing Martí (Cifuentes) and the others that I want to take the place. But of course I want to start every match. I respect the situation but not too much either.
He sees himself in the same role as Sara
Although Bagen has major problems with injuries, illnesses and suspensions in midfield and full-back – two of Vajic’s positions – he was not allowed to start.
– I can’t tell why. Marty decides which player to play. Sad answer, but that’s how it is. Then I was a linebacker at Rosenborg and U21 and it took time to get him on board as a midfielder here. This is my correct position. Only now I’m starting to feel good.
Which “sex” do you see yourself as at the time?
– number. Mostly eight or ten.
Not a defensive midfielder?
– No no. You’ve always played really, really better. We had injuries in Malmö when I started playing there and I was only six. But it doesn’t really matter if it’s eight or ten, but that’s my attitude.
What kind of role does Naher Basara play?
– Yes exactly.
It is not common to have a player who can be a central defender but also plays in all the midfield roles that you have at Hammarby. Is it good or bad for you?
At the moment, when I’m not starting, it’s positive to be able to play in a lot of positions. But in the long run I want to find my position which is the midfielder. Then what specific role it will be, we’ll see. Marty sees me as a midfielder and that’s what I signed up for.
“The Malmö Identity Wasn’t There”
It cost a lot of money, was a prestigious acquisition and is also associated with the national team. How do you feel about not being able to show what you intend to do?
– I don’t care about price, numbers, etc. And I primarily want to prove things to myself, no one else. But obviously, I was important at U21 and I have ambitions in my career. Now I want to take a seat at Hammarby.
On Saturday, he returned to his home in Malmö to face parent club MFF. Vagic started playing for the Federation when he was six years old and left the year he turned 21.
– For me… In the case where we chase gold in every match, it’s like a “normal match” that way, but at the same time especially because I played in Malmö and we’re going to face them. We’ll go there and get three points. There is nothing else.
What would it be like to play against MFF?
– especially. I’ve never met Malmo. I have good contact with Mostafa Zeidan, Erdal Rakib, Isaac Casey Tellin and Patriot Sejdio.
What do you think of the MFF season?
– I’ve been busy with Rosenborg and Hammarby and haven’t checked out much. But from what I saw, it was tight. Malmö’s identity did not actually exist. The football they defend is not seen. But they are still in Europe and fighting for third place.
“We are fighting for gold – Malmö for third place”
Vajik smiles sarcastically before continuing:
– It’s good that we are fighting for gold and they have the third place.
What do you mean by loss of identity?
– Always when I played in Malmö they thought it was a strong and compact team that keeps moving forward. This creates opportunities to score and is difficult to score. But once I watched this year’s MFF, I didn’t really see it. At the same time, I didn’t check much.
He knows what matters in the big game.
– We have to win. It’s the toughest game of the season, except perhaps for the derbies, to face Malmö away from home. But we have to win and so should Malmö. This is their chance to reach the top three they know. But we have to play our game and if we do that we get three points.
So in conclusion…how do you feel in the heart of facing the parent club?
– Incredibly cute. Because I’m playing in Hammarby now.
Then you lose the old feelings?
– I can feel for Malmo, but not when I’m playing Hammarby. Now I play Hammarby, enjoying myself, and then it’s just a matter of turning off all the other feelings.