Apart from being a top keeper, Bojan Jorgacevic is something of a cult hero in Gent. Joining the club in 2006 from Red Star Belgrade, he quickly became the team’s first choice and a key figure in their best-ever season (2009-2010) when the Buffalos won the cup and finished runners-up in the league.
Early in his career at Gent, a young supporter gave Jorgacevic a club scarf and told the Serb that it would bring him good luck. After taking it home, Jorgacevic decided that the scarf might do just that and since then he ties it to a goalpost before every game. Not only that, Jorgacevic also places a bottle of Serbian holy water – sent over regularly by Serb friends – and places that in the net as well. Drinking from the bottle during the game, Jorgacevic believes that this also brings him luck.
Many Serbs and Gent supporters have long felt that Jorgacevic deserves a call up to the national team. And now, aged 28, his time may have arrived. New Serb coach Vladimir Petrovic – who used to play for Standard Liege – is thinking of playing Jorgacevic in the friendly against Bulgaria next week. Whether he will be taking his lucky charms is not yet known. Jorgacevic has also applied for Belgian nationality and that might have stung Petrovic into action.
Before he goes to Sofia, however, Gent face Anderlecht on Sunday in a battle between the 2nd and 3rd placed teams. Les Mauves should note that the Buffalos have won their last five games in all competitions – league, cup and Europa League. That could be down to skill, luck or divine inspiration.