Incheon United welcomed the return of Stefan Mugoša this summer, sealing a transfer back to the club he left just a year earlier. The transfer had been rumoured for a while but the way in which Mugosa's move was announced was something of a surprise. Mugosa talks about how that all transpired and what it's like to be back at the club and scoring goals.
How does it feel to be back?
It feels amazing, like I've never been in Japan. Here is my home, Incheon is my city, Incheon [United] is my club. This is my second home and really, I love this club. I love this country and K League is for me very good league and I really missed all these things this past year.
How did you keep the transfer back to Incheon a secret?
That was an amazing job. We spoke with the club every time and we say that we need to keep this secret. It was hard to keep it secret, but even the players didn't know, nobody from the club, only maybe the CEO and the mayor and general manager and head coach and nobody else. And that was an amazing job from us. One day before I came, Deli (Harrison Delbridge) called me and said to me, "Stefan, how are you? What's happening there?" And I was surprised, I was in shock. Like, how did he know that now? It's not possible. Nobody knows. And then he just starts speaking, "Ah, how are you doing? How is your family doing?" And then I know that he doesn't know anything (about the transfer). Then I was like, "Oh, everything is good."
And after when I came back, he called me directly. "Hey, Stefan, what happened? Why yesterday did you not tell me you were coming? What is this?" It was a fantastic joke from Incheon United and from my side. And was a big surprise for the fans, that was most important - our fans were very happy.
You had an Incheon jersey on underneath your shirt at the airport. Where did that come from? Did someone post that out to you?
One of our club officers is actually my friend. He came to Kobe to my home and we signed the contract, he brought me my uniform. And that was a club idea that when I go to the airport, I put my uniform on and show the fans that I'm coming back. It was a nice idea. It was a nice surprise.
Did anyone recognise you on the flight?
No, because he gave me a mask, he gave me sunglasses. I was shocked because many Korean people were on the plane, of course, they came back home and he was also scared, maybe somebody take a photo of me and put it on social media and this surprise will be finished.
What happened in Japan? Why didn't the coach at Kobe pick you?
When I signed this contract, there was one Spanish coach - Mr. Lotina (Miguel Ángel Lotina). I waited for my visa for like two weeks and they sacked him and then a scout came in. But he also was part (of the staff) that he saw me and he said "Okay, we will bring Stefan (from Incheon)," together with the coach and then he became the head coach. I said maybe this is also for me good because he is one guy who chose me, you know, but from the beginning, I started to play maybe one game [then after] 45 minutes he changed me.
Another game, like FA Cup, we play, but not with the best 11. He put out a mixed team, like B team players and some A team players. I played and we lost and then from that time, like 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes - he didn't give me a chance, like, five, six, seven games to play 90 minutes. Because when you are a new player, you need to adapt, you need time to adapt to the players, to the fans, to a new league. J.League is the total opposite of the K League and I needed a little bit of time to adapt to all these things, but he doesn't give me a chance. Even last pre-season, I did a great job. In six games I scored six goals and at the start of the season, I didn't play.
But this year, I want to say that they are doing a great job. They are now first and I wish that they win the J.League and the strikers also play amazing, but from the beginning, he didn't give me a chance to play and I feel sorry, but I cannot show my best if I play like 10 minutes and 20 minutes and then 10 minutes, this is not my style. I need to keep playing 90 minutes for a few games. Then if I'm not good, okay, I agree, I'm not good. But if I play like six, seven games, 90 minutes for sure, I will score some goals and get some assists.
When did you first hear about Incheon wanting to sign you back? When did you start to believe it was possible?
We spoke last winter as well [whether] it's possible or not possible. Let's see because from the summer to winter, I didn't play and then I smelled this situation - maybe this coach doesn't want me even next year. And then I start to think, "Okay, let's see first training camp, how it's going and then after that, I will decide." The training camp was really good, I did a really great job and scored a lot of goals, played very good. And then I said, "This is my chance now. I will play now and I will score some goals and I will stay here, no problem." But, from the beginning, I played maybe [in the] first game [for] only one minute and after this, it was not a good situation for me.
Then I started to push the club. "Why I don't play? Why did you bring me here?" I don't want to sit on the bench. Especially now, I'm at my best age, I'm experienced, I'm 30 years old. I had the best season ever in my life, I played 20 games, I scored 19 goals for the club and for the national team. How is it possible that I cannot play here? They say, "Ah, this is head coach style. We need to follow him. He's getting results, what we can do?" I say, "Okay, no problem." And then when time's going on we, we continue to play good and then that was my chance to push them "I want to go, I want to go, I want to go."
It was a really hard time for me. I fight every time with them and maybe a few days into June we know this Bosman rule that I can sign a contract with Incheon six months before my contract finishes in Kobe. And then Incheon sent this letter that we will sign Stefan from January 1st, and then he will be our player. This was the turning point for us. Then Kobe saw that they didn't have a chance to sell me somewhere. I don't want to go anywhere [else], I say I just want to go Incheon. If you don't want this, I will stay here. I don't care for anything. Only one possibility for me, go to Incheon or stay here. That was an easy choice for me."
You had to wait a little while to play your first game back at Incheon but how did that feel?
An emotional moment, a really emotional moment for me because I have here very nice memories on the pitch and off the pitch as well. And this love what I get from our fans, this is something amazing. And when I go to our home stadium, I feel like I can do whatever you want because of this love, because of this support. And I really, really enjoy here in Incheon.
It didn't take long for you to score. It came in a win, too, so how did that feel, and did you feel pressure?
Of course, even they knew that I hadn't played for one year, that my fitness was not good and I was injured. But the expectation for me is to score goals because I was very good past five years. Every year I score a lot of goals and I knew that but of course, I feel a little bit of pressure because I came again in Incheon.
Everybody wants me to score goals, to play good, and it's just not too much but a bit of pressure. And finally, that was the first game at home that we played against Daegu for me, my first game. And then after 20 minutes, I just kick the ball and score a goal. I was so happy, too much emotion and at the same time, I wanted to cry and I want to celebrate with the fans. I made an assist to Gerso and we win, 3-0 up at halftime. This was amazing, nobody scored three goals in 45 minutes against Daegu, you know, Daegu is a strong team also and at that game, we played really good.
This club is in a great place at the moment, you must be able to feel that better than anyone?
Yeah, this is very important. Now it's very important because we play FA Cup, Champions League and K League. And then we have a lot of good players. Now the head coach can mix the team. Some games we can rest players. This is most important now because before we had maybe 12, 13 players. And then if we play like this, we get tired and maybe the result is not good.
But first, for me, my plan was to go in the Champions League. This mission is clear. And the second one, now to go in the top six. We are so close, but we need to be focused now. Because after this when we are in the top six it will be much easier for us of course, we will fight for the Champions League for this third or fourth position. But it will be much easier than if you are down then it's too much stress. I've been here five or six years and every time too much pressure for relegation but this is over, we will go up [from now on].
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