Soccer-Serbia must learn from U-20 champions - FA chief

By Zoran Milosavljevic BELGRADE, June 22 (Reuters) - Serbia's senior team must look to the junior team that won the Under-20 World Cup if they are to stop the rot on the big stage, according to Football Association (FSS) chief Tomislav Karadzic. The Serbians stunned favourites Brazil 2-1 in Saturday's final in New Zealand, delighting thousands of fans at home who are set to give them a royal reception in Belgrade's city centre later on Monday. "The Under-20 side have rasied the bar to the highest level and their achievement will be a barometer for all Serbia outfits including the senior team," Karadzic told Reuters in an interview. "This is the biggest success in Serbia's national team football and it will be difficult to emulate. "It came as fitting reward for the resources the FSS poured in to make sure there are grassroot accomplishments which should be the stepping stone for the future," added Karadzic. "The senior team can't be proud of their results in the last five years. Their prolonged crisis is cause for major concern and they must look up to these young lads when it comes to passion and determination." Serbia's seniors have a slim chance of reaching Euro 2016 after collecting one point from their opening five qualifiers in Group I. They missed out on the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2012 and made a group-stage exit at the 2010 World Cup, the only major tournament they have reached as an independent nation. PATIENCE REQUIRED Having stressed the Under-20 side must keep their feet on the ground if they are to do well at senior level, Karadzic pointed out that several of them were on the verge of coming through to the elite stage. "Many of these lads are already knocking on the senior team's doors but to enjoy success at a higher level they must stick to the virtues that made them world champions," he said. "Obviously a bit of patience is required but we are on the right track as superb results at youth level show that we have plenty of potential." Five of the squad that won the title on Saturday were also part of the Under-19 side that triumphed at the 2013 European Championship in Lithuania. Tottenham Hotspur's 19-year-old centre-back Milos Veljkovic was one of them and he saw Serbia's impressive run in New Zealand as a personal breakthrough after two diffcult years in English football. Veljkovic joined Tottenham from Swiss side Basel in 2011 and after two years in the Premier League team's youth academy he has played only a handful of games on loan at Middlesbrough and Charlton Athletic since 2013. "I couldn't have imagined a better comeback from injury and this should be a major springboard in my career," he said. "But we have to remember that the same level of commitment and motivation is needed at top-level football, regardless of whether it's a friendly or a World Cup final. "We won the Under-20 title living by that principle." (Editing by Tony Jimenez)