photo: private archiveMEMORIES: Teammates congratulate Taušan after saving a penalty in the Cup game against Zvezda
One of the sports legends Subotica is a semi-final cup match in 1962, in which Spartak, as a second division team, eliminated Crvena zvezda with 4:3 (1:1, 3:3). Having saved two penalty kicks after extra time, he was the main hero of that sporting feat goalkeeper Subotica's Tomislav Taušan Toka.
He played for Spartak (1958/1963), Novi Sad (1963/1964), Voždovacki (1964/1965), from 1965 until the end of his career for the Turkish first league team PTT, and then...
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"It was the final before the final, because in terms of quality, combativeness, beautiful play, extra time and penalty kicks taken and defended, it was one of the most beautiful and exciting games that have been played in this competition to date", reported the journalists in 1962 about the big surprise. in Subotica.
Taušan, Bleskanj, Ćopic, Jenovai, Čučkovic, Đukanović, Takač, Hiršman, Terzić, Maravić II and Savković performed for Spartak in front of 8.000 spectators. The goals for Spartak were scored by Tomić (own goal), Terzić and Hiršman, two. Red Star squad: Vukićević, Tomić, Milićević, Malešević, Durković, Popović, Stipić, Škrbić, Mlošević, Šekularac, Melić. The goals for Crvena zvezda were scored by Stipić, Milosevic and Melić. In the Cup final, Spartak lost to OFK Belgrade 4:1.
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Goalkeeper Tomislav Taušan was tall, strong, with great reflexes. Most often, in a high jump, breaking the bouquet of opposing attackers, he safely caught the ball. After his intervention, doctors sometimes ran onto the field and there would be shorter or longer interruptions of the game. The football players commented: "Who can enter the sixteen next to this one".
- I was often punished with a yellow card for lingering in the air for too long - he recalled self-critically.
Once, in a respectable football club, a conversation started with the famous Milutin Šoškić about who is our best goalkeeper of all time. Taushan immediately said:
– Milutin Šoškić!
While those present, knowing about Taušan's self-love, were still surprised, he added:
– After me.
Each of his conversations began and ended with an autobiography (from one of his poems):
"When I'm not in Ka (Kanjiži, prim. a.)
She is guided everywhere.
Like a deserted place
And with me is the metropolis.
And the most beautiful place in the world".
He knew how to organize real parties. At the once famous dance in the Subotica Gymnasium, he once appeared in the orchestra with a saxophone and played several numbers with the gesticulations of famous saxophonists in front of an audience amazed by his previously undiscovered skill. Better to say acted, because behind the curtain a permanent member of the orchestra was playing the saxophone.
He could have jumped over the "fica", claims his friend and witness to that unusual record, doctor Luka Anđelić.
- I often injured myself falling on the crossbar of the goal - he drove the interlocutors crazy with the story of his high reflection.
- Like falling, I guess during a high jump - they tried to straighten him.
- No, but when I was falling on top of her after the jump.
As an excellent volleyball player, he enjoyed playing on the Kanji courts by the river in front of hundreds of bathers.
- When I shoot, the place where the ball hits, Tisa pops out.
He was an athlete and knew how to "wear" it. Taking a picture with the team in a black jersey, he always moved a little away from the team in order to be more noticeable. And even without that, he was "visible", aware of his appearance and talent.
And lucid. He once injured a pedestrian with his car. At the trial, the judge benevolently reprimanded him:
- If you had driven slower, you wouldn't have hit him.
- I wouldn't even if I drove faster.
He was also a master at ruining his career. When he made a name for himself in the cup match against Zvezda, he received several offers from big clubs. But... As he tried to exact his justice, mostly in the wrong places and in the wrong way, he ended up in court, but this time with a forced break from football for several months. He repeated it; he stayed in prisons in Novi Sad, Vienna and Kroneburg (he later mentioned and recorded this himself).
He placed everything in his value coordinates. Not always understandable. He was at a reception for Arkan in the former Milošević government in Subotica, and then, as a protector or bodyguard, he was photographed behind the mayor of Subotica, Jožef Kasa, and his guest, Zoran Đinđić.
He exaggerated:
- When I take off at the away game against Beşiktaş in Istanbul, the ball flies into the Bosphorus.
I was there, the old Besiktas pitch was really close to the sea, but not so much that the ball flew into the water, even when Tausan kicked it.
Often his friends, relatives and godfathers became his enemies, and some of his friends for no apparent reason. He led endless disputes. In front of the court, in front of others and in front of yourself. Always between the thorns and the stars.
He graduated from the Faculty of Physical Culture in Novi Sad with the thesis "New rules in the interest of improving football".
- I have prepared more than twenty new rules that would improve the game. The English invented football, but they are most resistant to news that does not come from themselves. If my rules were accepted, I claim that existing football would collapse within 24 hours.
According to his proposals, the field would be the same size everywhere, but a new line would be introduced 25 meters from the goal. A goal scored outside that line would count double. The goalkeeping area would be narrowed to 11 meters, and the penalty kick would be taken from a distance of 21 meters. In the case of free kicks, there would be no offside, but the "living wall" would be maintained. The out would be performed either by hand or foot and two "flying" player substitutions would be possible. No rebounding of the ball would be allowed. In case of someone's injury, it would be possible to introduce a reserve player. Fouls would result in suspensions of five and ten minutes, and two yellow cards and the replacement of the penalized player. According to Taušan's rules, three points would be awarded for a victory in regular time, after two overtimes of seven and a half minutes each, and one point after penalties. There would be two judges on the field.
In February 1980, in Subotica, in front of about 400 spectators, an experimental match between Zorka and Backa was played according to Taušan's rules. The audience was delighted.
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photo: private archiveTomislav Tausan
When his biography was already limited to football and the man who saved two penalties against Zvezda – surprise! Few people knew that Tomislav Taušan writes songs. Not all at once, suddenly, like when people leave everything and start painting, playing music or finishing university in retirement. He wrote them somehow along the way of everything that was happening to him. Like a poetic diary or a poetic biography. Certainly, like his life page, unknown to us until then. But even that didn't work without Taušan's whim, charm, spite, whatever he was. He published the book not only without a title, but also without the name of the author. Nameless.
Although there is no title, on the cover in the upper left corner there is a text written by his close relative Matija Bećković, apparently as a review of the manuscript:
Allah is faith.,
Who knows? knows everything!
But that's not all: another ten distinguished literary and public figures lifted this book to the heavens with their texts, and twenty companies and individuals signed up as sponsors. Only his name is nowhere in the book.
What to choose from more than two hundred songs from the second edition of the book? Maybe any, maybe this one, the shortest one:
WEATHER
It used to be the same.
And now everything is different.
Tomislav Taušan defended the goal, lived and defended life according to his own rules.
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Tomislav Taušan Toka was born on October 20, 1938 in Kanjiža. After a short illness, he died on March 22, 2021. He was buried at the Baj cemetery in Subotica.
