Goalkeeping coach Andy Marshall of Millwall has paid a heartfelt tribute to Matija Sarkic, stating that the Montenegro international’s demise is “literally like losing my son.”
The 26-year-old Lions star went peacefully on Saturday morning in Montenegro.
In September 2015, while Marshall was at Aston Villa, he took the decision to bring Sarkic to England, which marked the beginning of an unbreakable friendship between the two.
Marshall was the one who answered the phone and learned the awful news.
“I had a great night’s sleep on Friday,” Marshall said to the South London Press. “I’d had an incredible summer. I travelled to Turkey and then Spain with Matija to provide him with more training and prepare him for his next international match went to Belgium and played
“My buddy and I took a drive over there to watch him play. then to get that call from his father. He called, I didn’t answer, I texted him, and when he picked up right away, you knew something was really wrong. I’d never received a worse phone call in my life, until that very moment.
“It feels exactly like I’m losing my son.”
Marshall was present at Sarkic’s Monday afternoon funeral in Montenegro.
“I found out Sunday afternoon (what the details were), because that’s how they work out there and in their tradition, they bury their deceased pretty quickly,” Marshall added. “To get there, my partner Jasmine booked all of the flights.
It was a lovely funeral. The family behaved with such dignity. The way they carried themselves was simply amazing.
We held a tribute at the national theatre in Podgorica on Tuesday. Speaking first was the nation’s president, who was acquainted with both Matija and her family. After a few others talked, Oliver, his twin brother, finally spoke. He paid a moving homage to Matija by speaking in both English and Montenegrin. To put it another way, it was really hard. However, it was exquisitely lovely. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house during the first two minutes of the video.
When Marshall was seventeen, he first encountered Sarkic. He and Villa agreed on a three-year contract.
Marshall recalled the boy as the small, wide-eyed immigrant from Belgium who was attending Anderlecht at the time. While he was employed at Villa, Tony Coton, a scout for Manchester United, lured him over. After just one training session, I was given the final say in whether or not we signed him. Since I gave him my name, to be pretty honest, all he has done is desire to study and figure out how to become a better goalie and person.
It went beyond just coaching or mentoring. It was more of a life-long mentorship experience than merely of football.
We shared a really unique bond. His charisma would come through whether we were training together, texting, or conversing every single day. His personality was evident in everything that I saw, including what Jake Cooper and Neil Harris stated about him. That was who he was as a person.
“I was just given the opportunity to enhance the fundamentals of life that his parents and brothers instilled in him.”
Last summer, Millwall signed Sarkic away from Wolves. For the Lions, he made 33 appearances across all competitions, 32 in the league, and 12 clean sheets.
The goalkeeper finished the Championship campaign strongly, save four shutouts in his last five games, including a last-day penalty save against Swansea from Matt Grimes.
“We talked a lot about how to develop him when he was 17 years old,” Marshall recalled. I often discussed with his father how we were going to help him grow both as a goalie and as a person. There was an idea in place that we were going to develop him as a human being and as a footballer – he was just reaching that point.
“I’m so happy that I went to see him play in the Belgium match; he won man of the match. That game was the culmination of all the effort, professionalism, and commitment he had put in over the years.
“I talked to him the next day, and I understand how he felt about it and how he realised that everything in his life had to be structured to maximise his opportunity and career, and why he had to do things the way he did.”
“I don’t think it comes as a surprise to the fans that the work Matija was doing on the training was evident in how he performed in the final 12 games of the season
field. It really came through in the end.”
Sarkic was normally the first Millwall player into training at Calmont Road.
“He was an absolute pro,” Marshall remarked. “He had years of education and was an exceptionally intelligent young man. He has an excellent education. He was multilingual. Every morning at 7:30, he would arrive and proceed with his breakfast and preparations in a regular manner. We would exercise correctly out on the training pitch. Do all of the necessary rehabilitation exercises and his post-workout workouts. He really exuded professionalism in everything
“I can’t speak highly enough of him.”
Plans for the Lions’ tribute strategy are still being developed, according to head coach Neil Harris.
Marshall added, “I went to see people at the training ground and sort out Matija’s stuff when I got back on Wednesday.” After that, I visited the stadium to pay my respects, lay some flowers, and sign the book of condolences.
“All I can do is encourage everyone to pack the stadium for him, regardless of the game—whether it’s the first or the last in the preseason. Let’s honour his family and let them know how much he meant to Millwall and the supporters of the club.
He was demonstrating his true self and coming into his own. I’m not kidding when I say that I’ve received thousands of messages via SMS and social media. It is extremely evident how he was viewed: as both a football player and a human being.
“The club has behaved in an absolutely amazing and unmatched manner. Every single person who works at the club who has gotten in touch with me has done so. Everyone involved—manager, coaching staff, media—has come together and executed the task correctly.
“Lastly, I would want to discuss the owner, James Berylson. The owner has been nothing short of extraordinary. He and I have been in communication nonstop. I really cannot say enough good things about the arrangements the owner is making for the family, and for his girlfriend Phoebe in particular, to make sure she has a future.
