Stamenic relishing his journey on Kiwis' World Cup challenge

THEY say the journey is more important than the destination and in the case of Swansea's New Zealand midfielder Marko Stamenic, that may be true.

- PHIL BLANCHE Press Association

Stamenic had previously met last night's Carabao Cup opponents Manchester City, having met them in the Champions League with Copenhagen and Red Star Belgrade.

But Stamenic's story runs far deeper: from bloody civil war in the former Yugoslavia before he was even born, to seeing his dream of playing in Europe almost wrecked by the Covid pandemic.

To dealing with colourful Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis and heading to the World Cup next summer with New Zealand.

"I'm a long way from home but I always wanted to come to Europe," said Stamenic, whose father Nikola fled Novi Sad in Serbia for sanctuary as Yugoslavia was ripped apart in the 1990s.

"That was a difficult time for my dad and his family. They were just looking for an out, to get away from the chaos.