What has happened to David Babunski?
It was a question that regularly cropped up among Dundee United supporters during the second half of the season.
The 31-year-old enjoyed an impressive start to life at Tannadice after joining the club from Mezokovesd last summer. He scored two goals in the three Premier Sports Cup fixtures before starting 16 of the club’s first 17 Premiership games.
The Barcelona academy graduate served as captain for a chunk of those matches – underlining the impact he made on the pitch and in the dressing room – and helped the Tangerines roar into the top six of the Premiership.
However, Babunski suffered a slight injury during the winter period and would subsequently make just eight appearances in the second half of the season. Only two of those were in the starting lineup.
It was a startling juxtaposition, about which boss Jim Goodwin was quizzed on several occasions. The answer generally centred around certain fixtures not being suitable for Babunski’s technical game.
Other factors
That is not the whole story, Babunski contends, as he reflected on United’s own style – one he claims dramatically evolved from what he thought he was signing up for – and key contract clauses.
“It was a wonderful, fantastic season for the club and I am very happy to have been part of the success,” Babunski told Courier Sport. “Unfortunately, some things didn’t turn out how I wanted.
“The personal opportunities were not there for me to express my potential.
“There are always some things that are unrelated to football when coaches make their decisions.
“Although some aspects of the game did not suit me, I don’t think I was so bad that I needed to be removed (from the team) completely.
“My contract situation was that, depending on the number games I played, my extra year would automatically extend.
“I guess that the club wanted to reserve that power for themselves. That was perhaps another reason I had less playing time.”
Jim Goodwin rapport and a change of plan
Babunski takes a moment to ensure his candour isn’t mistaken for any sort of grudge towards Goodwin, noting that he understood that the United boss had his own priorities to consider.
Meanwhile, Courier Sport understands that substitute appearances would not have counted towards the triggering of a contract extension, so that would not have been in Goodwin’s thoughts when opting not to even utilise the player from the bench.
“I have a great relationship with Jim,” he continued. “There was never any problem between us. I know a lot of people might assume that, but it was never the case.
“I think Jim also changed his plans. When we spoke before I joined, we spoke about the team having possession and how I would receive a lot of the ball.
“Then, he had to play to our strengths as the season went on and make the most of what we had. And look where the team finished; you cannot argue. But unfortunately, we spent most of the games without the ball.
“With an average of 15 touches of the ball per game, I couldn’t do much.
“Could I have done better in the times I did get on the ball? Of course. But I believe we should all be judged on the work we did without the ball because we were prioritising stopping the opposition from scoring goals.”
He added: “I spoke with the boss, and he told me, “Listen, David, if you played with Celtic you would be one of the best players this season”. But we couldn’t create the conditions for me to flourish during the season.”
‘Now you know how I feel!’
David wasn’t the only Babunski enduring that fate, light-heartedly recounting: “I was taking my son to training (in Scotland).
“We always watch Barcelona together. I would say to him, “look, buddy, at how they position themselves on the pitch to receive and pass the ball”. We’d talk about those things, and then he’d go and play with the little guys; five and six years of age.
“He would open angles for passes, and no-one was giving him the ball because they are kicking long towards the goal. He would come off saying, “dad, no-one passed me the ball”.
“I said, “now you know how I feel!””
Gallows humour aside, Babunski is immensely proud of the part he played in United’s early form in the league, which provided the foundation for the club’s eventual qualification for the Europa Conference League second qualifying round.
After matchday 17 – the point at which he dropped out of the team – United were nicely ensconced in fifth spot and were firmly consolidated back in the top-flight.
“I captained the team during a great run of games at the start of the season that put us in an advantageous position,” he added. “From there, we could afford that downturn after January and still be well positioned to fight for the top six and ultimately get fourth.
“As the weeks went on during my absence, it became apparent how important that good start – and those early points – would be for the club.”
No bitterness
From Catalonia to Japan, Babunski has been round the block. There is no sign of bitterness. A little frustration, perhaps. But he understands the realities of football.
And the Macedonian maestro reflects fondly on the support he received from United fans, the friends his children made in school (their English coming on leaps and bounds in the process) and family trips around Tayside, Angus and Edinburgh.
A sleepy afternoon in the capital’s scenic Dean Village area was their most recent excursion.
Moreover, as one of the more philosophical footballers you could meet, he is content will how he carried himself and influenced others – especially younger players – during his time at Tannadice, regardless of whether he featured on a matchday.
“I would always speak to my teammates positively about how we could improve and the things we could do better,” he continued. “I have an obsession around fitness, nutrition and prevention exercises.
“Whether or not I play, I can be a positive influence, especially to younger players.
“Who are you as a person? That is the most important thing. How do you grow and what can you give to others? That’s what matters the most. Everything else is ephemeral – goals, victories, successes, failures.
“The only things you can truly control are your behaviour and attitude. So, don’t ever give people the opportunity to say something about your character. Because people talk so much now. I think that should be a big lesson.”
What comes next?
Babunksi is now back at his family home in Belgrade considering his options. There have been “a couple of calls” from clubs within days of his release but, with a young family, he will not make a hasty, errant decision.
“This summer is the first time I will not even try to formulate a plan,” he added.
“Something I have learned over the years is that when I try to plan where I want to play – maybe even write down lists of clubs as an objective – then something totally unrelated, unexpected and exciting will appear.”
Conversation