All Whites midfielder Marko Stamenic is hopeful of getting a Premier League chance. Photo / Photosport
Marko Stamenić is ready to start his Nottingham Forest career – though he has an open mind about where he might yet play this season.
The All Whites midfielder signed a groundbreaking five-year deal with the English Premier League team in June 2024, a rare move for a New Zealander.
But the highly rated 23-year-old has yet to experience the City Ground and the historic team, because he spent the past season on loan at Greek club Olympiacos. It was a testing campaign for Stamenić – whose game time was limited – but he was still part of a highly successful season, as the Greek giants claimed the league and cup double.
The Ole Academy product gave a timely reminder of his class last month, with two eye-catching international performances in Toronto, setting up the winning goal against Ivory Coast and scoring in a man-of-the-match display in the 2-1 defeat to Ukraine. He’s on a brief off-season break before focus will switch to his club future. There will be plenty of machinations behind the scenes, with conversations between agents and clubs, but Stamenić is hopeful of a Premier League shot.
“For me, of course, I’ve got the contract with Forest and I would love to join Woodsy [Chris Wood] and Tyler Bindon there,” Stamenić tells the Herald. “The Premier League has always been my dream, so like any other player and boy with a football ambition, [the dream] would be to go to Forest. So that’s the plan at the moment, but we’ll see.”
All Whites coach Darren Bazeley believes Stamenić is ready for the ultimate test, after a wide-ranging apprenticeship since he arrived in Europe in 2020.
“I can see him playing in any league,” says Bazeley. “I was surprised Olympiacos didn’t play him every week. I know they’ve got a good squad, but he’s got such a high ceiling and such consistency in and out of possession. I can see him playing in the Premier League this season. Whether people would give him a chance, I don’t know, because he’s still a little bit young, still a little bit unknown. But if Forest gave him, say, five games, I think he’d stay in the team.”
Though it was an in-and-out season for Stamenić – who had 23 appearances (11 starts) in League, Cup and European action – he is happy with his development, after a remarkable three-year spell during which he has lifted trophies in Denmark, Serbia and Greece.
“There were a lot of ups and downs [but] as with all seasons, I’ve learned something new,” said Stamenić. “And this season, especially, I learned the most.”
He was disappointed not to be featuring more – especially during the run-in – but it was important to put his personal ambitions aside.
“When things were getting tough and we needed to rely on all of us to be in the best possible headspaces as possible for everybody, that’s where the turning point for me [came] and something I learned about myself. It is more important on an everyday basis that the team is together.”
On the field, there was a new structure because the coaches wanted a more direct emphasis from the midfielders, moving the ball more quickly through the phases. It was different to what he had previously experienced at other clubs, but something that was also positive.
“It’s going to help me to be versatile,” says Stamenić. “You never know the circumstances that could come about at a club in the future. So to experience that for the first time is really important and I’m happy with the way that I reacted to it all.”
Stamenić loved the lifestyle in Athens, where he lived in a compound with other players, close to the beach. He made close friends and enjoyed the city.
“You can’t really complain much about Greece,” says Stamenić. “It’s an amazing country. The weather, the people, the food, the culture, all of that was really special.”
Aside from being able to lift two trophies, his favourite memories were his home debut, featuring in five matches against arch-rivals Panathinaikos and AEK Athens, and having his parents watch him live on a couple of occasions. Though the fans in Greece have a volatile reputation, as passions can overspill, Stamenic said he only had “good interactions” with supporters outside the games.
“Every time they get an opportunity or see us on the streets or at the shops, they definitely gave us that reassurance that they’re really happy with how we’ve done,” says Stamenic.
Bazeley has closely observed Stamenić as he has developed over many years. Aside from physical and technical improvements, his understanding of the game has gone to another level.
“He’s tactically very astute,” says Bazeley.
However, next season is crucial before the 2026 Fifa World Cup, with game time vital.
“He needs to go to a club and be a mainstay, be a first name on the team sheet,” says Bazeley. “Obviously, Forest will make a decision on whether they bring him into their squad or send him somewhere else. It will be interesting [to see] what they do. I’m not sure going back to Olympiacos would be the best option because that was a bit in and out, and I’m not sure why.”
Overall, it is easy to forget how much Stamenic has already achieved. He is coming off his fourth season in Europe, with more than 100 senior appearances across time at HB Koge, FC Copenhagen, Red Star Belgrade and Olympiacos. He has played in the UEFA Champions League (seven games) and Europa League (four) and had to win the trust of numerous coaches and teammates, all while adapting to different countries and environments.
He has also collected 29 international caps since his September 2021 debut and is now one of the most important players in the All Whites mix.
“It’s pretty surreal when you put it into context,” says Stamenic. “But I’m always striving to be better than I was yesterday. So as cool as it is and as amazing as it is to win these trophies, I’m still aiming for more in my career, personal achievements and club achievements. I’m also wanting to take that step with the national team, to make achievements that probably no one has thought about with the World Cup and how far we can actually go.”
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of the Big League podcast.