There are some real crowd-pullers in store in the first qualifying round of the Champions League and the UEFA Cup, after a dozen or so clubs from the former Yugoslavia were drawn to play each other.

The meeting of Montenegros Buducnost Podgorica and Croatian campaigners Hajduk Split, the winners of four league titles in the former Yugoslavia, has prompted instant security concerns as both clubs have die-hard fan sections.

Both clubs have passionate fans but I am sure the two-leg clash will be remembered only for the football, said Montenegro Football Association Secretary Momir Djurdjevac after the draw in Nyon.

Serbias Partizan Belgrade are up against Bosnian rivals Zrinjski Mostar in what should be another fierce dogfight. Although the Bosnian league is still a far cry from being a force even in the Balkans, the national teams steady improvement has given hope that an abundance of natural talent my start translating into decent results at club level too.

Bosnian Cup winners Siroki Brijeg will start as favourites against Slovenias NK Koper, whose local rivals Gorica should have the edge against Macedonian opposition Rabotnicki Skopje. 

Former European Cup winners Red Star Belgrade have high hopes of reaching the Champions league group stage for the first time and their quest begins in the second qualifying round, where they could meet Macedonias Pobeda Prilep. 

Countries that emerged from the former Yugoslavias break-up have modest soccer leagues and have made no impact in Europe since Red Stars 1991 success. Their rivalry, however, at least ensures unreserved passion on the pitch and raucous support from the terraces, while putting security officials to the test very early in the season.

Zoran Milosavljevic, Belgrade

Javier Clementes reputation for being a hardliner with no tolerance for big egos made many in Serbia wonder how a group of players accustomed to having it their way would respond to the 57-year old Basque.

Almost a year on from his appointment, it turns out that Clementes iron first is exactly what was needed after a dismal World Cup.

Clemente swept away a group of ageing and unproductive veterans and then made it clear to their replacements he expected nothing less than full commitment and discipline.

As a result, Serbia remain very much in the hunt to reach the Euro 2008 finals after a 2-0 win in Finland that followed a rough patch Clemente had weathered with some ease.

Unlike his predecessors, who often wilted to media outcries after embarrassing defeats, Clemente stoically faced the music following a 2-1 setback in Kazakhstan and rubbished suggestions it was a disaster of biblical proportions.

I dont understand why people here see every defeat as a tragedy and every victory as a conquest, he said after the Finland win.

Clementes no-nonsense approach seems to have taken effect at all levels as the under-21 side, headed by half a dozen talents he had brought into the first team, got off to a perfect start at the European Championship in The Netherlands with an industrious 1-0 win over favourites Italy.

Serbias passage to the Euro 2008 finals in Austria and Switzerland will probably hang in the balance until the final qualifying day but fans can at least be certain this group of players are willing to go the extra mile for their coach in a bid to get there.

Zoran Milosavljevic reports on soccer for Reuters from Belgrade