The Absence of Serbian Coaches in the Champions League – and the Road Back
The group stage of this year’s Champions League has started, and one fact stands out: among the benches of all 36 participating clubs, not a single Serbian coach can be found. In the Conference League, Serbia also has no representatives, while Crvena zvezda with Vladan Milojević is part of the Europa League. Even more alarming – among more than 700 registered players in Europe’s elite competition, only six are Serbian: Vlahović and Kostić (Juventus), Milinković-Savić (Napoli), Samardžić (Atalanta), Stanković (Club Brugge), and Stanojev (Kairat).
While the shortage of players is a consequence of long-standing issues in Serbian football, the question of coaches hurts even more. Yugoslavia was once famous for its football experts – just recall Vujadin Boškov and Radomir Antić. Today, however, Serbian coaches are almost invisible in the European elite.
It is devastating that in the last quarter century, only six Serbian coaches have managed to lead teams in the Champions League group stage. This clearly points to the lack of continuity, serious work, and systemic support that would allow Serbian coaches to appear more often on the European stage. During this period, the following coaches participated in the competition: the late Radomir Antić, who reached the quarterfinals with Barcelona in 2002/03; Ivan Jovanović, who led APOEL Nicosia into the group stage in 2009/10 and sensationally reached the quarterfinals in 2011/12; Aleksandar Stanojević, who guided Partizan in 2010/11; Slaviša Jokanović, with Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2015/16; Vladan Milojević, who took Crvena zvezda into the group stage in 2018/19 and 2019/20; and Marko Nikolić, who managed Lokomotiv Moscow in 2020/21.
Why are we in this position?
1. Short mandates and unstable projects
In Serbian clubs, coaches are changed every three to six months. Instead of building systems, they work “day to day.” In such an environment it is nearly impossible to develop a recognizable playing philosophy and continuity that would be respected abroad.
2. Lack of specialization and professional staff
While in top leagues every club has analysts, set-piece coaches, physiologists, and psychologists, in Serbia it is still common for the head coach and two assistants to cover everything. Such an approach cannot compete with modern football anymore.
3. Weak international network and reputation
Players have agents and clear pathways abroad, but coaches rarely break into top systems. There are no Serbian assistants in, for example, the Bundesliga or Premier League, and those are precisely the positions that often serve as stepping stones toward head coaching jobs.
4. Insufficient use of sports science
Performance tracking, training load management, individual development, and analytics are not yet the standard in Serbian clubs. Teams that want to compete in Europe must monitor the same parameters as their rivals.
5. Historical decline of prestige
In the 1990s and early 2000s, Serbian coaches still had credibility thanks to older generations. Over the past fifteen years, however, there hasn’t been a single Serbian name to establish itself at the top level, creating a vicious cycle – without role models and examples, young coaches remain trapped in the domestic scene.
How do we educate coaches?
Beyond unstable projects and a lack of resources, a key issue is the system of coach education. In Serbia it is almost exclusively based on UEFA licenses, and the entry barrier is far too low.
- Weak entry threshold. Even a three-year vocational high school diploma is enough to begin the coaching path. Many candidates lack broad general education, foreign language skills, and the cultural capital needed for a modern leader.
- Focus only on licenses. Unlike countries where universities and higher education actively contribute to coach education, in Serbia academic involvement is minimal. As a result, our coaches miss out on knowledge in psychology, pedagogy, youth development methodology, team management, and vital areas like communication and leadership.
If we want a serious breakthrough, we need:
- University and master’s programs for football coaches, in cooperation with the Serbian FA and universities.
- Integration of sports sciences (biomechanics, psychology, analytics) into the curriculum.
- Language and cultural education – English as mandatory, plus a second optional language.
- Higher entry threshold – only candidates with higher education or with passed general knowledge and language tests should access UEFA courses.
What can we learn from others?
- Portugal has built an export industry of coaches: from Mourinho to Amorim, supported by agent networks and academy systems.
- Germany invested heavily in education – all Bundesliga coaches must pass strict programs in Hennef, with an emphasis on analytics and methodology. Hennef, near Bonn, is home to the German FA’s Sports Academy (DFB-Akademie) and the National Coaching Center, the foundation of the German coaching education system.
- The Red Bull model (Salzburg, Leipzig) shows how a unified playing philosophy implemented across all levels produces coaches “from the same mold.”
Proposals for Serbian football
1. International internships
The top 10 young coaches (30–45 years old) should be sent on 6–12 month internships in top-five league clubs, supported by FSS and sponsors.
2. Export of assistants
It is easier to become a set-piece coach or analyst in a top-five league than to land a head coach role. This must be a strategic goal – Serbian coaches should integrate into systems where they can grow.
3. Project stability
Clubs should guarantee a minimum of 18 months of work, with evaluations based on key performance indicators (KPIs), not just results. Quick dismissals destroy continuity.
4. Professionalization of coaching staffs
The European standard is 6–8 specialized experts. It is time for Serbian clubs to introduce mandatory professional analysts, physiologists, and set-piece coaches.
5. Language and personal branding
English must be standard, with Spanish or Italian as additional options. Coaches should undergo media training and prepare professional presentations in English – the expected minimum abroad.
6. Academies and B-teams
The playing philosophy must be unified from youth to senior levels. That way, coaches grow within the same football language and affirm themselves more easily.
7. International partnerships
Formal agreements on coach exchanges and joint courses with clubs in Portugal, Germany, and elsewhere can accelerate progress.
Conclusion
Serbian football has talent and tradition, but without a systemic plan our coaches will not reach the Champions League. Europe cannot be conquered with improvisation – it requires continuity, science, and investment in people. If we want a new generation of experts to compete with the best, we must invest not only in players, but also in coaches. After all, coaches shape the players more than anyone else – it’s only logical.
Until we raise entry thresholds and bring universities and higher education into the process, our coaches will remain “bricklayers without tools” compared to their Western peers. UEFA courses are important, but not enough – a coach must be an educated leader, fluent in languages, capable of understanding sports science, and able to manage teams in complex environments.
Maybe today we don’t have a Boškov or an Antić – but if we take the right steps, tomorrow we can have them again.
