Serbian coach looks to work wonders with football national teams

Serbian coach looks to work wonders with football national teams

by rick olivares

Serbian football coach Zoran Dordevic who found success coaching the national squads of Bangladesh, Sudan, and Yemen will now work his magic with the various Philippine National Teams. The 62-year old from Veliki Jovanovac, Serbia arrived last Tuesday, January 17, with Japanese sports journalist Takashi Morimoto who aside from running Deren Sumida, a football club in Mongolia, is a frequent Manila visitor who covers the Philippine Men’s National Team.

Dordevic met with Philippine Football Federation officials led by President Mariano Araneta, General Secretary Rolly Tulay, and National Team Manager Dan Palami on two separate occasions to present his plans on helping the national sides not coached by senior national squad boss Hans Michael Weiss.

The PFF and Dordevic came to an agreement last Thursday at the federation’s head office in Pasig City. Palami said that the Serbian was confident that he would be able to help the Philippines’ younger national teams win some titles. “He’s a disciplinarian and a teacher,” described Palami who seemed impressed after the series of meetings with Dordevic who used to play the midfield in his younger days in the former republic of Yugoslavia. “I am excited because there is a lot to do (here),” said the Serb who once coached Bader Al-Mutawa who was a part of the Kuwait team that ousted the Azkals from the World Cup Qualifiers last July 28, 2011 with a 5-1 aggregate score.

Dordevic’s resume is filled with accomplishments with his success with Bangladesh his most recent feather in his cap. He led the Bengal Tigers to the 2010 South Asian Games football championship with an immaculate 5-0 record while scoring 13 goals and not conceding any to the opposition. It was Bangladesh’s first gold medal after an 11-year drought.

However, in spite of Dordevic’s success, it seems that he has a hard time getting along with the clubs or federations he works with. In his last post as a national team coach, he had a falling out with the Bangladesh Football Federation. According to a report by Bangladesh’s Daily Star, the Serb’s one-month tenure with the Bengal Tigers ended prematurely when the BFF cited their inability to pay the increase that he was asking for. From a one-month contract, Dordevic was reported to have sought a four-year contract worth US $1 million. The Daily Star quoted BFF President Kazi Salahuddin as saying, “We have no ability to get such a large amount of money.”

Dordevic in turn ripped into his former employers who he called “gangsters.” 

"I am very sorry for Bangladesh and the future of football. I don't feel better here and will leave Bangladesh when I get my passport, tickets and remuneration. I am very upset. They don't have vision and they don't want the betterment of football. These people have no future, they are gangsters and they are not working for football.”

The Indian Express also reported that Serb also fell out with the management of Indian club Churchill Brothers after leading them to the I-League title in 2009. Dordevic is on a short term contract with the PFF.