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SA football has seen an influx of Serbian coaches. Daniel Mothowagae introduces Free State Stars coach Nikola Kavazovic, the latest to take the challenge.
Serbian coaches have proved to be the real deal since Zoran Pešic paved the way for his countrymen on these shores in the 2000/01 season, to work with the now-defunct Ria Stars in Polokwane.
He was later followed by Kosta Papic, Milutin Sredojevic, Vladimir Vermezovic, Veselin Jelušic and Vladislav Heric.
Free State Stars boss Mike Mokoena feels that his club landed a coup in securing the services of the Belgrade-born Nikola Kavazovic to resuscitate the ailing side.
After all, the Bethlehem-based Ea Lla Koto has over the years shown a good eye when it comes to picking suitable candidates for the coaching job.
Kavazovic arrived in the Free State at the back of a success-laden spell in the Botswana premier league with Township Rollers, whom he guided to the CAF Champions League group stage last season.
But the 43-year-old is faced with the tough task of dragging Stars out of the bottom segment of the premiership table.
There is a positive feeling about Kavazovic. Apart from the endorsement from Mokoena, the Serb has already earned the respect of his compatriot, Orlando Pirates’ Milutin Sredojevic.
“He is really representing the Serbian football school in the best possible way,” enthused Micho.
“Nikola has done well in Asia. [He also did] very well with Rollers in Botswana in the Champions League.”
Sredojevic is without a doubt the most successful among the Serb mentors at club level in Africa and it is his deep knowledge of continental football that sets him apart from his compatriots.
“We are part of a large scale of technical people in this country who are supposed to contribute to South African football, but at the same time we are ambassadors of Serbia.”
Sredojevic noted that “the closeness of South African and Serbian cultures” was the reason they easily warmed up to the local environment.
“Nikola is not in a good position, fighting relegation, but I believe in the work he does. I believe Free State will support him to get the best and he will give the best to the club.”
It is not surprising that Kavazovic in turn declared Micho as his idol.
“Micho is one of best coaches in Africa. When he says something like this [about me], who am I to add something? He is my idol and if I reach 50% of everything he did, I will retire proudly,” Kavazovic told City Press.
The married father of three said the surroundings in Bethlehem were ideal for him to focus sharply on turning the fortunes of Stars around.
“I struggle to find words for Bethlehem – peace, silence, no traffic mess [and] everything is close by.
“To be honest, I am tired of big cities,” said Kavazovic, adding that he would bring his family over to the Free State dorpie once he is fully settled.
“I am happily married to my hero and the love of my life, Gordana, and I am a proud father of two sons and a daughter. Unfortunately, my younger son is not with us anymore. Since then I got old,” he said, explaining that his looks have got nothing to do with the stressful nature of coaching.
“My private life was difficult from every point and I got old in one day.”
He added that he was not under pressure at all.
“I know my limits and my heart rate during the game is the same as when I am sleeping.”
Asked how he planned to revive Stars, Kavazovic said he would “work 24/7, using experience and winning mentality built in the past seven seasons, and good human relations” to get the best out of the Nedbank Cup champions.
Although his tenure at Ea Lla Koto started with a 2-1 loss to log leaders Bidvest Wits when the campaign resumed a fortnight ago, Kavazovic believes Stars’ come-from-behind victory over Maritzburg United last week was the ice-breaker.
The coach, however, said he took full responsibility of Stars’ 5-0 hammering by Cape Town City midweek.
“We demonstrated quality against Wits, but we lost the game. We performed even better against Maritzburg, but we were on the edge of another defeat. The final score was exactly the kind of morale injection that we [needed],” he asserted.
Kavazovic’s move to Stars was almost overshadowed by his sudden change of heart when he had just been unveiled as the head coach of Kenyan outfit AFC Leopards in October last year.
“Let’s close this subject once and forever,” he pleaded.
“People judge me and nobody knows what really happened.
“When I [went] to Kenya, the leadership of the club didn’t show me respect. I gave them a warning, but nobody paid attention.
“I was never sitting on two chairs. First, I resigned there and after that I got in contact with Free State Stars.
“I am a loyal man and I would never terminate a contract with Leopards because of Stars.
“PSL is the number one league on the continent, which by default means [it is] one of the top leagues in the world.”
Ea Lla Koto will begin their defence of the Ke Yona cup against NFD campaigners Richards Bay FC at Goble Park Stadium on Saturday.
