Belgrade, May 7 (agencies) - Yugoslavia national team coach
Milovan Djoric has been sacked following a succession of poor
results and lacklustre performances, the Yugoslav Football
Association said on Monday.
Branko Bulatovic, the ruling body's secretary-general, said
a three-man panel would be in charge for Yugoslavia's next two
matches before a permanent successor was appointed.
The three-man caretaker management team will lead Yugoslavia
into their qualifiers against Russia in Moscow on June 2 and
against the Faroe Islands on June 6, after which the FSJ is
expected to make a final decision on who will be Djoric's
successor.
"The Yugoslav Football Association's Board for Urgent
Matters has released Mr Djoric from his duties as national team
coach," Bulatovic said. Djoric had been invited to stay
on with the ruling body in another capacity, he added.
Yugoslav football bosses took the unusual step of handing
control of the national side to a three-man commission,
including veteran playmaker Dejan Savicevic, for the next two
matches before a permanent successor to Djoric is appointed.
Djoric, a former Under-21 coach, stepped up to the top job
in February. His predecessor Ilija Petkovic quit after just one
competitive match in charge to take up a lucrative contract in
China.
Djoric had come under heavy pressure after a string of poor
results and performances, culminating in a 1-0 defeat at home to
Russia last month which left Yugoslavia fourth in their World
Cup qualifying group with just five points from four games.
The temporary panel to run the side consists of former
national team coach Vujadin Boskov, veteran playmaker Dejan
Savicevic and football administrator Ivan Curkovic.
Vujadin Boskov
|
Vujadin Boskov (70) made 57 appearances for Yugoslavia, and has a fine coaching pedigree that includes Feyenoord, Real Madrid, Sampdoria, Napoli and Roma.
Dejan Savicevic is one of Yugoslavia's greatest ever midfielders. He was a part of the Red Star Belgrade side that won the European Cup in 1991, and capped a majestic performance for AC Milan in their 4-0 demolition of Barcelona in the 1994 European Cup final with a fine goal.
Now at Rapid Vienna, he has long been linked with a move into managing or administrating football back in his home country, although he has no experience, and does not have a coaching badge.
Dejan Savicevic
|
Ivan Curkovic is president of Partizan Belgrade, and has long been regarded as one of the country's foremost administrators. He is one of Yugoslavia's greatest ever goalkeepers, and played for Saint-Etienne in the 1976 European Cup final. Like Savicevic, he has no previous coaching experience.
