Aleksandar Jankovic
Encyclopedia
Aleksandar Janković (born May 6, 1972 in Belgrade
, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia) is a Serbia
n football
coach and former player.
in Serbia
, Bonnyrigg White Eagles Football Club in Australia
, AS Cherbourg Football
and Pau FC
in France
, and Kansas City Wizards
in the United States
, before ending his playing career aged 28, due to a knee injury.
, Janković met his compatriot, coach Slavoljub Muslin
who would turn out to be an important figure for his eventual venture into coaching. Following the injury that forced him to end his playing career, Janković came into the Red Star organization (club coached by Muslin at the time) in an adviser-scout
role during the early 2000. At the end of the 2000-01 season that saw Red Star win another league title (after winning the league and cup double the previous season), Ratko Dostanić
, Muslin's assistant, took the head coaching job at FK Obilić
, and Muslin offered the vacated place to Janković who thus became Red Star's assistant coach on July 5, 2001 at the age of 29.
However, Janković wouldn't get to stay at his new job for long as very early into the 2001-02 season Muslin abruptly resigned as head coach after the Champions' League qualifying first leg loss to Bayer Leverkusen and Janković left as well.
In March 2002, Muslin resurfaced as head coach at Levski Sofia
and Janković followed him there to be his assistant. In April 2003, Muslin got the sack and Janković left again as well.
Couple of months later, during summer 2003 offseason, the duo returned to their old stomping grounds at Red Star. After Zoran Filipović
got sacked, Muslin got the head coaching job, and, Janković, by now his established second-in-command, was on his way to Belgrade as well.
From there Janković followed Muslin to Metalurh Donetsk
, Lokeren, Lokomotiv Moscow
, and back to Lokeren, respectively.
From July 2007, he has been an advance scout
in Red Star, and his duties mainly included scouting opponents' players and tactics.
's resignation November 9, 2007, Janković was appointed new head coach of Red Star. Yet, after failing to earn a title in the national championship or in the national cup, he was fired June 11, 2008, to be replaced by Zdeněk Zeman
.
Janković has since been appointed head of the Red Star Belgrade
Football School.
" due to his charisma and cult status he has enjoyed among the players and fans.
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia) is a Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
coach and former player.
Playing career
He played football professionally for Red Star BelgradeRed Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, Bonnyrigg White Eagles Football Club in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, AS Cherbourg Football
AS Cherbourg Football
AS Cherbourg or the Association Sportive de Cherbourg Football is a French football club currently playing in the Championnat National, which is the third division in France...
and Pau FC
Pau FC
Pau FC is a French football club based in Pau. The team, founded in 1904 as Bleuets Notre-Dame de Pau, are currently competing in the CFA, the fourth tier of French football. They play at the Stade du Hameau. The team plays in a yellow and blue strip....
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and Kansas City Wizards
Kansas City Wizards
Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in Kansas City, Kansas that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, before ending his playing career aged 28, due to a knee injury.
Coaching career
While playing at Pau FCPau FC
Pau FC is a French football club based in Pau. The team, founded in 1904 as Bleuets Notre-Dame de Pau, are currently competing in the CFA, the fourth tier of French football. They play at the Stade du Hameau. The team plays in a yellow and blue strip....
, Janković met his compatriot, coach Slavoljub Muslin
Slavoljub Muslin
Slavoljub Muslin is a Serbian football manager and a former player who currently manages FC Krasnodar...
who would turn out to be an important figure for his eventual venture into coaching. Following the injury that forced him to end his playing career, Janković came into the Red Star organization (club coached by Muslin at the time) in an adviser-scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
role during the early 2000. At the end of the 2000-01 season that saw Red Star win another league title (after winning the league and cup double the previous season), Ratko Dostanić
Ratko Dostanic
Ratko Dostanić is a Serbian football coach and former player.-Playing career:Ratko Dostanić started his youth career as a member of FK Partizan....
, Muslin's assistant, took the head coaching job at FK Obilić
FK Obilic
Fudbalski klub Obilić is a football club based in Belgrade, Serbia. Named after legendary Serbian medieval hero Miloš Obilić, the club currently competes in the Druga beogradska liga - grupa Dunav .The club's stadium is also named accordingly; to venerate the Serbian knight it is called the...
, and Muslin offered the vacated place to Janković who thus became Red Star's assistant coach on July 5, 2001 at the age of 29.
However, Janković wouldn't get to stay at his new job for long as very early into the 2001-02 season Muslin abruptly resigned as head coach after the Champions' League qualifying first leg loss to Bayer Leverkusen and Janković left as well.
In March 2002, Muslin resurfaced as head coach at Levski Sofia
PFC Levski Sofia
"Levski Sofia" redirects here. For the sports club, see Levski Sofia .PFC Levski Sofia, otherwise simply known as Levski or Levski Sofia, is a professional football club based in Sofia, Bulgaria...
and Janković followed him there to be his assistant. In April 2003, Muslin got the sack and Janković left again as well.
Couple of months later, during summer 2003 offseason, the duo returned to their old stomping grounds at Red Star. After Zoran Filipović
Zoran Filipovic
Zoran Filipović was a player of great success in the 1970s and 1980s for Red Star Belgrade and SL Benfica...
got sacked, Muslin got the head coaching job, and, Janković, by now his established second-in-command, was on his way to Belgrade as well.
From there Janković followed Muslin to Metalurh Donetsk
FC Metalurh Donetsk
FC Metalurh Donetsk is a Ukrainian professional football club from the city of Donetsk. The club currently plays in the Ukrainian Premier League.- Pre-history :...
, Lokeren, Lokomotiv Moscow
FC Lokomotiv Moscow
The following years were rather successful as Lokomotiv were consistent in the national championships. However, performances after World War II suffered and actually in the space of five year Lokomotiv were relegated to the Soviet First League twice. In 1951, Lokomotiv came second and eventually...
, and back to Lokeren, respectively.
From July 2007, he has been an advance scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
in Red Star, and his duties mainly included scouting opponents' players and tactics.
Red Star head coach
After Milorad KosanovićMilorad Kosanovic
Milorad Kosanović is a Serbian football manager and former footballer. He is currently the manager of Chinese Super League team Shaanxi Zhongjian Chanba F.C.....
's resignation November 9, 2007, Janković was appointed new head coach of Red Star. Yet, after failing to earn a title in the national championship or in the national cup, he was fired June 11, 2008, to be replaced by Zdeněk Zeman
Zdenek Zeman
Zdeněk Zeman is a Czech-Italian football coach. He has managed numerous different teams, mostly in Italian football, over the years, and is currently in charge of Serie B club Pescara.-Biography:...
.
Janković has since been appointed head of the Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
Football School.
Lokeren
On April 6, 2009 he has been named the new SC Lokeren coach, the Serbian signed until June 2010 and replaces Georges Leekens. On 25 October 2009 Janković was fired after a series of bad results.Personal
Aleksandar is married and has two children. His father is a notable Serbian sports journalist Dobrivoje "Bobi" Janković. He has been dubbed as "Serbian MourinhoJosé Mourinho
José Mário dos Santos Félix Mourinho is a Portuguese football manager and the current manager of Real Madrid. He is commonly known as "The Special One".Mourinho is regarded by some players, coaches and critics as the best ever coach in football....
" due to his charisma and cult status he has enjoyed among the players and fans.