Kosanovic takes U21 reins
Tuesday, October 5, 2004
Article summary
Milorad Kosanovic is the new coach of Serbia and Montenegro's Under-21s as part of a revised youth set-up.
Article body
Varied experience
Kosanovic, who previously coached FK Vojvodina – the club where he spent his entire playing career - FK Crvena Zvezda and Chinese side Dalian Shide FC as well as Malta's national team, replaces Vladimir Petrovic as U21 boss. Petrovic guided Serbia and Montenegro to the final of this summer's UEFA European U21 Championship, where they lost to Italy.
'Start from scratch'
"I am honoured by the trust the Football Association of Serbia and Montenegro have put in me," said Kosanovic, who will take charge for the first time against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Friday. "I have only seven players left from the team that were runners-up in 2004 and that means we are starting from scratch. We have talented players, but we don't have the game. This is my first impression and we have to correct plenty of things if we want to win."
Widespread changes
Meanwhile, ex-FK Partizan midfielder and youth coach Zvonko Zivkovic has taken the reins of the U19 team. The U17s will be led by Tomislav Simic, while Miodrag Radulovic, formerly Petrovic's assistant with the U21 side, assumes control of the U18s.