Dejan Savić new coach of Montenegro

Long-time coach of Serbia and former coach of Crvena Zvezda, Dejan Savić, is the new coach of Montenegro.

The Serbian expert left the Serbian national team over two years ago after a ten-year collaboration where he achieved all possible successes, including two Olympic gold medals in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021. Shortly after, he also left Crvena Zvezda, a team he led on three occasions. He then briefly worked in Malta, followed by Saudi Arabia.

Montenegro now has its fourth coach in history, following Petar Porobić, Ranko Perović, and Vladimir Gojković, who left the position in August after nine years.

– It is an honor that Savić, one of the most respected coaches worldwide, has accepted the invitation to lead Montenegro. He is known for his passionate approach and ability to motivate players, which is crucial for us at this moment. Furthermore, our desire was for the coach to be someone familiar with the mentality and specifics of this region, understanding the significance of this sport for Montenegro, and Dejan is aware of this without a doubt – stated Nikola Milić, president of the Water Polo and Swimming Federation of Montenegro.

– The invitation from Montenegro is, above all, an honor for me, which I see as a great opportunity for us to achieve significant results together. For many years, we were fierce sports rivals, but also friends, which is why coming to Montenegro feels like coming among friends to me. That is why this challenge will be a special pleasure for me, but also a great responsibility to which I will fully dedicate myself – stated Savić.

– Savić is currently under contract with a club in Saudi Arabia, and during our discussions, he immediately informed the club's officials of his strong desire to take over the Montenegro national team. Due to a fair partnership, it was agreed and accepted that Savić will be engaged with the club and our national team until June, and starting from June next year, our full collaboration will begin until the end of the Olympic cycle – stated the water polo federation, as reported on the official website of the Federation.