Prosinecki takes Red Star reins

[Black Urum]

Via Eurosport UK

Red Star Belgrade have named former midfielder Robert Prosinecki as coach after signing a 2-1/2 year contract with the 1991 European Cup winners.

Red Star Belgrade named former midfielder Robert Prosinecki as coach on Thursday after signing a 2-1/2 year contract with the 1991 European Cup winners.

Prosinecki said he was looking forward to being the first Croatian to manage a Serbian club since the two nations split during the former Yugoslavia's violent break-up in the 1990s.

"The challenge is that much greater and my first objective is to overhaul Partizan's advantage and wrestle the league title away from them," he said.

Red Star are five points behind bitter city foes Partizan, who have won three league titles in a row and are top of the 16-team first division at the winter break.

"The fans' support depends on my results and I am confident that I can bring plenty of success to Red Star like I did during my playing days here," added Prosinecki.

The blond-haired playmaker was at Red Star from 1987 to 1991 and won Europe's premier club competition before moving to Real Madrid and helping Croatia reach the 1998 World Cup semi-finals.

"I have returned here with emotions different to those I had when I arrived as a player but also with an undiminished desire to succeed," Prosinecki said after walking into the news conference wearing the club's red-and-white scarf.

This is history in the making... first Croation to coach any Serb team after the Yugoslavia war...

Not to mention that the 1991 riots between Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star fans and players were one of the events which spilled fuel into the fire of the civil war in 1991

[stefans]

I have no idea that this is top news in Europe.

Serbian media say that Red Star if they have Jose Mourinho it will be hard to play against Partizan.