Igor Kolakovic has been appointed as the new head coach of the men's senior national team of Serbia. His mission will be to lead the team to the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024. Kolakovic currently coaches Polish club Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie.
VNL 2022
Kolakovic set to lead Serbian men to Paris 2024
Published 10:25, 17 Jan 2022
“The national team of Serbia is a big motivation for anyone, it is a big emotion, and in that sense nothing has changed over the past 20 years. The standards are high and the success I have already had with the national team makes me even more committed to the cause,” said Kolakovic.
Igor Kolakovic was the head coach of Serbia from October 14, 2006, to September 15, 2014. During that time he won eight medals including one gold, three silvers and four bronzes. He won the bronze medal at the 2010 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship, silver at the 2013 FIVB Volleyball Men's U23 World Championship, two silver medals (2008 and 2009) and one bronze (2010) at the FIVB Volleyball World League, and a gold medal at the 2011 CEV European Championship along with two bronze medals in 2007 and 2013.
Kolakovic was also the assistant coach to Ljubo Travica with the national team of Serbia and Montenegro from 2003 to 2006, and during that time won four more medals: bronze at the 2003 FIVB Volleyball World Cup, bronze in the 2004 FIVB World League, silver at the 2005 FIVB World League and bronze at the 2005 CEV European Championship.
Kolakovic was born on June 4, 1965, in Podgorica, where he began his playing and coaching career.
He played for Buducnost and Partizan from 1979 to 1997, and then became the head coach of the team from Podgorica to begin an impressive coaching career.
In addition to the national team of Serbia, Kolakovic led Iran as head coach from 2017 to 2020 and also coached Slovenian club ACH Volleyball of Ljubljana (2010-2012) and French club AS Cannes (2013-2016).
Kolakovic follows on from Slobodan Kovac at the helm of the Serbian men's team.
