Miodrag Božović

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Miodrag Božović

| image = Miodrag Božović 20250410 (cropped).jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Božović coaching Esteghlal in 2025

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1968|6|22}}

| birth_place = Mojkovac, SR Montenegro,
Yugoslavia

| height = 1.96 m

| position = Defender

| currentclub = Esteghlal (manager)

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1986–1992

| clubs1 = Budućnost Titograd

| caps1 = 107

| goals1 = 6

| years2 = 1992–1994

| clubs2 = Red Star Belgrade

| caps2 = 52

| goals2 = 1

| years3 = 1994–1996

| clubs3 = Pelita Jaya

| caps3 =

| goals3 =

| years4 = 1996–1997

| clubs4 = APOP Kinyras

| caps4 = 20

| goals4 = 1

| years5 = 1997–1998

| clubs5 = RKC

| caps5 = 19

| goals5 = 1

| years6 = 1998

| clubs6 = Avispa Fukuoka

| caps6 = 8

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 1999

| clubs7 = RBC

| caps7 = 5

| goals7 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 1990

| nationalteam1 = Yugoslavia U21

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| manageryears1 = 2000–2001

| managerclubs1 = Beograd

| manageryears2 = 2001–2002

| managerclubs2 = Consadole Sapporo (assistant)

| manageryears3 = 2003–2004

| managerclubs3 = Borac Čačak

| manageryears4 = 2004

| managerclubs4 = Obilić

| manageryears5 = 2004

| managerclubs5 = Hajduk Beograd

| manageryears6 = 2005

| managerclubs6 = AEP Paphos

| manageryears7 = 2005–2006

| managerclubs7 = Borac Čačak

| manageryears8 = 2006–2007

| managerclubs8 = Budućnost Podgorica

| manageryears9 = 2007

| managerclubs9 = Grbalj

| manageryears10 = 2007

| managerclubs10 = Borac Čačak

| manageryears11 = 2008

| managerclubs11 = Amkar Perm

| manageryears12 = 2009

| managerclubs12 = FC Moscow

| manageryears13 = 2010–2011

| managerclubs13 = Dynamo Moscow

| manageryears14 = 2011–2012

| managerclubs14 = Amkar Perm

| manageryears15 = 2012–2014

| managerclubs15 = Rostov

| manageryears16 = 2014–2015

| managerclubs16 = Lokomotiv Moscow

| manageryears17 = 2015–2017

| managerclubs17 = Red Star Belgrade

| manageryears18 = 2017–2018

| managerclubs18 = Arsenal Tula

| manageryears19 = 2018–2020

| managerclubs19 = Krylia Sovetov

| manageryears20 = 2021–2022

| managerclubs20 = Arsenal Tula

| manageryears21 = 2023–2024

| managerclubs21 = Neftçi Baku

| manageryears22 = 2024–2025

| managerclubs22 = Esteghlal Khuzestan

| managerclubs23 = Esteghlal

| manageryears23 = 2025–

}}

Miodrag "Grof" Božović ({{Langx|cnr|Миодраг "Гроф" Божовић}}, {{IPA|sh|mîodraɡ bôːʒoʋitɕ|pron}}; born 22 June 1968) is a Montenegrin football manager and former player who manages Iranian club Esteghlal.

Playing career

=Club=

A tall central defender, Božović played alongside Yugoslav and Montenegrin legends Predrag Mijatović and Dejan Savićević at Budućnost Titograd and for fellow Yugoslav team Red Star Belgrade, whom he left in 1994 during the civil war to play in Indonesia.[https://www.espn.com/soccer/blog/espn-fc-united/68/post/2758612/miodrag-bozovic-is-breaking-records-at-red-star-belgrade Miodrag 'The Count' Bozovic breaking records at Red Star Belgrade] – ESPN He also played for Dutch clubs RKC Waalwijk[https://www.trouw.nl/nieuws/degradatieduel-in-waalwijk-giert-uit-de-hand~be88b6e5/?referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.nl%2F Degradatieduel in Waalwijk giert uit de hand] – RKC {{in lang|nl}} and RBC Roosendaal, as well as in Cyprus and Japan.

During his playing career Božović won Yugoslav Cup with Red Star Belgrade.

=International=

He represented his U-21 national side once.

Managerial career

As a coach, he had a successful spell in Budućnost in the 2006–07 season, when his team was leading in Montenegrin First League, but he resigned and joined Grbalj in February 2007, due to the disagreement with the board.[http://www.uefa.com/news/newsid=508467,printer.htmx "Bozovic shock in Montenegro"]{{dead link|date=March 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, uefa.com Božović also was successful in Borac Čačak, as he made a competitive team out of a humble club.

Russian side FC Amkar Perm qualified for the UEFA Europa League for the first time in club's history under his management. Next season, his new club FC Moscow was among the leaders in the Russian Premier League for long stretches, before fading in the end of the season and falling out of European qualification. In early 2010, FC Moscow dropped out of the Premier League due to financial considerations, and Božović became a free agent.

On 27 April 2010, Božović signed a three-year contract with FC Dynamo Moscow.{{cite web|date=27 April 2010 |url=http://www.fcdynamo.ru/material.php?id=5089 |script-title=ru:НОВЫМ ГЛАВНЫМ ТРЕНЕРОМ "ДИНАМО" СТАЛ МИОДРАГ БОЖОВИЧ |publisher=FC Dynamo Moscow official site |access-date=27 April 2010 |language=ru |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100502173540/http://www.fcdynamo.ru/material.php?id=5089 |archive-date=2 May 2010 }}

After the game against his former club, Amkar, he was questioned in the flash interview, did he feel that he was playing against the team he had built himself. His answer was: "I feel I was playing against players who made me a coach."[http://www.sports.ru/tribuna/blogs/expressyourslef/84602.html "Браво, Миодраг!"], Express Yourself (russian)

He resigned from Dynamo on 21 April 2011 after losing in a Russian Cup quarterfinal against FC Rostov (winning the Cup was the last hope for Dynamo to qualify for UEFA Europa League).{{cite web|publisher=RIA Novosti|url=http://sport.rian.ru/sport/20110421/366831434.html|title=Футбольный клуб "Динамо" подтвердил отставку Божовича|date=21 April 2011}}

In Serbia Božović was nicknamed Grof (the Count or Earl), because of his orderly and elegant appearance.[https://archive.today/20130417190940/http://www.sovsport.ru/gazeta/default.asp?p=2&date=2008/1/16&id=279476 "Mysterious Count"], Sovetsky Sport (russian)

In June 2012 he became the manager of FC Rostov.[https://www.sports.ru/football/97518293.html Miodrag Bozovic takes charge of Rostov] – Sports.ru The next season Rostov won the 2013–14 Russian Cup.[http://www.dayperm.ru/node/38599 Miodrag Bojovic resigns from Rostov]

=Red Star=

==2015-16==

On 29 May 2015 it was announced that Božović would manage his former club Red Star Belgrade.[http://www.mojacrvenazvezda.net/109584/2015/05/29/bozovic-ipak-na-klupi-crvene-zvezde/ "Гроф Божовић нови тренер Црвене звезде"] "Moja Crvena zvezda: Grof Božović novi trener Crvene zvezde" (serbian) His start as Red Star manager was turbulent. Red Star was eliminated by Kairat in the first qualifying round for the Europa League and started off the regular season with a comeback win against OFK Beograd and a draw against Metalac in Gornji Milanovac in the first two rounds of the Serbian Superliga. Serbian media and journalist were not on his side and criticized him and his team's play. After a draw against Radnički Niš in front of 22.000 fans who started to chant against the club board, Božović offered his resignation. Fans were explicit in their desire that board members must leave the club right away, not him, and gave clear support to Božović. Several board members including the vice president and the general director left the club and Božović started a "little war" with the media.{{cite web|url=http://mojacrvenazvezda.net/112571/2015/08/07/bozovic-zvezda-je-simbol-srbije-nikad-nece-propasti-nikad/Zvezda+je+simbol+Srbije+nikad+nece+propasti.html|script-title=sr:Звезда је симбол Србије, никад неће пропасти, никад|language=sr|date=12 August 2015|publisher=Moja Crvena zvezda}}{{Dead link|date=April 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} After the series of bad performances, Red Star dominated throughout the match and won after a comeback against Čukarički, considered the best match of the season.

Following these incidents, Božović masterminded Red Star to 24 straight wins in the regular season, a new club record, and dominated the Serbian Superliga with 32 points ahead of their rivals. With Božović at the helm Red Star made the best start in club history. Božović lead Red Star to the 27th club league title in history, and the first in his career. Božović stated that he is very happy like never before in his life.

==2016-17==

After clear and unambiguous support from Red Star fans, who were chanted his name and ask to stay, Grof Božović signed new two-year contract with Red Star to lead the club to the Champions League. Božović said that chants from the fans and whole stands of Marakana are the biggest thing which happened to him in his life, after birth of his sons. He record his first European victory, which is also Red Star first in three years and five matches in a row, against Valletta FC in first match of second qualifying round for the Champions League in Valletta.{{cite web|title=Malteški vitez Aleksandar Katai!|date=12 July 2016 |url=http://www.mojacrvenazvezda.net/138013/2016/07/12/malteski-vitez-aleksandar-katai-doneo-pobedu-zvezdi-u-valeti/|access-date=12 July 2016|language=sr}}

=Return to Russia=

He signed with the Russian Premier League club FC Arsenal Tula before the 2017–18 season.[https://arsenaltula.ru/news/novosti-kluba/miodrag-bozhovich-glavnyy-trener-pfk-arsenal/ МИОДРАГ БОЖОВИЧ – ГЛАВНЫЙ ТРЕНЕР ПФК «АРСЕНАЛ»] He led the club to the 7th place in the 2017–18 Russian Premier League, the best position in club's history. He did not renew his Arsenal contract at the end of the season.{{cite web|publisher=FC Arsenal Tula|url=https://arsenaltula.ru/news/novosti-kluba/spasibo-miodrag/|script-title=ru:СПАСИБО, МИОДРАГ!|date=21 May 2018|language=ru}}

On 5 October 2018, he signed a 2-year contract with FC Krylia Sovetov Samara.{{cite web|publisher=FC Krylia Sovetov Samara|url=http://www.kc-camapa.ru/cgi-bin/newsprn.cgi?16569|script-title=ru:Миодраг Божович представлен команде|date=5 October 2018|language=ru}} He left Krylia Sovetov by mutual consent on 28 June 2020, with the team in the last position in the table.{{cite web|publisher=PFC Krylia Sovetov Samara|url=http://www.kc-camapa.ru/cgi-bin/newsprn.cgi?18112|title=Миодраг Божович покидает "Крылья Советов"|date=28 June 2020|language=ru}}

On 3 September 2021, he returned to Arsenal Tula.{{cite web|publisher=FC Arsenal Tula|url=https://www.arsenaltula.ru/news/novosti-kluba/s-vozvrashcheniem-miodrag-/|title=С ВОЗВРАЩЕНИЕМ, МИОДРАГ!|date=3 September 2021|language=ru}} Arsenal was relegated at the end of the 2021–22 Russian Premier League after taking last place.{{cite web|publisher=Russian Premier League|url=https://premierliga.ru/news/rfpl/news_28054.html|title="Уфа" вырвала победу у "Арсенала", туляки досрочно заняли 16-е место|date=14 May 2022|language=ru}}

=Neftçi=

On 24 December 2023, Božović was announced as the new Head Coach of Azerbaijan Premier League club Neftçi following the departure of Adrian Mutu.{{cite web |title="Neftçi" PFK-ya yeni baş məşqçi təyin olundu |url=https://neftchi.az/az/news/neftchi-news-2023-12-24-191258 |website=neftchi.az |publisher=Neftçi PFK |access-date=24 December 2023 |language=Azerbaijani |date=24 December 2023}}

On 26 May 2024, a day after their season finished, Neftçi announced that they would not be extending their contract with Božović.{{cite web |title=Bojoviçlə müqavilənin müddəti uzadılmayacaq |url=https://neftchi.az/az/news/neftchi-news-2024-05-26-113021 |website=neftchi.az |publisher=Neftçi PFK |access-date=26 May 2024 |language=Azerbaijani |date=26 May 2024}}

Other information

Speaks several languages.{{cite web|publisher=Слобода – Tula newspaper|url=https://myslo.ru/city/people/interview/miodrag|title=Миодраг Божович: о Туле, суевериях, будущем "Арсенала" и русском языке|date=29 September 2017|language=ru}}
As of 2023 – the record holder among foreign coaches in Russian Premier League in terms of the number of clubs led and seasons spent (7 and 11, respectively).{{cite web|publisher=Sport Express|url=https://www.sport-express.ru/football/rfpl/reviews/2110568/|title="Жаль, не возглавил "Спартак". "Зенит" может делать что угодно, но красно-белые – народная команда!" Интервью Божовича|date=10 August 2023|language=ru}}
The players who worked under him repeatedly noted his use of sex jokes in the training process.{{cite web|publisher=Бизнес Online – socio-political online newspaper, Kazan|url=https://sport.business-gazeta.ru/article/239510|title=Божович постоянно шутит про секс. Говорит, что это помогает игрокам|date=18 May 2019|language=ru}}{{cite web|publisher=Metaratings|url=https://metaratings.ru/news/oni-takie-zhe-lyudi-s-chlenom-i-yaytsami-razbeyte-ikh-chaushich-o-nastroe-bozhovicha-pered-zenitom-i-1402433/|title="Они такие же люди с членом и яйцами, разбейте их!» Чаушич – о настрое Божовича перед "Зенитом" и «Спартаком"|date=12 November 2022|language=ru}}

Managerial statistics

class=wikitable style="text-align: center" \|+ Managerial record by team and tenure
rowspan=2\|Team !rowspan=2\|From !rowspan=2\|To !colspan=5\|Record
{{abbr\|P\|Matches played}}	{{abbr\|W\|Matches won}}	{{abbr\|D\|Matches drawn}}	{{abbr\|L\|Matches lost}}	{{abbr\|Win %\|Win percentage}}
align=left\|Amkar Perm \|align=left\|8 January 2008 \|align=left\|31 December 2008 {{WDL\|32\|15\|9\|8\|decimals=2}}
align=left\|FC Moscow \|align=left\|1 January 2009 \|align=left\|1 March 2010 {{WDL\|34\|16\|9\|9\|decimals=2}}
align=left\|Dynamo Moscow \|align=left\|27 April 2010 \|align=left\|21 April 2011 {{WDL\|31\|11\|11\|9\|decimals=2}}
align=left\|Amkar Perm \|align=left\|29 September 2011 \|align=left\|11 June 2012 {{WDL\|19\|9\|5\|5\|decimals=2}}
align=left\|Rostov \|align=left\|11 June 2012 \|align=left\|25 September 2014 {{WDL\|83\|28\|19\|36\|decimals=2}}
align=left\|Lokomotiv Moscow \|align=left\|4 October 2014 \|align=left\|11 May 2015 {{WDL\|21\|10\|6\|5\|decimals=2}}
align=left\|Red Star Belgrade \|align=left\|2 June 2015 \|align=left\|7 May 2017 {{WDL\|84\|63\|11\|10\|decimals=2}}
align=left\|Arsenal Tula \|align=left\|18 June 2017 \|align=left\|25 May 2018 {{WDL\|31\|12\|6\|13\|decimals=2}}
align=left\|Krylia Sovetov \|align=left\|5 October 2018 \|align=left\|28 June 2020 {{WDL\|49\|13\|7\|29\|decimals=2}}
align=left\|Arsenal Tula \|align=left\|3 September 2021 \|align=left\|21 June 2022 {{WDL\|28\|6\|8\|14\|decimals=2}}
align=left\|Neftchi Baku \|align=left\|24 December 2023 \|align=left\|26 May 2024 {{WDL\|24\|10\|5\|9\|decimals=2}}
align=left\|Esteghlal Khuzestan \|align=left\|5 July 2024 \|align=left\|25 February 2025 {{WDL\|21\|5\|8\|8\|decimals=2}}
align=left\|Esteghlal \|align=left\|26 February 2025 \|align=left\|Present {{WDL\|8\|0\|4\|4\|decimals=2}}
colspan=3\|Total {{WDLtot\|462\|198\|107\|157\|decimals=2}}

class=wikitable style="text-align: center"

|+ Managerial record by team and tenure

rowspan=2|Team

!rowspan=2|From

!rowspan=2|To

!colspan=5|Record

align=left|Amkar Perm

|align=left|8 January 2008

|align=left|31 December 2008

align=left|FC Moscow

|align=left|1 January 2009

|align=left|1 March 2010

align=left|Dynamo Moscow

|align=left|27 April 2010

|align=left|21 April 2011

align=left|Amkar Perm

|align=left|29 September 2011

|align=left|11 June 2012

align=left|Rostov

|align=left|11 June 2012

|align=left|25 September 2014

align=left|Lokomotiv Moscow

|align=left|4 October 2014

|align=left|11 May 2015

align=left|Red Star Belgrade

|align=left|2 June 2015

|align=left|7 May 2017

align=left|Arsenal Tula

|align=left|18 June 2017

|align=left|25 May 2018

align=left|Krylia Sovetov

|align=left|5 October 2018

|align=left|28 June 2020

align=left|Arsenal Tula

|align=left|3 September 2021

|align=left|21 June 2022

align=left|Neftchi Baku

|align=left|24 December 2023

|align=left|26 May 2024

align=left|Esteghlal Khuzestan

|align=left|5 July 2024

|align=left|25 February 2025

align=left|Esteghlal

|align=left|26 February 2025

|align=left|Present

colspan=3|Total

Club statistics

colspan=3 \| Club performance ! colspan=2 \| League ! colspan=2 \| Cup ! colspan=2 \| League Cup ! colspan=2 \| Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
Season ! Club ! League ! Apps	Goals ! Apps	Goals ! Apps	Goals ! Apps	Goals
colspan=3 \|Japan ! colspan=2 \| League ! colspan=2 \| Emperor's Cup ! colspan=2 \| J.League Cup ! colspan=2 \| Total
1998	Avispa Fukuoka	J1 League	8	0	0	0	0	0	8	0
colspan=3\|Total !8\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|8\|\|0

Honours

=Player=

;Red Star Belgrade

FR Yugoslavia Cup: 1992–93

=Manager=

;Rostov

Russian Cup: 2013–14

;Red Star Belgrade

Serbian SuperLiga: 2015–16

References

External links

[http://soccerlens.com/miodrag-bozovic-why-europe-should-be-out-for-the-count/37793/ Miodrag Bozovic: Why Europe Should Be Out for the Count]
{{sports links}}

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