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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Jovan Terzic in Belgrade

Stojkovic’s struggles continue as Serbia chase euphoria against England

The Serbia head coach, Dragan Stojkovic (right), prepares for the 2026 World Cup qualifier against Latvia
Dragan Stojkovic (right) is widely regarded as a more lucky than smart manager since taking over as the Serbia head coach in 2021. Photograph: Pedja Milosavljevic/STARSPORT/Shutterstock

The TV show Only Fools and Horses was extremely popular in Serbia, which is no surprise considering most of the business in this former Yugoslav republic is done in the “grey zone”. Shady people with lots of money and little education are all around in management positions, which is the reason for protests across the country.

For decades, people such as Derek “Del Boy” Trotter – who have good connections and know how “the street works” – have held executive positions at the top of Serbian football. They are perceived as loyal to the ruling political party (currently the Serbian Progressive party). It is the main reason why people in the country have lost belief in the domestic league and the national team.

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