Miodrag Božović facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Miodrag Božović

Božović coaching Arsenal Tula in 2021
Personal information
Date of birth	(1968-06-22) 22 June 1968 (age 57)
Place of birth	Mojkovac, SR Montenegro, Yugoslavia
Height	1.96 m
Playing position	Defender
Club information
Current club	Esteghlal Khuzestan (manager)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1986–1992	Budućnost Titograd	107	(6)
1992–1994	Red Star Belgrade	52	(1)
1994–1996	Pelita Jaya
1996–1997	APOP Kinyras	20	(1)
1997–1998	RKC	19	(1)
1998	RBC	8	(0)
National team
1990	Yugoslavia U21	1	(0)
Teams managed
2000–2001	Beograd
2001–2002	Consadole Sapporo (assistant)
2003–2004	Borac Čačak
2004	Obilić
2004	Hajduk Beograd
2005	AEP Paphos
2005–2006	Borac Čačak
2006–2007	Budućnost Podgorica
2007	Grbalj
2007	Borac Čačak
2008	Amkar Perm
2009	FC Moscow
2010–2011	Dynamo Moscow
2011–2012	Amkar Perm
2012–2014	Rostov
2014–2015	Lokomotiv Moscow
2015–2017	Red Star Belgrade
2017–2018	Arsenal Tula
2018–2020	Krylia Sovetov
2021–2022	Arsenal Tula
2023–2024	Neftçi Baku
2024–	Esteghlal Khuzestan
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Miodrag "Grof" Božović (born June 22, 1968) is a football manager from Montenegro. He used to be a football player himself. He is currently the manager of the Iranian club Esteghlal Khuzestan.

Playing Career: Miodrag Božović's Football Journey

Miodrag Božović was a tall central defender. He played alongside famous players like Predrag Mijatović and Dejan Savićević. He played for clubs such as Budućnost Titograd and Red Star Belgrade in Yugoslavia.

In 1994, he moved to Indonesia to play football. He also played for Dutch clubs like RKC Waalwijk and RBC Roosendaal. His career also took him to Cyprus and Japan. During his time as a player, Božović won the Yugoslav Cup with Red Star Belgrade. He also played one match for the Yugoslavia U21 national team.

Managerial Career: Leading Teams to Success

Miodrag Božović is known as "Grof" (which means "the Count" or "Earl") in Serbia. This nickname comes from his neat and stylish appearance.

Early Coaching Days

Božović had a good start as a coach with Budućnost in the 2006–07 season. His team was doing very well in the Montenegrin First League. However, he left the club because he disagreed with the club's leaders. He then joined Grbalj in February 2007. He also had success with Borac Čačak, turning them into a strong team.

Success in Russia

Božović later moved to Russia. He helped Amkar Perm qualify for the UEFA Europa League for the first time ever. This was a big achievement for the club.

After that, he managed FC Moscow. His team was among the top clubs in the Russian Premier League for a long time. On April 27, 2010, Božović signed a three-year contract with Dynamo Moscow. He left Dynamo on April 21, 2011, after his team lost in a cup match.

In June 2012, he became the manager of Rostov. The next season, Rostov won the 2013–14 Russian Cup, which was a major trophy.

Red Star Belgrade: A Triumphant Return

On May 29, 2015, Božović returned to manage his old club, Red Star Belgrade. His start was a bit difficult. Red Star was knocked out of the UEFA Europa League early. They also had mixed results in their first league games.

Many people, including journalists, criticized him and his team. After a draw, Božović even offered to resign. But the fans strongly supported him and wanted him to stay. They chanted his name and asked the club's board members to leave instead. Several board members then left the club.

After these changes, Božović led Red Star to an amazing 24 straight wins in the league. This was a new club record! They won the Serbian Superliga title by a huge 32 points. This was Božović's first league title as a manager. He said he was happier than ever before.

In 2016, Božović signed a new two-year contract with Red Star. He wanted to lead the club into the Champions League. He said the support from the fans was one of the best things that ever happened to him. He also led Red Star to their first European victory in three years against Valletta FC in the Champions League qualifiers.

Back to Russia and Beyond

After his time at Red Star, Božović returned to Russia. He joined Arsenal Tula before the 2017–18 season. He guided them to their best-ever finish in the 2017–18 Russian Premier League, finishing 7th. He later managed Krylia Sovetov from 2018 to 2020.

In September 2021, he went back to Arsenal Tula. However, the team was relegated (moved down to a lower league) at the end of the 2021–22 season.

In December 2023, Božović became the new Head Coach of Azerbaijan Premier League club Neftçi. He left the club in May 2024.

Managerial Statistics: Miodrag Božović's Coaching Record

Miodrag Božović holds a record among foreign coaches in the Russian Premier League. He has led the most clubs (7) and spent the most seasons (11) in the league.

Club Statistics: Miodrag Božović as a Player

Honours: Trophies Won

Player

Red Star Belgrade

• FR Yugoslavia Cup: 1992–93

Manager

Rostov

• Russian Cup: 2013–14

Red Star Belgrade

• Serbian SuperLiga: 2015–16