Slaviša Jokanović


Slaviša Jokanović is a Serbian former footballer, and the current manager of Qatari club Al-Gharafa.
A physical player considered strong in the air, the defensive midfielder impressed at Partizan before spending seven seasons in La Liga at the service of three clubs, appearing in 208 matches and scoring 31 goals, mainly for Tenerife. He also played two years with Chelsea towards the end of his career, and represented Yugoslavia at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, earning 64 caps and scoring ten goals in an 11-year international career.
Jokanović began his managerial career in 2007, winning two consecutive doubles with Partizan, the 2012 Thai Premier League with Muangthong United and leading Watford and Fulham to promotion to the Premier League in 2015 and 2018 respectively.

Playing career

Club

Born in Novi Sad, Vojvodina, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Jokanović started playing with his hometown club FK Novi Sad, and made his senior debut with neighbouring FK Vojvodina, helping it win its second national title in the 1988–89 season, with four goals in 24 matches.
In 1990, Jokanović joined Belgrade's FK Partizan. In his second year he helped the team win the domestic cup and, in his third, he scored 13 league goals, being one of several players to net in double digits – the team scored 103 in 36 matches – to the league conquest.
After his displays at Partizan, Jokanović signed for Real Oviedo in Spain. During his two-year spell he partnered compatriots Janko Janković, Nikola Jerkan and Robert Prosinečki and, subsequently, he joined fellow La Liga club CD Tenerife, being instrumental in their domestic and European consolidation.
In summer 1999, aged 31, Jokanović signed for Deportivo de La Coruña, forming a physical midfield partnership with Brazilians Donato and Mauro Silva – the trio combined for 85 matches and five goals – as the Galicians won their first ever league title.
After only one season with Depor, Jokanović signed with Chelsea in October 2000, for £1.7 million. He appeared 39 times for the Blues in two Premier League seasons and played a total of 53 matches, and was released in July 2002 at nearly 34, retiring after playing just three months in the Spanish second division with Ciudad de Murcia.

International

Jokanović played six times for Yugoslavia, his debut coming on 27 February 1991 in a friendly with Turkey, when he played the last ten minutes after replacing Željko Petrović. He then appeared in some UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying matches, helping the national team to top its group; he was selected for the final tournament, but the team would be suspended due to the Yugoslav Wars.
Jokanović represented FR Yugoslavia in a further 58 matches, appearing for the nation at the 1998 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2000. In the former competition, he scored his first two international goals in an 8–1 away win over the Faroe Islands in qualification before playing four complete matches as the national team reached the round-of-16; in the latter he appeared three times, being sent off against Spain in a 3–4 loss, with the team reaching the quarter-finals.

Coaching career

Partizan

Jokanović was living in Madrid when, in September 2007, he joined the technical staff of Tercera División club CA Pinto. However, three months later, he became the head coach of Partizan, replacing Miroslav Đukić who left to take the reins of the national team. His family remained in the Spanish capital.
In May 2008, under Jokanović's management, Partizan won the double. He was also selected as the year's "Best Coach in Serbia" by the Football Association of Serbia, but refused to receive this award due to Partizan's poor results in the group stage of the UEFA Cup.
Jokanović led Partizan to another double in his first full season, winning the league by a margin of 19 points over former team Vojvodina. Thus, he became the first coach in the club's history to successfully defend the accolades; on 5 September 2009, however, he left the post by mutual consent, bidding farewell through an open letter.

Thailand / Bulgaria / Spain

On 28 February 2012, Muangthong United F.C. introduced Jokanović as their new head coach, and he signed a one-year contract with an option for a further two years. In his first and only season, he led the team to the third Thai Premier League title in their history, going undefeated in the process.
In mid-July 2013, Jokanović replaced Nikolay Mitov as manager of Bulgarian team PFC Levski Sofia. He was relieved of his duties in October, due to poor results, but club supporters claimed that he should have been given time to change things around.
On 5 May 2014, Spain's Hércules CF appointed Jokanović as coach until the end of the season, replacing Quique Hernández who had been sacked with the team in last place in the Segunda División table. He only managed one win in his five matches in charge, in an eventual relegation.

Watford

On 7 October 2014, Jokanović was appointed on a short-term contract at the helm of English Championship club Watford, their fourth coach in five weeks. Under his leadership, the Hornets were promoted to the Premier League with one match to spare, sealing it with a 2–0 win at Brighton & Hove Albion on 25 April 2015 for their 15th win in 20 matches; the team was also minutes away from winning the league title in the final match, but conceded an injury-time equaliser to Sheffield Wednesday that allowed Bournemouth to overtake them.
On 5 June 2015, after failing to agree to a new deal, Jokanović left and was replaced by Quique Sánchez Flores.

Maccabi Tel Aviv

On 14 June 2015, Jokanović was appointed as coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv. On 25 August, he led the club to the group stage of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 11 years, after ousting FC Basel on the away goals rule.

Fulham

Jokanović lasted just over six months in the role before he elected to return to the Championship, joining Fulham on 27 December 2015 as head coach. After avoiding relegation by 11 points, he achieved his target of a top six position for his first full season at Craven Cottage.
Jokanović led Fulham to promotion by beating Aston Villa 1–0 at Wembley Stadium on 26 May 2018 in the play-off final. On 14 November, however, after seven consecutive winless results and with the team ranking last, he was dismissed and replaced by Claudio Ranieri.

Al-Gharafa

On 17 June 2019, Jokanović was appointed at Qatari club Al-Gharafa SC.

Career statistics

International

International goals

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.6 October 1996Svangaskarð, Toftir, Faroe Islands2–08–11998 World Cup qualification
2.6 October 1996Svangaskarð, Toftir, Faroe Islands6–18–11998 World Cup qualification
3.12 June 1997Olympic Stadium, Seoul, South Korea1–13–11997 Korea Cup
4.16 June 1997Olympic Stadium, Seoul, South Korea1–11–11997 Korea Cup
5.20 August 1997Petrovsky, Saint Petersburg, Russia1–01–0Friendly
6.28 January 1998El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisia2–03–0Friendly
7.28 January 1998El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisia3–03–0Friendly
8.22 April 1998Red Star Stadium, Belgrade, FR Yugoslavia3–13–1Friendly
9.3 September 2000Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg2–02–02002 World Cup qualification
10.6 October 2001Partizan Stadium, Belgrade, FR Yugoslavia1–06–22002 World Cup qualification

Managerial statistics

Honours

Player

Vojvodina
Partizan
Deportivo
Partizan
Muangthong United
Watford
Fulham