The Coach - Zmago Sagadin

Who is Zmago Sagadin? That is the question that occupies the heads off many Red Star fans, although the moody coach is living in Serbia&Montenegro capital for two years now. There are many answers to that: Red Star coach, a man that made Olimpija Ljubljana a top European club, hard worker, “great bard off European basketball” as Bogdan Tanjević once said. Some would even say he is just a “cocky Slovenian guy”. The real answer is somewhere in between.

One thing is certain - basketball is his religion. Litteraly. There is a famous anegdote from the times he was coach off Olimpija and made it to the Euroleague final-four in Rome. Sagadin remembers:

It was in the protocole for us to atend the reception with the Pope. He was late for three hours so I told my players not to wait anymore and go to the practice. So we did. Later I was condemned by many for doing so but it was the only right choice to do as i thought. Still do. Practice is sacred for me and it should be also for any true professional.

He ended his playing carrer before it really started.

Because off pretty bad injuries, I had to go to three major operations before I was 21, so I decided to become a coach being just 22 years old. My first team was Celje in the hometown. Most off the players on the team were older than me. After 7 years there I went to Maribor and worked there for four years. Than came Olimpija which I trained for 16 years, only making a break in 1995 to coach Split.

The falldown off SFR Yugoslavia head a bad impact on basketball teams. There was no more famous League, one off the toughest in Europe in the 80`s.

It was hardest for Olimpija. There were two choices: to compensate the domestic competition with the european or coming back to amateurism. Rado Lorbek and me chose the second. It was hard but we made it. I won 24 titles with the »green dragons«.

Than came the time to part ways with Olimpija.

I worked there for too long, 16 years is too much. Average time for a coach in a club is about four years. At the end I was fed up with Olimpija and Olimpija was fed up with me. We did a marvelous job there and made foundations off a great club in Ljubljana. The crown off the work came after signing a contract with the Euroleague. I knew than that my job is done. Greatest satisfaction for my work in Olimpija came last year. I was watching Euroleague and counted 27 players that went through my school. I am very proud off that.

Many were suprised when he signed for Red Star in july 2002. Real wanted him before, he was 72 hours away from a contract with the club from Madrid. Skipper was in the race, Milano too, but he chose Red Star. Why?

Almost made an agreement with Skipper Bologna. I was on the crossroad: Atack the Euroleague and work like hell, or come to Red Star and try to make a big club reach it`s fame once again. I saw a great potential in Red Star, especially in the management off the club. Made my decision on July 22nd 2002 and didn`t regret it.

He came too late to make a difference in the first year. In the second, Radivoj Korac Cup wos won in Novi Sad after 3 overtimes in 3 days.

I just chose two Americans in the first season. Now is different, there are no foreigners in the team which is good for serbian basketball. Red Star didn`t have a team two years ago, now it has too many players and many young ones with good potential. Unfortunately, the infrastructure is not good. We need our own practice facility. Without that there is no success in Europe.

Sagadin was one off the founders of Goodyear league.

It saved Red Star last season because the club wasn`t in a european competition. Through the Goodyear league we made connections with the big clubs off ULEB and made many points in the media. I expect a good and exciting final-four, although Cibona must take the role off a favorit playing in Zagreb.

In a few years it is expected for the Goodyear league to receive a spot(s) in the Euroleague for it`s club(s). Along that way, the project »Red Star in Europe« will bi in it`s finalization.

If Red Star builds it`s training facility I will end my career in the club. Without that I cannot make much difference. Red Star can make it to the Euroleague, even try to win it in some 4 years time. We are not ready for it yet, just like all the clubs in Serbia&Montenegro. Partizan example showed that.

Sagadin is thinking off calling it quits.