Newly appointed head coach Milenkoski has high hopes for Team Montenegro

The Volleyball Federation of Montenegro (OSCG) recently announced the appointment of Macedonian expert Josko Milenkoski as head coach of their men’s national team. Milenkoski is currently working in Greece – where he has helped Foinikas SYROS claim the Super Cup title.

What does your appointment as a head coach of Montenegro mean to you?

“Being the head coach of a national team is a great honour. At the same time, a great obligation that the head coach carries with him. The responsibility is great too, especially towards those who have trusted you and have chosen you to be at the helm and to lead a team that has great ambitions. It is a responsibility for achieving results at the highest level. Responsibility also towards sports fans who expect their national team to be on the right track and satisfy their desire to be a winner. At the same time, being the head coach of a national team that is fighting to play at EuroVolley for the third time in a row is a great pleasure. It is a pleasure because you do what you love the most, and you can surround yourself with young people you have to persuade to believe in what you present and to work hard to achieve the set results. Thus, the challenge is big. The challenge is to secure a place and be part of a major event like EuroVolley in 2023.”

You have coached some Montenegrin players, how well do you know the team and are you planning any control gatherings?

“Throughout my career, I have had the good fortune and opportunity to be a coach in many clubs, national teams and to work with players of the highest quality, players who won European, World Championships, World Leagues, and claimed MVP titles in those competitions. I have also worked with many young players who have affirmed themselves through quality work and a long training process. The same goes for the Montenegrin players I coached at Budvanska Rivijera and Ziraat Bankasi in Ankara. I know other players very well, especially those who play abroad, where all the statistics about their performances are available.

“As we prepare for the EuroVolley 2023 qualifiers, some control gatherings will be taking place at different stages. First of all, gatherings of players who play in the National championship, mostly young players, and potential candidates for the National team. These gatherings will all happen as agreed with the Volleyball Federation Montenegro and per the conditions that we would have, primarily financial, but also regarding organisation. The preparations themselves will be specific because some players will be without any activity for a longer period, taking into account the early end of some of the European leagues where our internationals play. Based on my experience, this means that we need to approach our preparations for the EuroVolley qualifiers very seriously and responsibly. Fortunately, there is great experience in all structures of the Volleyball Federation of Montenegro in the organisation of such camps as well as of top Volleyball events.”

What are your ambitions, what is your goal and what do you think about the quality and achievements of the national team?

“My ambitions are as big as ever, based on objective facts about the quality possessed by the players I will be able to work with. There are individual qualities that we will have to use to achieve cohesion in the team and to transform into team qualities. The primary goal is to win a place at EuroVolley 2023 through the qualifiers, which is the dream of everyone who plays sports. This would be the third consecutive appearance of the Montenegrin National team at EuroVolley, something that even better ranked national teams have failed to achieve. At the same time, there is a great chance to confirm the undisputed quality of the Montenegrin players, and as the ultimate goal in the future, we want not only to qualify for EuroVolley, but also to play a significant role in it.

“Following everything that is happening in European and international Volleyball, and of course in Montenegro, I can confirm that the current potential of the National team guarantees better results. Most of the Montenegrin National team players compete in renowned European clubs, where they have a top training process and contest matches of the highest level. This means that they have a solid international career, which is one of the main prerequisites to build a quality and competitive team that can achieve top results. The quality of the National team should not leave any doubt in the complete success of the upcoming qualifiers.”

This is for you a return to Montenegro, after the time in Budva and the great result in the European Cups…

“Of Montenegro, of Budva, I have only fond memories and recollections. We achieved great success in the CEV Cup in Rome, placing third, which is one of the greatest successes in the history of Budvanska Rivijera, but also a significant result for Montenegrin Volleyball. However, it is not only sports results that make me happy and why I look forward to returning to Montenegro, but contacts with people and friendships that have remained lasting.”

You currently work in Greece, you recently won the Super Cup; how did your club react to the appointment as the head coach of Montenegro?

“Working in the Greek Super League is a big challenge. Playing against the best Greek teams such as Olympiacos, Panathinaikos and PAOK is a great pleasure. Defeating some of them is a big thing, and taking away a title from them is just a confirmation of quality and reputation. Proof of that is winning the Greek Super Cup against the current champions Olympiacos, which did draw much attention. The reactions to the appointment as Montenegro’s coach have resonated very quickly here, and impressions and comments are positive. The reason is that Greece and Montenegro have played a large number of matches in the last few years, both in the qualifications for EuroVolley and in the European League, where they even played in the finals against each other. It is also possible that Montenegro and Greece will meet again soon in the upcoming qualifiers.”

In the motivation letter, you mentioned the cooperation with coaches in Montenegro and your help in nurturing talents. Do you have a specific plan related to that?

"As always, I will dedicate myself to the task to the maximum and professionally. I will dedicate a large part of my activities to clubs and potential national team players and I will be ready to use my great experience to help all coaches in working with their clubs, for the benefit and development of Montenegrin Volleyball. In my opinion, the potential of the Montenegrin national team has never been in question. The predispositions of the players, primarily physical, their technical and tactical preparation, have always been at an enviable level. This is especially true for players who compete abroad. Unlike them, it is clear that the players who play in the domestic championship suffer the lack of league quality, weak games, and this entails weaker motivation in the training process and slows down their overall development. Therefore, in my opinion, the emphasis should be on working with domestic players, coordination with club coaches, with whom we should work out a unique plan and programme for young talented players and future members of the national team. As for the future, it is clear that the development of young players will go through planned and systematic work. The most important thing is that there is great potential, especially in psychophysical predispositions, which should be used and translated into a top result.”