Ivan Jovanović (football manager)

Ivan Jovanović (Иван Јовановић; born 8 July 1962) is a Serbian professional football manager and former player who most recently was the manager of Greek Super League club Panathinaikos.

Jovanović played for FK Rad in the Yugoslav First League during the 1987–88 and 1988–89 seasons.

The next season, he transferred to the Greek side Iraklis, where he played until the end of his career.

During his spell in Iraklis, Jovanović evolved into one of the highest quality foreign players who ever played for the team.

Ivan Jovanović started his managerial career on 2001 at Greek side Niki Volou.

He then worked for Iraklis and Panachaiki.

During his managerial career at APOEL he won 9 trophies, 4 Championships, 1 Cup and 4 Super Cups.

He also helped APOEL to qualify for the UEFA Champions League group stages for the first time in their history in 2009.

Two years later, he repeated his achievement and just not only helped APOEL to qualify for the group stages of the 2011–12 UEFA Champions League, but achieved also to qualify for the quarter-finals by topping their group, beating Olympique Lyonnais in the last 16 on penalties, before being knocked-out by Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.

He is considered as the most successful manager in the history of APOEL.

During his seven-year spell at APOEL he has been awarded the "Coach of the Season" award by Cyprus Football Association six times.

He has also been awarded the "Serbian Coach of the Year" award by Football Association of Serbia in 2011.

On 30 April 2013, APOEL announced that Ivan Jovanović decided to leave at the end of the 2012–13 season, after five-and-a-half consecutive (and seven in total) successful years in the club.

On 18 June 2013, Jovanović was announced as the new head coach of the Emirati club Al Nasr, having signed a two-year contract.

On 19 May 2014, Jovanović led his team to a 2–1 victory over Saham in the 2014 GCC Champions League final and won his first trophy as Al Nasr's manager.

On 29 October 2016, Al Nasr sacked Jovanović from the technical command of the first football team, after failing to adjust the repeated technical errors.

On 19 January 2018, Al Nasr have re-appointed Jovanović to replace Cesare Prandelli.

On 2 December 2018, Jovanović was sacked for a second time after a mixed start of the 2018–19 UAE Pro-League season.

On 22 December 2019, Ivan was appointed as the new coach of the South Africa national team.

On 6 April 2020 the South Africa FA announced the termination of his contract.

On June 17, 2021, it was announced that Jovanović had been appointed as head coach of Panathinaikos under a one-year contract.

He earned victory in his first Super League game for the Greens, beating Apollon Smyrnis 4–0.

Under his management the team managed to reach its major goal, which was returning to European Competitions, after finishing 4th in the Super League.

At the 18th of May 2022 he signed a two years extension with the club.

Three days later the team won the Greek Cup, the first title for the team in 8 years against PAOK with a penalty kick.

In the 2022–23 season they were eliminated in the 3rd qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League by Slavia Prague, failing the club's aim to return to European groups after a 6-year absence.

In the Super League Panathinaikos finished 1st in the regular season but 2nd in the play offs, and eliminated in the Greek Cup, by PAOK in the quarter-finals.

In the 2023–24 season they reached the UEFA Champions League play offs knocking out Dnipro and Marseille only to be eliminated by Braga and continue in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League for the first time since the 2016–17 season.

In the group stage, they finished in 4th place with 4 points and were left out of UEFA European Competitions, while in the Super League, after the 3–2 defeat by Atromitos ,Jovanović was rumoured to be sacked by the board.

After a 3–0 win against Volos in late December, he was relieved of his duties, with Panathinaikos sitting in 2nd place.

He was replaced by Fatih Terim.

Manager

APOEL

Al-Nasr

Panathinaikos

Individual