Blagoje Paunovic
Encyclopedia
Blagoje Paunović is a retired Serbia
n footballer who played as a defender
, and a current manager
.
, amassing nearly 300 official appearances with the capital
club. During the 70's, he formed an efficient backline at the club, alongside Miroslav Pavlović
and Dragan Holcer
.
At 28, in 1975, Paunović joined FC Utrecht in the Netherlands
. After two seasons abroad, he returned home for a spell with OFK Kikinda, played briefly in the United States
, representing Oakland Stompers
of the North American Soccer League
, and closed out his career also in Belgrade, with lowly FK Sinđelić.
On the international level, Paunović played for Yugoslavia
a total of 39 matches, making his debut on 12 November 1967, in a 4–0 home crushing of Albania
for the UEFA Euro 1968 qualifiers, and participating at the final stages in Italy
.
's CD Logroñés
, which ranked last in La Liga
with an all-time low 13 points. In 2009, after a long spell with Partizan's youth teams, he signed with Serbian first division
club FK Smederevo
.
, is also a footballer, in attacking positions. He too started his extensive career at Partizan, but played mainly in Spain.
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n footballer who played as a defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
, and a current manager
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
.
Playing career
Paunović played for 10 seasons with FK PartizanFK Partizan
Fudbalski klub Partizan is a professional football club based in Belgrade, Serbia. In its long history, FK Partizan won as many as 37 trophies. The club is the holder of 23 national championships, 12 national cups and 1 national supercup, and has also won the Mitropa Cup in 1978...
, amassing nearly 300 official appearances with the capital
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
club. During the 70's, he formed an efficient backline at the club, alongside Miroslav Pavlović
Miroslav Pavlovic
Miroslav Pavlović was a Serbian football player.On the national level he played for Yugoslavia national team , and was a participant at the 1974 FIFA World Cup and at Euro 1968....
and Dragan Holcer
Dragan Holcer
Dragan Holcer is a Yugoslav retired football defender.Holcer was born in captivity in a Nazi prison camp to Slovenian father Franc Holcer and Italian-Austrian mother Ida Orelli who lived in Niš. His father fought in World War II as part Yugoslav Partisans...
.
At 28, in 1975, Paunović joined FC Utrecht in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. After two seasons abroad, he returned home for a spell with OFK Kikinda, played briefly in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, representing Oakland Stompers
Oakland Stompers
The Oakland Stompers were a soccer team in the North American Soccer League which played the 1978 season in the NASL. The Stompers played in the Western Division of the American Conference and finished the year with a 12-18 record...
of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
, and closed out his career also in Belgrade, with lowly FK Sinđelić.
On the international level, Paunović played for Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
a total of 39 matches, making his debut on 12 November 1967, in a 4–0 home crushing of Albania
Albania national football team
The Albania national association football team is the national association football team of Albania and is controlled by the Football Association of Albania...
for the UEFA Euro 1968 qualifiers, and participating at the final stages in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Coaching career
In 1994–95, Paunović, already a coach, was one of five managers in charge of SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
's CD Logroñés
CD Logroñés
Club Deportivo Logroñés, S.A.D. was a Spanish football team based in Logroño, in the autonomous community of La Rioja. Founded in 1940, it last played in Regional Preferente de La Rioja....
, which ranked last in La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
with an all-time low 13 points. In 2009, after a long spell with Partizan's youth teams, he signed with Serbian first division
Serbian Superliga
Serbian SuperLiga is a Serbian professional league for football clubs. At the top of the Serbian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 16 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the Serbian First League...
club FK Smederevo
FK Smederevo
Fudbalski klub Smederevo is a Serbian professional football club based in the city of Smederevo.-History:...
.
Personal
Paunović's son, VeljkoVeljko Paunovic
Veljko Paunović is a Serbian footballer who plays for Philadelphia Union in Major League Soccer....
, is also a footballer, in attacking positions. He too started his extensive career at Partizan, but played mainly in Spain.