TEAM COMPOSITION

After winning their 20th international medal at the 2010 FIVB World Championship, Serbia will be looking for another in this year’s FIVB World League after a disappointing World Cup by their standards. Since claiming gold at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, the country has consistently been among the medal contenders in major tournaments. The Serbian side plays with a passion that is unrelenting and strong in attack.

The Serbia men’s team has a great tradition in volleyball, finishing fourth at the 2002 FIVB World Championship before picking up silver in the 2003 FIVB World League – losing narrowly to Brazil – and bronze at the 2003 FIVB World Cup. For many years, the Serbian team was led by the Grbic Brothers (Vladimir and Nikola), Goran Vujevic, Andrija Geric, Djula Mešter and Ivan Miljkovic. In 2005, Serbia and Montenegro had the great honour of organizing the FIVB World League Finals. In an incredible final in front of 18,140 spectators in Belgrade, the hosts were eventually beaten by Brazil. In 2009, it was the same again with Brazil beating Serbia in the final of the World League but this time in front of 22,000 fans.

In 2010 a new generation of players stepped up to win World League and World Championship bronze before wrapping up the 2011 European Championship in Austria, demonstrating that they are capable of sustaining the winning form of the previous two decades.

Igor Kolakovic replaced Ljuba Travica as coach of Serbia ahead of the 2006 FIVB World Championship after assisting him for three years. A setter until 1997, Kolakovic began coaching with club side Buducnost Podgorica from 1997 to 2010 and cites his best coaching moment as winning silver at the 2009 FIVB World League. He has to be commended for leading a young squad to bronze in both the major FIVB events in 2010 and will still have plenty of confidence in his charges after proving their mettle by winning the European Championships last year.