The king of kings has said enough. Zeljko Obradovic, the most successful coach in the history of the European Cup, nine times champion, has decided to leave Partizan Belgrade due to poor results. The Serbian coach resigned after losing in the Euroleague against Panathinaikos, the very team with which he was crowned five times on the continent, by 91-69. This is the Belgrade team’s ninth defeat in the competition in 13 days, and the seventh in the last eight matches, a sequence that triggered the coach’s decision to step aside.
At 65, Obradovic feels his message and eternal plea have failed to penetrate the dressing room despite his status as a great idol among fans who worship him like a god before every match in Belgrade. The coach returned home in 2021, where he began his career on the bench when in 1991 he changed his player shirt for that of a coach. It was the beginning of a unique story.
In his first season he won the 1992 European Cup with Partizan in the final against Joventut. Penya was his next destination and even on his debut he won the top European competition (1994) before signing for Real Madrid and coming close to glory again (1995). In his first four seasons as manager, Obradovic won the European Cup with three different teams. It was the seal of a brilliant and volcanic man who imposed his strong character, his method of work and commitment to the limit to convince his players that success was worth all that suffering. Obradovic commanded and everyone obeyed, and the triumphs arrived.
Five Euroleagues with Panathinaikos (2000, 2002, 2007, 2009 and 2011) were his masterpiece before a Ninth Symphony with Fenerbahçe in 2017 and his return to his homeland in Belgrade. But times are different, the kids’ mentality has changed and their argument has lost validity or at least strength. The coach explained his decision in a letter to the fans: “Four and a half years ago I returned to my beloved club and I decided to live my most beautiful dream with you. I had the desire and goal for our Partizan to return to the Euroleague after 10 years, and all together we succeeded. The matches of our beloved club have become something more than basketball thanks to you who are the most deserving. Unfortunately, the time has come to take responsibility for everything bad that has happened this season and to submit my irrevocable resignation.”
Curiously, Obradovic’s farewell comes just two days after another sensational departure, that of Ettore Messina from the Armani Milan bench. The 66-year-old Italian coach follows the Serbian in the historic Euroleague record with four crowns, the same as Alexander Gomelsky, Pedro Ferrándiz and Bozidar Maljkovic. All in a world of the eternal Zeljko. His farewell could mark the end of an era.
