Aca Obradović

Aleksandar "Aca" Obradović (Serbian Cyrillic: Александар Аца Обрадовић), also known as Dr Aca Obradović, or simply "Doktor O" (born 1922 in Mionica, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes - died on 22 June 2000 in Belgrade, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) was a Yugoslavian/Serbian football administrator, most notable as a technical director of Red Star Belgrade.

War years

Born in a family of four-generation innkeepers in Mionica near Valjevo, the area known as a traditionally royalist oriented. He joined and spent two years with Chetnik movement during World War II, was imprisoned in Banjica concentration camp but managed to escape, next two years he has spent in Vienna but returned to Chetnik movement in 1944.[1]

Red Star Belgrade

As a medical student, Obradović was excellent, he has obtained a university degree, and became an Assistant professor at the Belgrade Medical School. He has joined newly formed Red Star Belgrade as a physio, when he had a choice whether to proceed an academic career and become an Associate professor in faculty or a football club administrator, he made decision to stay in football. He was member of long listed management structures where he became legendary for uncommon methods of directing a club. Also, he had the same function in Yugoslavian national team. He was involved in almost all "big" transfers for the club at the time, and also generator of idea for building a "Marakana" - Red Star Belgrade Stadium. His cult status in club is strongly linked with "Kafana Madera" (in Serbian: a "Madera Tavern") the place where the vast number of football and non footbal agreements were made. During his era, "Madera" became the epicenter of events in football and society.[2]

War years

In 1966 after Obradović got expelled from his favourite club by the Communist Committee of Belgrade, he moved to United States and have formed a football/soccer club San Francisco Clippers thus becoming one of pioneers of Soccer in United States. His sense for the business was pointed out the most during the Prague Spring in 1968, when Soviet forces have entered the Czechoslovakian capital. At the time, it happened that the best Czechoslovakian team Dukla Praha and Soviet Union were guests in the U.S. so Obradović got idea to form a four teams tournament with participants: Dukla, Soviet Union, San Francisco Clippers and Mexico (as a host of soon to be Olimpics). For that, he made a television broadcasting contract with the NBC worth two million dollars, with condition to set a Soviet and Czechoslovak team to play in finals. Unfortunately for him, that plan has failed due to the Soviet embassy prohibiting their team to perform just before the final match.[3]

Other in football

In his career, Obradović was also NK Olimpija Ljubljana and Valencia C.F. administrator. In 1982 he obtained an official FIFA managerial license, thus becoming the first licensed manager in Yugoslavia.

Death

Doctor Obradović died on 22 June 2000 in Belgrade aged 78.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Biography in Vreme magazine, issue 495, 1 July 2000 (in Serbian)
  2. ↑ Biography in Vreme magazine, issue 495, 1 July 2000 (in Serbian)
  3. ↑ Svedok magazine article (in Serbian)
  4. ↑ Glas javnosti magazine on his death (in Serbian)
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