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Freising's assistant coach Gojko Stojisavljevic: a talent factory out of passion

2021-02-04T07:22:33.788Z


Co-trainer Gojko Stojisavljevic from the basketball team of TSV Jahn Freising is about to retire - but he is far from thinking about quitting.


Co-trainer Gojko Stojisavljevic from the basketball team of TSV Jahn Freising is about to retire - but he is far from thinking about quitting.

Freising

- Over the past 30 years, coach Gojko Stojisavljevic has had a decisive influence on the basketball department of TSV Jahn Freising.

In May he reached retirement age - at least professionally - and is retiring.

Because Stojisavljevic hopes that he will stay fit enough to be able to pass on his wealth of experience to as many young basket hunters as possible.

The daily newspaper spoke to the 65-year-old about his eventful life.

Mr Stojisavljevic, word got around that you are retiring as the caretaker at Lerchenfeld Middle School.

When is your last day at work?

I will be retiring on May 1st.

Are you looking forward to it?

Yes and no.

I really enjoyed the job.

Of course, I am happy when I can retire at the age of 66 and no longer have to work.

But when something comes to an end, it's not always so nice.

That also makes you think.

Then you also have to leave your official residence.

Have you already found a new apartment in Freising?

It's not that easy.

The city of Freising is trying very hard to help me and to offer me social housing.

But I don't know whether that will work by May 1st.

I have already been offered an apartment - but it is far too expensive for me as a pensioner.

In the worst case, I would have to think about going to my native country Croatia.

The cost of living there is as high as in Germany, but the apartments are much cheaper.

But I don't really want that.

Freising has been my home for 30 years - I feel very comfortable here.

That is why Gojko Stojisavljevic left Yugoslavia

Why did you come to Germany?

30 years ago there was war in the former Yugoslavia, which came as no surprise to me.

Even before the outbreak of war, I thought about leaving Yugoslavia.

One of my aunts lived in Bad Mergentheim in Baden-Württemberg at the time.

I called them and asked for advice.

She motivated me to go to Germany.

But she also told me that in Germany you only have a chance of obtaining a residence permit as a cook or nurse.

What did you do for a living back then?

After graduating from high school, I studied civil engineering.

So in order to possibly get a residence permit in Germany, I learned to cook.

After graduating from high school, I only had to take twelve exams.

When the war broke out in 1991, I fled to Munich.

For the first three years I only had a tolerance.

From 1991 to 1993 I lived with a friend in Munich.

And how did you get to Freising then?

I played basketball again in Munich.

And a coach told me in 1992 that TSV Jahn was looking for a basketball coach.

I called - and that's how I got to Freising.

Appearances in the 2nd and 3rd basketball league

Have you played basketball in Croatia?

I did a lot of sport with my friends in my hometown Virovitica from an early age.

I played soccer and basketball until I was 14.

But then it became increasingly clear to me that basketball was my sport.

It was and is still a very important part of my life.

Which games and successes do you particularly remember?

After graduating from high school, I went to study in Zagreb, where I first played in the 3rd and then also in the 2nd division - so at a very high level.

With our student team we made it to the final of the student championship in Belgrade.

That was one of my highlights - I got 42 points.

In the end we unfortunately lost by one point.

That was in 1975. I had an important experience afterwards when we and the team were preparing for the new season.

Back then we set up a basketball field on a handball field in a stadium.

Over 4000 spectators came to see us against the professional team from Cibona Zagreb.

I still remember very clearly - the opponent played so aggressively that I didn't touch a ball for the first 15 minutes.

But that sparked my ambition so much that I trained even harder.

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In 1992 Gojko Stojisavljevic (standing, left) joined TSV Jahn Freising - since then he has been a coaching icon of the club.

The picture shows the team for the 1992/93 season.

© private

Then what were your first coaching positions?

After graduating, I first tried it as a player-coach, it didn't work out that well.

After that I trained a team in Virovitica, then one in Zagreb for six months and then the Koprivnica team very successfully for seven years.

We moved up from the 5th to the 2nd division.

There were some great talents in the team who had what it takes for the first division.

Some also made it into professional business.

Are you still in contact with the players?

Yes.

Many of them went to many different cities at the time, such as Barcelona, ​​Berlin or Zagreb.

For me, the most important thing about basketball is the many friendships that have developed through the sport.

How did the first time in Freising go for you?

Professionally it was not easy, there were no jobs for civil engineers at the time.

Ernst Berg, the head of the basketball department at TSV Jahn at the time, made it possible for me to work in schools.

For five years I taught the so-called SAG's basketball at many district schools.

Then I also worked in a gas station once.

Meticulous trainer, dedicated caretaker

How did you get into the caretaker position at Lerchenfeld Middle School?

In 2000 the city looked for a caretaker representative.

I applied for that.

So I worked as a temporary worker in the house of the clubs, in the secondary school and in the middle school on Düwellstrasse.

When the new middle school in Lerchenfeld was completed in 2002, I got the job there.

How did it go at TSV Jahn?

I have trained many teams, especially in the youth field, from which Maximilian Hellmich, Florian Brückner and Toni Weichselberger emerged.

With them we also qualified for the Bavarian B-Youth Championship.

Were there also low points in your coaching career?

Yes.

That was in the mid-2000s when the basketball division got into a crisis and department head Ernst Berg had to leave.

That hit me very much because I had worked very well with Ernst Berg.

I was so disappointed that I left TSV Jahn and coached the women's team at Kickz Munich for two years.

The team played in the 2nd Bundesliga at the time.

But I continued to look after the youth teams of TSV Jahn Freising.

Then why did you finally return to TSV Jahn?

It was first and foremost the players Zlatan Dedic and Horst Nierhaus and then above all the head of department Franz Lupp who asked me to take over the training of the first men's team in the 2nd regional league.

I then brought Stefan Manhart back and started building a new team.

You retired as a head coach some time ago, initially working alongside Denis Rühmann and now working as an assistant coach alongside Michael Buhl.

Why?

As you get older, at some point you don't have the energy to work as a head coach.

But I really enjoy working with young coaches like Denis Rühmann and Michael Buhl.

I worked out the training plans with them - and I can contribute my years of experience as an assistant trainer.

Even in retirement, I can't imagine a meaningful life without basketball.

Gojko Stojisavljevic wants to continue to contribute to TSV Jahn

As a trainer, where do you see your greatest strengths besides your experience?

I think I have a good sense of talent that I can then shape into good players.

How do you rate the current performance of the Jahn Bayernliga team?

Last season was difficult because many experienced players had left the team.

However, our many young players have learned a lot in the past few months.

And with Michl Babl and Tim Peisker, two strong players have returned.

If our young and talented people continue to develop so well, we will soon have a very strong team again.

Unfortunately, Corona currently does not allow team training.

The players have to keep fit independently.

Gojko Stojisavljevic: It would make more sense to end the season

Do you think that the Bayern League season can continue?

Not logically.

It would make more sense for me to declare the season over now.

And then you could start the new round in September.

What plans and desires do you have when you retire on May 1st?

If the Jahn basketball players can continue to use me as a coach, I would be very happy to be able to contribute my experience and promote their talents.

Because I can't imagine a meaningful life without basketball, even in retirement.

It would be nice to be able to go back to Croatia every now and then to meet up with relatives and friends.

We usually meet with the family for Christmas - this time it was off.

And then I would be happy if I could find an affordable apartment in Freising.

Because I am firmly rooted in Freising.

Also read:

Ending the season in volleyball: "A long overdue move"

Source: merkur

All sports articles on 2021-02-04

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