Veljko Paunović

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Veljko Paunovic)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Template:Infobox football biography Veljko Paunović (Script error: No such module "lang"., Script error: No such module "IPA".; born 21 August 1977) is a Serbian football manager and former player. He is the head coach of La Liga club Real Oviedo.

A versatile attacking unit, he could operate as an attacking midfielder or a striker, and spent most of his professional career in Spain where he represented eight clubs,[1] amassing La Liga totals of 212 matches and 38 goals over 11 seasons and having several spells with Atlético Madrid. Other than in his own country, he also played in Germany, Russia and the United States.[2]

Paunović began working as a manager in 2012, starting with Serbia's youth teams and later being in charge of Chicago Fire, Reading, Guadalajara, Tigres UANL and Oviedo.

Club career

Born in Strumica, Socialist Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Paunović made his professional debut at 17 with Partizan. The following summer he moved to Spain, where he would stay for most of the following decade playing for a host of clubs,[3] starting in the 1995–96 season with modest Marbella and reaching the 1998–99 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final with Mallorca (with whom he scored five league goals in that campaign, to help the Balearic Islands team finish third),[4][5] as well as having three separate stints with Atlético Madrid.[6]

Paunović had his best year in 2002–03 with Tenerife in the Segunda División, netting 18 times from 38 appearances although the insular side could only rank eighth.[7] After a return to Atlético and a brief stay in Germany with Hannover 96, he joined Getafe for 2005–06's top flight,[8] enjoying his finest season in La Liga by scoring ten goals in 30 league matches to help the Madrid outskirts club to the ninth place. Due to the years spent in the country, he received a Spanish passport in 2006.[9]

Paunović was signed by Russian Premier League's Rubin Kazan in March 2007, after falling out of favour with Getafe coach Bernd Schuster. The following year, he agreed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Almería in January.[9] His debut was a sour one, playing 20 minutes off the bench against Racing de Santander in a 1–0 away defeat, while also receiving two yellow cards in one minute (with the consequent dismissal).[10] He would score on two occasions towards the season's end, in a 4–2 away loss to former team Getafe[11] and in the last matchday, a 3–1 victory at Espanyol.[12]

On 12 July 2008, Paunović signed a two-year deal with his former club Partizan.[13] On 13 August, he scored in a 2–2 draw with Turkey's Fenerbahçe in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League.[14] Before the end of the year, however, he announced his decision to retire from the game.[15]

On 29 June 2009, Paunović went on trial with the New York Red Bulls, but eventually turned down the one-year contract offer.[16] In June 2011, after nearly three years out of football, the 33-year-old signed a deal with another American club, Philadelphia Union, after a trial stint.[17] He scored his first goal with his new team late in the month, in a 3–2 win over Chivas USA.[18]

Paunović officially announced his retirement for the second time on 19 January 2012.[19]

International career

Paunović made his debut for Serbia and Montenegro in a 2–1 friendly win over Mexico, on 13 February 2002.[20] His only other cap came two years later against Northern Ireland, another exhibition match, and he scored in the 1–1 draw in Belfast.[21]

Coaching career

Serbia NT

Paunović earned a UEFA PRO coaching licence and a sporting director degree from the Royal Spanish Football Federation. For nine months, he was a UEFA Champions League analyst for RTVE in Spain.[22]

Paunović began working as a manager with the Serbia national team, being in charge of their under-18, under-19 and under-20 sides. While with the latter, he won the 2015 FIFA World Cup.[23]

Chicago Fire

File:CINvCHI 2017-06-28 - Veljko Paunovic (39394134540).jpg
Paunović at a U.S. Open Cup match away to Cincinnati in 2017

On 24 November 2015, Paunović was appointed head coach of Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.[24] He led the team to the playoffs in 2017, which happened for the first time in five years.[22] In the same year, he coached in the All-Star Game against Real Madrid.[25]

Paunović also reached the semi-finals of the U.S. Open Cup in 2016 and 2018.[26][27] He and the Fire parted ways on 13 November 2019.[28]

Reading

Paunović replaced Mark Bowen as manager of Reading on 29 August 2020.[29] On his EFL Championship debut on 12 September, the team won 2–0 at Derby County;[30] he ended September as the division's Manager of the Month for winning all three games.[31] They missed out on a playoff place with two games remaining, after a 2–2 draw against Swansea City at the Madejski Stadium.[32]

In November 2021, during Paunović's second season, the team received a six-point deduction for breaching profitability and sustainability rules across the previous three seasons.[33][34] The following January, the Royals were knocked out of the FA Cup in the third round by National League North side Kidderminster Harriers.[35]

Following a 3–2 away victory over Preston North End on 19 February 2022, Reading announced that Paunović had left his role by mutual consent.[36]

Guadalajara

On 31 October 2022, Paunović was named manager at Liga MX club Guadalajara.[37] He made his debut the following 7 January in a 1–0 win at Monterrey.[38]

Paunović left in December 2023 by mutual agreement.[39]

Tigres UANL

On 9 June 2024, Paunović became head coach of Tigres UANL in the same country and league.[40] On 2 March 2025, he was dismissed.[41]

Oviedo

Paunović returned to Spain on 26 March 2025, being appointed at second-tier Real Oviedo.[42] On his debut four days later, he oversaw a 2–1 home victory over Málaga thanks to an own goal in injury time.[43] He ultimately guided the Asturians to a third-place finish,[44] and secured top-flight promotion for the first time in 24 years with a 3–1 extra-time defeat of Mirandés in the second leg of the promotion play-off final.[45]

Personal life

Paunović experienced hardships while training for football, such as walking for hours to practice and sometimes going without food.[46] His father, Blagoje, was also a footballer; a defender who inspired him, he too played for Partizan and represented Yugoslavia at UEFA Euro 1968, later embarking in a managerial career.[46]

Paunović is married and has four children.[47] He is fluent in six languages: English, Spanish, Serbian, Macedonian, Russian and German.[22]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[48][49][50][51]
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Partizan 1994–95 First League 13 1 5 0 0 0 18 1
Marbella (loan) 1995–96 Segunda División 20 2 0 0 0 0 20 2
Atlético Madrid B 1996–97 Segunda División 7 3 0 0 0 0 7 3
1997–98 Segunda División 15 8 0 0 0 0 15 8
Total 22 11 0 0 0 0 22 11
Atlético Madrid 1996–97 La Liga 16 1 2 0 1 0 19 1
1997–98 La Liga 14 6 2 0 3 0 19 6
1999–00 La Liga 30 7 4 0 4 0 38 7
2000–01 Segunda División 5 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
Total 52 9 4 0 7 1 63 10
Mallorca (loan) 1998–99 La Liga 24 5 0 0 6 1 30 6
Oviedo (loan) 2000–01 La Liga 22 4 0 0 0 0 22 4
Mallorca (loan) 2001–02 La Liga 33 3 0 0 8 0 41 3
Tenerife 2002–03 Segunda División 38 18 0 0 0 0 38 18
Atlético Madrid 2003–04 La Liga 25 6 2 1 0 0 27 7
2004–05 La Liga 10 0 2 0 3 2 15 2
Total 35 6 4 1 3 2 42 9
Hannover 2004–05 Bundesliga 6 0 1 0 0 0 7 0
Getafe 2005–06 La Liga 30 10 1 3 0 0 31 13
2006–07 La Liga 14 0 3 1 0 0 17 1
Total 44 10 4 4 0 0 48 14
Rubin Kazan 2007 Russian Premier League 16 1 2 1 0 0 18 2
Almería 2007–08 La Liga 7 2 0 0 0 0 7 2
Partizan 2008–09 Serbian SuperLiga 9 1 1 0 8 1 18 2
Philadelphia Union 2011 Major League Soccer 17 3 0 0 0 0 17 3
Career total 358 76 21 6 32 5 411 87

International

Scores and results list Serbia and Montenegro's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Paunović goal.
List of international goals scored by Veljko Paunović
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 28 April 2004 Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland File:Ulster Banner.svg Northern Ireland 1–0 1–1 Friendly[21]

Managerial statistics

As of match played 21 June 2025Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".[52][53]
Coaching record by team and tenure
Team From To Record
P W D L Win %
Serbia U20/U19/U18 1 October 2012 30 June 2015

Template:WDL

Chicago Fire 24 November 2015 13 November 2019

Template:WDL

Reading 29 August 2020 19 February 2022

Template:WDL

Guadalajara 31 October 2022 15 December 2023

Template:WDL

Tigres UANL 9 June 2024 2 March 2025

Template:WDL

Oviedo 26 March 2025 Present

Template:WDL

Total

Template:WDLtot

Honours

Manager

Serbia

Individual

References

<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  33. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  34. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  35. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  36. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  37. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  38. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  39. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  41. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  42. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  43. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  44. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  45. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  46. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  47. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  48. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  49. ↑ Template:BDFutbol
  50. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  51. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  52. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  53. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

External links

Script error: No such module "Side box".

Template:Real Oviedo squad Script error: No such module "Navbox". Script error: No such module "navboxes". Template:Chicago Fire managers Script error: No such module "Football manager history".

Script error: No such module "Football manager history". Template:Tigres UANL managers Script error: No such module "Football manager history".Script error: No such module "navboxes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Script error: No such module "navboxes". Template:FIFA U-20 World Cup winning managers Template:Football Association of Serbia Coach of the YearScript error: No such module "navboxes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Retrieved from "http://debianws.lexgopc.com/wiki143/index.php?title=Veljko_Paunović&oldid=4303677"