In October last year, he was appointed coach of the Montenegrin women's volleyball team, and about 15 days ago he put on his tracksuit - and set off on his mission.
Jovo Caković, who spent more than a decade on the bench of the trophy-winning Serbian club Jedinstvo from Stara Pazova, arrived in Montenegro with a mission to improve women's volleyball.
First impressions, after about 10 days of parallel work with the strongest female, but also younger, development selection, are more than positive, writes odbojka.me.
- I like the genetic potential of the players who play for the Montenegrin national teams. I think that work is needed - "sanding", details, technique, but that takes time. And I think that women's volleyball in Montenegro deserves to be invested in in the coming period - that we deal with the details, that we all progress - said Caković in interview for the website of the Volleyball Federation of Montenegro.
Montenegrin volleyball players will debut in the Golden League next week - they have never played in a stronger competition than that. In August, they should achieve their first, historic qualification for the European Championship, to do what the youngest - the pioneers - already did last month.
Women's volleyball in Montenegro is taking the stage, says Caković.
- Women's volleyball, especially club volleyball, has long been in the shadow of men's clubs in Montenegro, especially during the reign of Buducnost and Budvanska Riviera. Women's volleyball has somehow been in the background, perhaps even in the background of other women's sports in Montenegro - whether handball or basketball, but women's volleyball is slowly coming onto the scene. And I hope, I believe, that over time we will make strides, that we will progress.
Wearing the jersey of your country is a great honor. And for me, as someone from the neighborhood, and I am originally from Prijepolje, it is a great honor and privilege to lead the Montenegrin national team. That is why I believe that even if you have a tough season, there is no effort here. This is a pleasure, honor and prestige, says Jovo Caković
He says that he was brought to Montenegro by the enthusiasm of the people who run the Volleyball Federation.
With a talented generation of players, the potential and achievements of even the youngest players - all the ingredients for good work and progress are there.
- The people who lead the Federation are ready for innovation, ready for new ideas, ready to invest in the profession. Because, if you want to do something well, you do it well, you watch how the best do it and make new strides. I believe in Montenegrin volleyball, and it has already proven itself right - on the example of the pioneering national team, which qualified for the European Championship. I hope that this will not be the only success, but one in a series of successes of the women's selections - says Caković.
The Golden League, an elite competition, is coming up - preparation for the final round of qualifications or a chance for Montenegro to compete and achieve success?
- It would be best if it were both. What is primary is that through the preparations for the European Championship I get to know all our players and their capacities well. Let's see who we can count on in the national team in the future. On the other hand, the fact is that the final four of the Golden League is played by four national teams - Sweden as the host and three of the 11 that will play in the Golden League, including us. We will have six games and we need to be among the top three - the competition is really strong, but I hope and truly believe that we will, above all, raise our level of play. That we will get better and better as time goes on. Will that be enough to be among the three - I can't say at this moment, we certainly won't complain even if it's not enough. Because I would be too ambitious if I promised that, but I am sure that we will grow.
The team's fairly long preparations after long club seasons, two summer competitions in the national team jersey - the question of motive and desire, however, should not even be raised, believes Caković.
- Wearing the jersey of your country is a great honor. And for me, as someone from the neighborhood, and I am originally from Prijepolje, it is a great honor and privilege to lead the Montenegrin national team. That is why I believe that even if you have a tough season, there is no effort here. This is a pleasure. Representing the country in the best way is a pleasure, an honor, a prestige, and sport is one of the best ambassadors. And anyway, if you still have good results, then those girls can be a motivation for other children. And we know that many girls train volleyball, including in Montenegro.
It's not easy to make a top career, girls from Montenegro usually go abroad very young.
- For the highest European career, genetic potential is needed, because volleyball is a sport where physical height and explosive strength are very important. I'm talking about jumping positions - attacking ones. And the libero position, for example, if you play it, is very difficult and complex and there is great competition in all countries. If you want the best career in the world, you have to be born for it. To be destined, to be a great talent. The genetic potential of Montenegro is very good, that's the landscape - and I think that with a little more technique, a little more work, with the improvement of all of us, we can make progress. For that, it is necessary to invest in club volleyball so that national volleyball can also progress later - believes Caković.
That's why the pioneers' placement at the European Championships means a lot.
- So, as a momentum, we have confirmed that with continuous work we can make a breakthrough. Montenegro previously played in the Balkan Championships in the younger categories, now it is at the European Championships. Of course, we should not be satisfied with this result, but we should also have a good European Championship. Because, when you play against the best, then you also progress. When you play with weaker players, then you also do not play at your maximum and then you spoil yourself. I believe that the placement of the pioneers at the European Championships is a challenge for all of us. They will learn a lot. And if there are defeats at the European Championships, and there will be, let's not consider them defeats, but rather that they are lessons, and we should all learn from the lessons, to be good students and to be even better in the coming period.
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