Who is Ivan Vukomanović?

A Multicultural Manager Driven by Development and Passion

Profile

From humble beginnings in Užice, Serbia, to coaching across Europe and Asia, Ivan Vukomanović has built a managerial career founded on player development, discipline and strong relationships.

Vukomanović began his football journey at his hometown club, Sloboda Užice, where his talent quickly attracted attention. He went on to enjoy a successful playing career, winning league titles with Obilić and Bordeaux and featuring for clubs such as Red Star Belgrade, FC Köln, Royal Antwerp and Dynamo Moscow.

After retiring, Vukomanović discovered his passion for coaching. His first major opportunity came at Standard de Liège, where he gained valuable experience managing one of Belgium’s biggest clubs and working with talented young players in a demanding environment.

His first managerial trophy arrived with Slovan Bratislava, where he guided the club to the Slovak Cup during a period of rebuilding. The success reinforced his belief in developing young talent while playing organised, attacking football.

Vukomanović’s most memorable managerial spell to date came with Kerala Blasters FC, where he spent three seasons between 2021 and 2024. One of the longest-serving coaches in the club’s Indian Super League history, he forged a deep connection with the team and its passionate supporters, describing Kerala as his second home.

His coaching philosophy revolves around giving young players opportunities, maintaining discipline and supporting them both on and off the pitch. Throughout his career, Vukomanović has placed player development at the heart of his work, believing that a coach’s responsibility extends beyond improving footballers to helping them grow as people.

In 2026, Vukomanović began a new chapter with NK Radomlje, attracted by the club’s clear vision and commitment to youth development. His objective remains unchanged: to help talented players improve while continuing to build competitive teams through honesty, organisation and trust.

Having played and coached across Europe, Asia and the Middle East, Vukomanović has embraced a wide range of football cultures throughout his career. He believes every country has shaped him, not only as a coach but also as a person, with understanding people proving just as important as understanding football.

Key Insights

• Player development, discipline and strong relationships are central to Vukomanović’s coaching philosophy.
• His three seasons at Kerala Blasters created a lasting connection with the club and its supporters.
• Working across different countries taught him that understanding people is essential in modern football.

Our Exclusive Interview with Ivan Vukomanović

How did your football journey begin?

As all young boys dreaming of becoming a professional football player, I had an opportunity to play in my early childhood several school tournaments where certain trainers from my home town recognized possible talent to develop. Originally, I was coming from a very poor background.

Football was my dream and very early I understood that I should train and work very hard in order to make something out of it. My biggest motivation was to help my family get out of poverty. I joined my local hometown club and started playing from an early age in all generations all the way till the senior team. I was developing quickly and my talent was recognized by different clubs from my home country and abroad. Once you start playing under the important European radar, it goes very quickly. So, my career was continuing as many other ones. Firstly, in my home country and further on in several different countries abroad. After a distinguished playing career, you began your managerial journey at Standard de Liège, a club with high expectations.

My biggest motivation was to help my family get out of poverty.

What lessons from that experience have stayed with you throughout your coaching career?

The coaching job is completely different from the playing football career. You get many more tasks to take care of. Very early during my coaching education I realized I love this job and I enjoy developing players. I always remember when I was a young player without important conditions and in my early age as a coach I wanted to help a certain group of players overcome difficult moments of becoming senior players on the highest possible level. Standard de Liege is a big club and two years have helped me develop myself as a coach in many different situations. Coaching a team with great potential players against the best European clubs and other Belgian teams was a huge experience for such a young coach as I was in that period. It helped me a lot later in the next years while I was coaching other clubs around the world.

You then went on to coach another major club, Slovan Bratislava. How would you describe your experience there, and what did winning the Slovak Cup mean to you?

It was a completely different experience as it was the first time I was going to coach a club abroad. A new challenge with a club wishing to get out of several bad years restarting a new era of Slovan Bratislava. I will be forever grateful for that experience. It was the first time I won a trophy as a coach and that period will always be important to me. I had a nice time in Bratislava although the club was undergoing a huge change, but for a young coach it’s priceless to experience all that. We managed to develop many nice things and good players for the future.

How would you describe your coaching style?

I like developing younger players and giving them a chance and time to perform. I always recognize moments when I was a young promising player and how much it was important to have support from your coach and older teammates. I like playing attacking and organized football. I am a big fan of discipline and organization although as a coach you must always give space to some players to express themselves. I enjoy working individually with players and helping them become better. I am always honest with players. They all know I could be a coach, friend, brother, father… It is our responsibility and obligation to help those players go smoothly and easier through their careers. I will always put an accent on developing players, as footballers and more importantly as human beings.

I will always put an accent on developing players, as footballers and more importantly as human beings.

Your three years at Kerala Blasters made you one of the longest-serving and most respected coaches in the Indian Super League. What made that project so special?

I could write a book on this one… Many things have happened and occurred during those 3 years. Many victories, nice moments… The energy, fans, love, emotion, honesty, humility, and all possible positive things that we experienced around the club during my period in Kerala. A good relationship with people, players, staff, direction, owners… For all those things I will be forever grateful. Kerala will always stay in my heart. It will always be my second home. I will always return to Kerala. Who knows, maybe one day I will go back to India as a coach. I fell in love with Kerala and everything I experienced over there. People know that I was always honest and with a pure heart towards them. You can never fake people in Kerala. That’s why our bond is special and always will be. Kerala my love!

Kerala will always stay in my heart. It will always be my second home.

What attracted you to the opportunity at NK Radomlje? What are your objectives for this upcoming season?

A good group of people, starting from owners and everybody around that project. The club has a clear vision, idea on how to develop and create something important in Slovenian football. I recognized a good energy from the owners and players. I am so glad I accepted this challenge. The group is very talented. I firmly believe that many players can improve and become better. It would be my pleasure to see them becoming better and coming every day in training with a smile. The objectives are to continue on a positive note and to continue the vision that is already in place. We will try to continue and add something to this team. I hope that we will be capable of achieving something nice. Only time will tell. On top of that, my brother lives for a long time already in Slovenia. I will be at home in Slovenia.

After coaching in Belgium, Slovakia, Cyprus, India and now Slovenia, how have these different football cultures shaped you?

As a player I have played in several different countries. I quit my home country very early. I spent several years in France, Germany, Russia, Belgium, China, Israel… At the end of my career I settled in Belgium where I pursued my coaching licenses. I am very glad I did it. I discovered a new way of seeing football. As a coach as well, I travelled around the world and worked in different environments and I experienced different cultures. All those countries and moments have shaped me to the person I am today. Every one of those countries gave me something I’m carrying in my character. When you experience many different cultures and things your life perspective becomes more open and clearer. You get to know people. Today in modern football, you must firstly get to know people in order to succeed and be accepted. If you just keep you busy with football without being friendly, open, flexible and adaptive, you have no chance whatsoever. I will continue the same way hoping some people will one day say that they enjoyed their time working together with me.

FAQ

Who is Ivan Vukomanović?

Ivan Vukomanović is a football manager whose playing and coaching career has taken him across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

What is Ivan Vukomanović’s coaching philosophy?

His coaching philosophy focuses on developing younger players, maintaining discipline and organisation, playing attacking football and supporting players as footballers and human beings.

Why was Kerala Blasters important to Ivan Vukomanović?

He spent three seasons at Kerala Blasters, developed a strong relationship with the club and its supporters and describes Kerala as his second home.