Goran Barjaktarevic resigned as Chonburi head coach following the 2-1 defeat at Buriram Utd on the 31st March, 2018, after just three months and eight matches in charge. I caught up with him a couple of days later for this candid interview.
Firstly, please can you clear up any confusion: Was it your decision to leave or the did the club let you go?
The official statement released by the club at the time, is correct. It was my decision to leave. I really have nothing else to add. We talked and parted on very friendly terms.
Are you able to give us the reasons for your resignation?
I have never wanted to participate in any "games of thrones" type scenario at any club. This has never been my intention and I will always stay that way. I am always only interested in doing my job with the team, the best way I can. In the past, in Germany, I had a few very bad experiences and these taught me a lot.
Some people at some clubs where I have worked, have used me in order to gain leading positions within those organisations. There were whispered conversations and misleading information given out, such as ‘the coach said this’ or ‘he said that’.They were nice to my face, but not behind my back. If you work in a country where you do not speak the language, they do not have to whisper in such situations. They can have these conversations in front of you knowing that you can’t understand.
As a football coach you are powerless to do anything about it, or "to drag the truth into the light". What's worse, is that you do not know who is spreading such shit. Maybe your overambitious assistant coach, who wants to take over your job? Or someone close to a player who only sits on the bench? Or someone from the club's board who wants to install a coach who will be obedient to him?
But even if you know who they are, your hands are bound. You cannot drag yourself down to such a primitive level because you are not just a coach, you are the moral authority for players, fans and the public at large. You earn your money according to the highest ethical principles. The others can use the dirtiest "weaponry", and then bypass any accountability, because they work "undercover" and they reject any kind of responsibility.
In situations like this, you are only a victim and staying would only have a negative effect on your reputation. I learned when is the time to go, and "let it go" and that time had come at Chonburi.
What do you consider your best achievements during your short time at Chonburi?
The first achievement is, that despite the some language difficulties, I built a very good relationship with all players. I'm very proud of that.
The second achievement is, that we managed to stabilise the defence in such a short space of time. We made it hard for any team to score against us. I'm very proud of that too.
Finally, we brought the team spirit to a very high level so that every player fights for the team until the last second of the game.
And what - with hindsight - would you have done differently?
I would not have done anything differently from what I did, for a very simple reason. My real position in the club hierarchy did not allow me to do anything different from what and how I did it. You have to understand that this is the way at the club. The fact is, Chonburi FC is not my private property. This means I could only change something there with agreement from the club's executives. There was no such cooperation and I felt that the club didn’t want to improve things. Therefore,I accepted this and behaved according to the prescribed rules.
What positives have you taken away from your time here?
The whole situation and the conditions in which I worked at Chonburi FC were a totally new experience for me. They are a very important part of my learning curve and will help me a lot in the future, if I continue to work in Thailand.
And any negatives?
Things are negative only if you reflect on them as negative. I am definitely not like this. Even if someone throws stones my way, I will collect the stones and build something nice out of them.
How closely have you followed the team's fortunes since you left?
Very closely. I've already said that I built a very close personal relationship with the players. The fact that I am no longer the coach of Chonburi FC means nothing in that respect. I wish the boys success from the bottom of my heart. For that reason, I follow how they play very passionately.
What have you been doing since you left the club?
At first, I had some family commitments. Because I was very much focused on the club for a few months I had neglected everything else. After that, I allowed myself a two week break from anything to do with football, except watching the games on the television. Now I am slowly getting into the phase when I start to plan my future. My current phase can be called "an active holiday".
How are you enjoying your down time in Thailand?
Without wanting to resorting to compulsory niceties here, I like this country very much. I like the friendly people, this culture, and I feel very comfortable in Thailand.
Ideally, what would you like to do next?
I would like to work with a club which has a clearly defined goal for this season and a development plan for the future. A club which also shows practical willingness to really achieve their goals. All I expect from a new club is an opportunity for open discussions, in which they tell me which players they want to sign in order to reach those goals, and clear definition of my role. Then they should let me do all this according to my style and I will take over the complete responsibility for the job and accept any consequences.
What qualities do you think you could bring to a new club?
You know, I was born and raised in Yugoslavia. People from that part of Europe are "unconquered kings" of improvisation. I also have these traits in my genes. On the other hand, I have been a German citizen for 25 years. In theses 25 years, I have achieved the highest education for football coaches in the world. I have learned and internalized German discipline, German structural working methods and German perfection. These personality features make a coach perfect for a country with football ambitions like Thailand.
What has your time at Chonburi taught you about what to expect in Thai football and how will this help should you find a new club?
As I said, the time I spent at Chonburi FC was a very valuable experience for me. Firstly, I got to know the league from the “inside". Then I clearly saw in which areas the teams have weaknesses and where you have to work to strengthen. In other words, if I start to work now at one club, I will not waste any time settling in.
Many coaches have already lost their jobs or resigned this season: Why do you think this is? Do you think it is healthy for Thai football?
It is difficult to judge the situation in general terms. In this job, there are dismissals that make sense and sometimes there are dismissals which even those responsible don’t know why they’re doing it! They feel they just have to send a clear signal to the players or to the public. Whether or not that will have some positive impact in reality or not, nobody cares two days later. This is unfortunately the brutal reality in this job.
Of course, that's not good for football at all, no matter in which country. But, as I said, I cannot make a constructive assessment because I have not directly followed the different situations at various clubs.
Is there anything that can be done to change this mentality?
You see, my experience just does not allow me to tell people what and how to do it in their own country. I believe this question can best be answered by someone like Mr. Newin Chidchob for example. He is a very successful person politically and in business. He is the boss of Buriram Utd and his club has been successful nationally and internationally for the past few years. If you’re after the solutions of such problems, you should ask advice from such gentlemen who have proven in practice that they know what to do..
Finally, would you like to send a message to the Chonburi fans?
You will always be the real 12th player of the team. Stay that way. The team needs you. Fight for Chonburi FC.
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