View source for Dragan Stojkovic Hired As Serbia National Team Coach

<br>BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) - Dragan Stojkovic was hired Wednesday as coach of Serbia´s national soccer team, three weeks before the squad's first qualifying match for the 2022 World Cup.<br> <br>The 55-year-old Stojkovic replaces Ljubisa Tumbakovic, who was fired in December after the team failed to qualify for the European Championship in the playoffs.<br> <br>Stojkovic was a [http://www.houzz.com/?search=skillful%20midfielder skillful midfielder] who made 84 [http://www.google.de/search?q=appearances appearances] and scored 15 goals for Yugoslavia´s national team from 1983-2001.<br> <br>Stojkovic played for  [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-trung-quoc-quang-chau-tham-quyen-bang-tuong-5-ngay.html tour quảng châu từ hà nội] Radnicki Nis,  [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/tour-trung-quoc-quang-chau-tham-quyen-bang-tuong-5-ngay.html kynghidongduong.vn] Red Star Belgrade, Marseille and Verona before joining Japanese club Nagoya Grampus Eight in 1994, where he was coached by former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.<br> <br>After ending his playing career in 2001, Stojkovic coached Nagoya for four years before taking over at Chinese club Guangzhou in 2020.<br> <br>Serbia is scheduled to play Ireland in its opening qualifier on March 24.<br><br>Portugal, Azerbaijan and Luxembourg are also in Group A.<br> <br>___<br> <br>More AP soccer: website and website