Trifunovic, new Crvena Zvezda boss

Former Crvena Zvezda player and coach, Aleksandar Trifunovic, is back on the club’s bench. Trifunovic was introduced Sunday as Crvena Zvezda’s newest head coach. The veteran tactician started the season in Russia with Spartak St. Petersburg, but resigned early in the year. He returns to Crvena Zvezda, where he last coached during the 2004-05 season. As a player Trifunovic helped the club win the Yugoslavian League in 1993 and ’94. Trifunovic inherits from coach Aco Petrovic a team that is 3-1 in Group F of the Eurocup and 6-8 in the Adriatic League.

Trifunovic has had a very successful coaching career to date, including leading Lietuvos Rytas to the 2007 ULEB Cup final and then the 2008 Euroleague Top 16 in just a season-and-a-half with the club. Trifunovic arrived in Vilnius at the start of the 2006-07 season as an assistant coach to Zmago Sagadin and was promoted to head coach in February 2007. He also won the 2007 Baltic League crown with L. Rytas. Trifunovic began his coaching career at Crvena Zvezda in 2002. He spent last season in Greece with Panionios, whom he helped make it to the Greek Cup semifinals and the Greek League playoffs.