Serbian coach Milan Milanović has won the Tajikistan Cup with Khujand, and football agent Ivan Josović played a major part in assembling the team. A former player in Uzbekistan, Josović now works across the Balkans and Central Asia — and believes the flow of transfers could increasingly work both ways.
Khujand celebrated their 50th anniversary by winning the Tajikistan Cup for the sixth time. Milan Milanović’s side endured a difficult start to the season but found their form when it mattered, beating Sardor 2–1 in the final. Serbian midfielder Jovan Anđelković and Nigerian striker Emmanuel Garuba, who arrived from FAP Priboj in Serbia, scored the goals that secured the trophy.
One of the people behind the squad’s reconstruction was Ivan Josović, a Serbian agent who knows Central Asian football from his own playing career. He spent five years in Uzbekistan with Kokand 1912 and Metallurg Bekabad and now helps Balkan players and coaches find opportunities across the region.
In an exclusive interview with Eurasia Football, Josović talks about building a cup-winning team, the legacy of Dragan Čeran in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan’s growing football ambitions, the emerging Kyrgyz market and his plans to bring Central Asian talent into Serbian football.
Inside Khujand’s Serbian-led cup triumph
— Ivan, congratulations on Khujand’s cup win. You helped bring in the head coach and several key players. How much does this trophy mean to you?
— Thank you. It is a special achievement for me because I was involved in bringing Milan Milanović, several Serbian players and Emmanuel Garuba to Khujand. When Anđelković and Garuba scored in the final, I was obviously delighted. But first I want to congratulate the coach, all the players, the club’s management and the supporters. To win a trophy in a club’s 50th-anniversary year means a great deal to the city. It was Khujand’s sixth cup success, and I am proud to have played a part.
— Was this the first time you had helped build an entire squad rather than arrange individual transfers?
— Yes, and it was an important project for me. I particularly want to mention Farrukh Marofiev, with whom I worked closely on building the team. He knew the club, the domestic players and the local football scene extremely well. We discussed the choice of coach, which positions needed strengthening and which foreign players would fit. Farrukh did a lot of valuable work, even though he later left the club, and his contribution deserves recognition.
Helping an individual player find a team is one thing; helping assemble a squad with a specific sporting objective is another. You have to think about the coach’s ideas, personalities and how the players will work together — not simply the names on their CVs.
— Khujand’s early results were disappointing. How did the team turn things around?
— When you appoint a new coach and sign several players from abroad, you need to allow time for them to settle. They have to understand one another, get used to the league and adjust to the coach’s methods. You cannot reasonably expect everyone to click from the opening game.
That is where Milanović showed his quality. He stayed committed to his approach, trusted the players and gradually brought the best out of them. Their confidence grew, results improved and the trophy followed. I also want to thank the Khujand management for trusting the project. They set ambitious targets in the club’s anniversary year, and it was a pleasure to help achieve one of them.
— Milanović was named Tajikistan’s coach of the month in both August and October. How important was his work?
— Absolutely vital. An agent can recommend good players, but it is the coach who has to turn them into a team. Milan has extensive international experience and knows how to work with different characters. For him it does not matter whether someone is Serbian or Tajik. What matters is professionalism, commitment and what the player contributes on the pitch. Those two awards and the cup win reflect his hard work. I am delighted for him.
— Which transfers did you personally arrange, and how did you select players who would suit Milanović?
— I worked on the moves for Petar Gigić, Jovan Anđelković, Nikola Eskić, Darko Isailović, goalkeeper Stefan Ilić and Emmanuel Garuba. I also arranged Milan Milanović’s appointment. Milan and I discussed candidates regularly, including the positions we needed and the qualities each player could bring. I know the Serbian market well, not only players’ abilities but their characters and attitudes. A good CV is never enough if a player is not right for the team.
The final sporting decisions were Milan’s, of course. Not every signing works equally well, but the real measure is whether you have put together a stronger squad. In this case we won an important trophy in our first season working together.
— Petar Gigić has since returned to Serbia with Napredak. Was his spell at Khujand useful even though it did not last long?
— Petar already had a lot of experience, having played in Serbia, Hungary, Turkey and Greece. I believe he also gained something from working with Milanović and experiencing a different kind of football in Tajikistan. A move does not have to last several seasons to benefit a player. Now he is with Napredak, who want to return to the Serbian SuperLiga. The second tier is competitive, but Petar has the quality to help them achieve that aim.
— Garuba’s story is remarkable too. He joined from FAP in Serbia and scored the winner in the cup final. Did you expect such an impact?
— It made for a lovely story, didn’t it? [Laughs.] But I believed in him for a reason. Garuba has pace, physical strength and the ability to create chances for himself. I had seen what he could do in Serbia. Naturally it is satisfying when a player you recommended scores the decisive goal, but Anđelković scored as well and the whole squad deserves credit. Garuba has the potential to go further. The important thing is not to stop after one success.
— Milanović has worked at Irtysh and Tobol in Kazakhstan. Could this success lead to another opportunity there?
— Milan holds a UEFA Pro Licence, has a great deal of international experience and knows Kazakhstan’s league well. It would not surprise me if a Kazakh club showed interest. We would consider an attractive proposal if one arrived — and not necessarily only from Kazakhstan. Kyrgyzstan is also developing exciting new football projects.
But I must stress that Milanović is currently Khujand’s head coach. The club has important commitments, including international competition ahead. That is our focus. I am talking about potential interest, not claiming that there is an offer on the table.
— Ten years ago, Serbian coach Nikola Lazarević won the league and cup double with Istiklol. Does Milanović’s triumph further enhance Serbia’s coaching reputation in the region?
— I think so. Lazarević made his mark in Tajik football, and now Milan has achieved something significant. That is good for Serbian coaches. But a club should always choose a manager for his abilities, not his passport. Serbia produces excellent coaches, yet not everyone will suit every club. Khujand show what can happen when the manager, the players and the people behind the project share a clear goal.
— Khujand have qualified for the AFC Challenge League, while Istiklol and Regar-TadAZ failed to get out of their groups this season. Can Tajik clubs make a stronger impact in Asia?
— International competition is a different test. In a domestic league you may be able to make up for a bad result the following week, but in a short group stage one poor game can decide everything. The performances of Istiklol and Regar show Tajik clubs have room to improve, but that is not a reason to dismiss the entire league.
Khujand have time to prepare, evaluate the squad and consider possible reinforcements. Milan knows what these games require. Tajikistan has clubs with tradition and ambition, and talented local players. I still see real prospects for further work there.
Uzbekistan: Dragan Čeran’s legacy and a World Cup reality check
— You spent five years in Uzbekistan with Kokand 1912 and Metallurg Bekabad. Why has the country been such a good destination for Serbian footballers?
— First and foremost, the passion for football. I felt it as soon as I arrived in Kokand. Supporters know the players, care deeply about results and live for their club. I made lifelong friends in Uzbekistan, including many outside football, and I have wonderful memories of my time there.
But nobody should think the Uzbek Super League is easy. There are many technically gifted local players who enjoy keeping the ball and combining. If someone thinks he can arrive from Serbia and automatically become one of the best just because he is a foreigner, he is in for a shock.
— Dragan Čeran became a legend in Uzbekistan, finishing as the league’s top scorer six times. Did he open doors for other Serbian players?
— Dragan did an extraordinary amount for the reputation of our footballers. He did not enjoy just one successful season — he scored goals, won titles and collected individual honours for years. But that also creates enormous expectations. Every time a new Serbian striker arrives, people sometimes expect another Čeran. Repeating his achievements would be incredibly difficult.
I would never judge his career solely by his final spell at Andijon. What he did over the years has already secured his place in the history of Uzbek football.
— You played alongside or knew several other Serbian players in Uzbekistan, including Filip Rajevac, Slavko Lukić, Filip Stamenković and Jovan Đokić. Who impressed you most?
— It is difficult to single anyone out, but I would mention Jovan Đokić. He is an excellent player and a consummate professional. Perhaps he did not receive as much attention as Čeran, because strikers naturally dominate the headlines. The Serbian players helped one another, particularly newcomers, but we were not some closed group living apart from everyone else. I had very good relationships with Uzbek teammates. If you play in another country, you have to respect its people and footballing culture. Otherwise you will never truly belong.
— Uzbekistan reached the World Cup for the first time in 2026 but lost to Colombia, Portugal and DR Congo, with a combined goal difference of 2–11. What did those games tell you?
— Qualifying in the first place was a historic achievement. I remember how long Uzbekistan had been trying to make it to the World Cup. Three defeats, however disappointing, do not erase that milestone. But the tournament also showed the difference between Asian qualifying and the very highest international level.
Against Colombia and Portugal, in particular, the speed of decision-making stood out. Mistakes that might go unpunished at other levels can be punished instantly at a World Cup. Uzbekistan need to use that experience. The next ambition should not simply be to qualify again, but to compete more effectively once they get there.
— Abdukodir Khusanov plays for Manchester City, while Eldor Shomurodov and Abbosbek Fayzullaev have international experience. Does Uzbekistan need more players exposed to European football?
— Absolutely. Look at Khusanov. Every day he trains and plays in an environment where standards are incredibly high. Even the best domestic coaching cannot fully replace that experience. Uzbekistan have talented footballers, but to compete at a World Cup they need a bigger core of players familiar with top-level international football. Serbia could offer some young Uzbek players a useful first step into Europe.
— Uzbek clubs have found continental competition difficult too. Pakhtakor lost 6–2 at home to Al-Nassr, while Neftchi Fergana drew 2–2 with Iran’s Tractor after conceding deep into stoppage time. What is missing?
— You have to consider the opposition. Al-Nassr have extraordinary quality even without Cristiano Ronaldo, although conceding six goals at home is unacceptable for a club with Pakhtakor’s tradition. Neftchi, by contrast, showed they could compete against a strong Iranian side and were very close to winning. Losing that advantage so late was painful.
There was an interesting Balkan connection in the Tractor match: Croatian striker Stipe Perica and Montenegro international Vladimir Jovović scored Neftchi’s goals. I enjoy seeing players from our part of Europe succeeding abroad, but being from the Balkans is no guarantee of success. What matters is whether a player fits the team. Uzbek clubs need greater consistency and organisation against stronger international opposition. Every lapse in concentration can be costly at that level.
— Nemanja Čalasan, who has played in both countries, told Eurasia Football that Uzbekistan is more technical while Kazakhstan is more physical. Do you agree?
— I understand what Nemanja means. Uzbek footballers enjoy combination play, short passes and having the ball. In Kazakhstan there is a stronger emphasis on physical fitness, duels and intensity, and plenty of high-quality foreign players. But I would not declare one league definitively stronger. Both offer different advantages, and the individual club matters a great deal. Personally, the Uzbek style is particularly close to me.
— You once compared Petar Mićin with Čeran. Was that putting too much pressure on him?
— Perhaps it sounded ambitious, but I was comparing their footballing qualities, not promising that Petar would repeat Dragan’s numbers. Mićin has excellent technique, reads the game well and can find unusual solutions. I believe he can succeed in Uzbekistan, but every foreign player needs time to adapt. Judging someone after three or four matches is rarely fair. A full season tells you much more.
Kazakhstan: European football, global names and homegrown talent
— Kazakhstan has attracted Serbian players for years. Why is it such an appealing market?
— There are ambitious clubs, attractive financial terms and a good standard of football. Serbian players such as Žarko Marković and Zoran Tošić made strong impressions there, while Uroš Milovanović is an interesting player to follow now. But the appeal goes far beyond the Serbian market. Kazakhstan attracts footballers with serious careers at European level.
Nani, the former Manchester United winger, played for Aktobe earlier this year before leaving in late October. Former Chelsea winger Victor Moses joined Kaisar, while Ivan Ordets has also been playing for Aktobe. Ordabasy have recently signed Ukraine international Oleksii Hutsuliak. Add players from Brazil, Norway and elsewhere, and the depth of imported talent is clear. Kairat have put together an especially interesting squad.
— Kairat are in the UEFA Conference League this season. Results have been mixed, but they held Atalanta to a 1–1 draw in Bergamo. How competitive are Kazakh clubs in Europe now?
— I think people should be fair to Kairat. Last season they came through Champions League qualifying and eliminated Olimpija Ljubljana, Slovan Bratislava and Celtic. You cannot do that without real quality. If that side had played in the Conference League instead of the Champions League, I believe they could have gone a long way, although of course that is only speculation.
They have had difficult results this season too, but taking a point away to Atalanta is a serious achievement. It shows both how far Kazakh clubs have come and how difficult it is to sustain that level over an entire European campaign.
— Kazakhstan are exporting more domestic players too. Dastan Satpayev is a Chelsea player on loan at Burnley, Islam Chesnokov played in Scotland and European scouts are following Zhasulan Amir. Is that the bigger sign of progress?
— I think it is. Bringing in famous names like Nani or Moses helps draw attention to a league, but developing your own players is crucial in the long term. Satpayev has taken a major step towards English football. Chesnokov finished runner-up in Scotland with Hearts before moving to Krylya Sovetov in Russia. Interest in players like Amir suggests that European clubs are looking more closely at Kazakhstan’s young footballers.
You can see there is investment in football and more opportunities for domestic players. If that continues, there should be more moves abroad. Competition with established foreign players can help the local talent develop too.
— If a Serbian player had a choice between clubs in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, which country would you recommend?
— I would look at the specific clubs rather than choose by country. Who is the coach? What are the sporting targets, working conditions and chances of regular football? Uzbekistan is special to me because I spent five years there and made so many friends. Kazakhstan has the attraction of European competition, which is a major advantage for some players.
The leagues are quite close in quality in my opinion. I can imagine Kairat and Ordabasy challenging for the title in Uzbekistan, just as Neftchi and Pakhtakor would be serious contenders in Kazakhstan. It is a hypothetical comparison, of course, but it shows how far both have developed.
Kyrgyzstan: a growing opportunity for Balkan football
— More Balkan players are heading to Kyrgyzstan. Are you interested in entering that market?
— Very much so. I follow the league and see new projects emerging, clubs recruiting overseas players and stronger competition. I do not yet know Kyrgyz football as well as the Uzbek or Tajik leagues, and that is precisely why I want to learn more. For an agent, a league that is still growing can offer valuable opportunities for both players and coaches.
— Bosnian agent Amil Šukalo told us he had helped more than 20 Balkan players move to Kyrgyz clubs. Does that kind of competition concern you?
— Not at all. If other agents are doing well there, that means there is demand. I would rather arrange two or three transfers that genuinely improve teams than ten moves that last only a few months. My experience at Khujand made that even clearer. A successful transfer has to benefit the club and the footballer, not simply add another deal to an agent’s record.
— Šukalo joked that Kyrgyz players were ‘the Bosnians of Central Asia’. Would you call Uzbek players the Serbians of the region?
— Why not? [Laughs.] There are similarities in the appreciation of technique and combination play. Serbian and Uzbek players both like having the ball and finding creative solutions. But Uzbekistan has its own football identity and does not need to copy anyone.
As for Kyrgyzstan, I came up against Kimi Merk, Odil Abdurakhmanov and Joel Kojo while playing in the Uzbek Super League. They were high-quality footballers and serious professionals. I would enjoy working more closely with players from Kyrgyzstan in the future.
From Central Asia to Serbia: building a two-way transfer route
— Milanović told us that Serbian footballers once developed at home before heading to Western Europe, whereas many now leave for Central Asia earlier. Why has that changed?
— The market has changed a lot. Even a good Serbian player can struggle to get an attractive offer from Western Europe. Meanwhile, clubs in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan can offer good conditions and serious sporting challenges. Tajikistan is interesting as well, and Kyrgyz football is developing quickly.
Serbian players no longer need an explanation of where Central Asia is. Many of our players have been there already, and others have friends or former teammates who have played in those leagues. They know the clubs, understand the conditions and have an idea of what to expect. Moving to Central Asia is no longer exotic; it is a perfectly normal career option.
— The traffic is not entirely one-way. Husniddin Gafurov played for Javor and Mladost, while Amirbek Saidov and Abubakir Muydinov have also appeared for Serbian clubs. How well do you know those stories?
— I know Husniddin extremely well because we even played together in Serbia. He spent several years there and was important to his teams. When I later moved to Uzbekistan, he helped me settle in. It was good to meet again, this time in his home country.
Saidov went to Jedinstvo Ub, while Muydinov played for Trayal Kruševac. Muydinov, for example, scored twice when Trayal beat Napredak 3–0 in the Serbian Cup. So this pathway already exists. The challenge is making it a regular part of the market rather than an occasional story.
— Otabek Shukurov, an Uzbekistan international who played at the World Cup, joined Radnik Surdulica in October. Could his move help bring more players from the region to Serbia?
— I believe it could. Shukurov has extensive international experience and appeared at the World Cup only a few months ago. His arrival shows that Serbian clubs can find excellent players in Central Asia. One transfer will not change the entire market, but if he does well it should encourage clubs to follow Uzbek players more closely.
I want Serbian clubs to stop thinking of Central Asia as an unfamiliar or exotic football market. There is real talent there, and not only in Uzbekistan.
— Are you planning to help Central Asian footballers move to Serbia yourself?
— I am already working on it. I talk to people at Serbian clubs, follow which positions they need to strengthen and consider possible candidates. Uzbekistan is especially familiar to me, but I am interested in players from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan too.
I would like Serbian scouts to watch those leagues regularly, instead of noticing the region only when someone makes a rare move. There should be ongoing contact, proper scouting and realistic offers. Ideally, we would have players from Central Asia across different Serbian clubs and positions, until their arrival became completely normal.
— But Nemanja Čalasan has pointed out a problem: good domestic players in Uzbekistan can earn excellent salaries. Why would they accept less money to play in Serbia?
— It depends on what they want from their careers. If a player has a good contract at home and is happy, I understand why he might stay. But if a young footballer wants to reach one of Europe’s strongest leagues, sometimes taking a less lucrative step is part of the journey.
Serbia can be an excellent place to develop. European scouts regularly watch our clubs, and players move from here to stronger leagues. Nobody can promise a transfer to the Bundesliga or Serie A, but with the right club, regular playing time and hard work, the opportunities can be very good.
— Do you already have particular players in mind?
— I have ideas and am speaking to potential partners, but I would rather not name anyone just yet. What matters most is that any move genuinely helps the player. Bringing someone to Europe merely to announce a transfer serves no purpose.
This year we gained valuable experience at Khujand and won an important trophy. I want to build on that and develop relationships across Central Asia in both directions. I have close ties to Uzbekistan, follow Kazakhstan with great interest and see potential in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. I hope that within a few years we will see a whole group of footballers from those countries regularly making an impact in Serbia, rather than one or two isolated examples.