Vladimir Ivic Reveals Unique Clause in First Maccabi Tel Aviv Coaching Contract

Vladimir Ivic, the Serbian football coach, shared insights about his coaching career in a detailed interview with Greek outlet Sport 24. Ivic discussed his journey from coaching PAOK Thessaloniki to winning a double with Al Ain, dedicating significant attention to his successful two-year tenure at Maccabi Tel Aviv. He took over the Israeli club in the summer of 2018 after a year without coaching, stepping into a team that had not won a championship for three years. Ivic described the challenge as motivating and recalled that the offer came despite his lack of recent coaching experience.

Ivic revealed an unusual clause in his first contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv: a bonus for finishing second place, which he had never encountered before. He contrasted this with his experience at Olympiacos, Greece's most successful club, where such a clause would be unheard of. The cautious expectations were partly due to the club's financial difficulties and UEFA Financial Fair Play restrictions, which limited player transfers to free agents only. Despite these constraints, Ivic led Maccabi Tel Aviv to clinch the championship by March 30, finishing the season about 30 points ahead of the runner-up, and also secured the Toto Cup.

In his second season, Ivic guided the team to another championship, highlighting their exceptional defensive performance, and won the Aluf HaAluf (Champion of Champions) title. He credited his success to the support of his professional staff and players. Ivic returned to Maccabi Tel Aviv for a second stint in summer 2022 but left mid-season to coach FC Krasnodar in Russia. He acknowledged that his time at Maccabi Tel Aviv was a pivotal part of his career path leading to coaching roles in Russia and the United Arab Emirates.