“I’m Serbian in my heart, but Britain ismy home country”
His accent is pure southeast English, but Nestor El Maestro is truly a citizen of the world.
Born in Serbia and raised in West Sussex, he has coached teams across Europe, including in Germany, Austria, Bulgaria and Slovakia, plus a short-lived stint at Saudi Arabia’s Al Taawoun. His latest post is head coach at top Turkish club Goztepe, where he was appointed in September, succeeding Unal Karaman.
“At my level, you don’t get to choose jobs as much as people may think,” the 38-year-old says. “You read about top coaches and how they plan their careers, but I’ve often taken the best available job.
“I’d finished my stint in Saudi Arabia three days before the call from Goztepe came, so I jumped at the opportunity.”
Based in the coastal city of Izmir, Goztepe have spent most of this season mid-table in the Turkish
