European football coaches face surging unemployment and high‑profile demand

In Serbia, an estimated 2,000 out of 4,900 registered football coaches lack club positions, with fewer than a hundred coaching jobs available across the country's professional leagues. Many coaches describe the market as a “wave of manipulation” that has eroded confidence and motivation in the profession.

At the same time, former Croatia national‑team manager Zlatko Dalić has become one of the most sought‑after coaching candidates worldwide. Within a day of his departure from the Croatian role, he reportedly received eight offers, including from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Korea, Mexico and Colombia, as federations look for a proven World Cup‑finalist leader.

Both stories highlight a stark contrast in the football coaching labour market: a surplus of qualified coaches in Serbia struggling to find work, and a small pool of elite managers commanding intense interest from national teams abroad.