Serbian Slobodan Kovac was named head coach of Iran’s men’s team in 2014. He then led them to a fourth-place finish in Group 1 of the 2014 World League. Kovac, who takes a more abstract view of coaching, feels that his role as head coach calls for him to act as a psychologist, teacher and father figure in addition to tactician. He is well-respected in his home country, earning 2009 and 2010 Serbian Coach of the Year honours and leading domestic club team Radnicki Kragujevac to two national championships. Kovac also coached the Umbria Volley club to A1 promotion in the 2011/12 season in Italy, where he was later named 2013 Coach of the Year.