Australian soccer player and manager
Goran Lozanovski (born 11 January 1974) is a former Australian soccer player and current manager holding the role of senior coach at Altona Magic.
Playing career
Club
Noted for his ability at taking set pieces, Lozanovski signed with South Melbourne in 1997 under Ange Postecoglou, where he would go on to win 2 National Soccer League grand finals in both the 1997–1998, and 1998–1999 seasons. In the 1999 Grand Final against Sydney United, Lozanovski was awarded the prestigious Joe Marston Medal in South Melbourne's 3–2 victory.[1]
Lozanovski's success at South Melbourne paved the way for him to link up with fellow Australian Mark Rudan at then-2. Bundesliga club Alemannia Aachen. However, his stay at the club would last only 12 games after being embroiled in the 'suitcase affair' corruption scandal in 2001, after financial irregularities arose following both Australian players transfers to the club.[2] After Rudan was briefly arrested by German authorities over the scandal,[3] charges were laid on the clubs treasurer Bernd Krings, who was convicted of financial fraud.[4] Both Lozanovski and Rudan were eventually cleared, with both players departing the club shortly after.
Returning home, Lozanovski had stints in South Australia with Adelaide City, Adelaide United, and Western Strikers during the dying years of the National Soccer League. He saw out his career in the Victorian State Leagues with Heidelberg United and Preston Lions respectively, where he retired in 2008.
Managerial
Following his retirement, Lozanovski immediately took up a head coaching position at Preston Lions. He would go on to briefly coach both Hume City, and his 2013 Grand Final opponents, Bentleigh Greens before joining Northcote City. During the 2012 season at Northcote, Lozanovski was promoted to head coach, following Peter Tsolakis' departure to South Melbourne.[5]
In 2013, Lozanovski took Northcote FC to their first ever Victorian Premier League Championship, defeating Bentleigh Greens in which would be the last season of the Victorian Premier League system, before it was re-branded into the National Premier Leagues Victoria.[6] Lozanovski decided to resign as Manager at Northcote following the 2015 season[7] and joined Port Melbourne SC as an Assistant Manager ahead of the 2016 season.[8]
In 2023, Lozanovski return to Altona Magic for second time as manager. Lozanovski said he was "excited and proud" to be back at the Magic. It is great to be back at my home club, and it felt exciting to be walking back through the front gate, he said. I have some unfinished business at Magic and I have already hit the ground running in preparation for 2024.[9]
