In a surprising development that has stirred the Serbian water polo community, Aleksandar Šapić — former world-class player and current Mayor of Belgrade — is reportedly preparing to step in as the head coach of VK Novi Beograd. According to reliable but unofficial information, Šapić will lead the team from the bench as early as Sunday, when Novi Beograd travels to Kotor to face Primorac.
The club has yet to issue an official confirmation. However, multiple sources indicate that Šapić, the founder and long-time figurehead of Novi Beograd, has decided to assume full responsibility for the professional setup and guide the first team through the next phase of the season.
For now, his assistant will be Petar Radanović, who has been acting as head of the professional staff since the start of the season.
A Return to Coaching Roots
This is not the first time Šapić has taken charge of the Novi Beograd bench. He previously coached the club during its early years in the lower divisions, overseeing a period of rapid, undefeated progress before being succeeded by Vladimir Vujasinović. The club’s coaching lineage since then includes Dejan Jovović, Igor Milanović, Živko Gocić and, most recently, Radanović.
Šapić also briefly served as Vujasinović’s assistant during the club’s major rebuild four years ago — a project that produced one of the strongest rosters in European water polo. During that era, Novi Beograd reached three Champions League finals and finished fourth on another occasion.
A Season at a Crossroads
This season’s Novi Beograd team is a very different one — younger, less star-studded, and still searching for consistency. Šapić has reportedly attended numerous training sessions throughout the autumn, offering guidance, observing closely, and voicing concerns over the team’s direction.
His decision to take over suggests he believes a firmer hand is needed to stabilise the project.
The immediate schedule provides no gentle introduction:
- a challenging away match in Kotor
- the Serbian Cup final tournament, where Radnički — currently Serbia’s strongest domestic rival — awaits
- and a Champions League Round 5 battle in Belgrade against Jadran Split.
After that comes an international break for national-team preparations and the European Championship — a window Šapić is expected to use to reshape the team according to his vision.
Balancing Roles: Coach and Mayor
While his coaching return is not yet officially confirmed, the potential appointment raises obvious questions. Šapić already holds one of Serbia’s most demanding public roles as Mayor of Belgrade. How he might balance those responsibilities with leading a Champions League-level club remains to be seen.
Still, regardless of the political layer, the implications for Serbian water polo are significant. A figure of Šapić’s stature stepping back onto the bench — especially at the club he built — is far more than routine sports news. It marks a potentially major shift in Novi Beograd’s direction at a crucial point in their season.
If confirmed, the eyes of both Serbia and Europe will be fixed firmly on Sunday’s bench in Kotor.