From the Bundesliga: Dragan Jerkovic named goalkeeping coach of North Macedonia senior team
Croatian coach Dragan Jerkovic, with recent Bundesliga experience at Rhein‑Neckar Löwen, joins the North Macedonia senior team as goalkeeper coach.
The Handball Federation of North Macedonia announced on 27 August 2026 that Croatian coach Dragan Jerkovic has joined the men's senior national team as the new goalkeeping coach.
Jerkovic brings extensive international experience and a background in the German Bundesliga. He spent the past two seasons working with the goalkeepers at Rhein-Neckar Löwen and is set to continue his club career with HC Erlangen in the 2026/27 season.
Role and immediate tasks
In his new role Jerkovic will be responsible for preparing the national team’s goalkeepers ahead of the European Championship qualifiers and the World Championship in Germany. The appointment is part of a broader strengthening of the coaching staff for the upcoming competitive cycle.
On joining the Macedonian setup Jerkovic said: "It is a great honor and pleasure for me to be part of the Macedonian national team in the qualification for the European Championship, as well as at the World Championship in Germany. I simply could not refuse the invitation from my former teammate and friend Kiril Lazarov. Macedonia is a team that has a special emotion and a huge desire to progress, and handball in this country is more than a sport — it is part of its tradition and identity. I am particularly pleased to work with our goalkeepers, because I believe we have an excellent mix of experience and youth. I believe in their potential and I am confident that with joint work we can make a big step forward and achieve good results. I will give my all with my experience and knowledge to help the national team and together finish good work. I look forward to the challenges ahead of us and everything that awaits us."
Federation officials said the move aims to raise the level of goalkeeper preparation and bring Bundesliga methods into the national setup. Jerkovic’s dual role — continuing at club level while assisting the national team — is intended to create continuity in his work with players.
The appointment also highlights the close links between the national team leadership and established players and coaches abroad; Jerkovic accepted the job after a request from his former teammate Kiril Lazarov, who remains a central figure in the national programme.
Photo: press material from the event
