The Vukovi Belgrade have found a replacement for their Head Coach — replacements that is, with two professional player-coaches from the US. William Blocker and Jordan Green will arrive in Belgrade no later then the 20th of February. Blocker will coach the defense and Green the offense.
“They will be with our team primarily as coaches. They have the experience we’re looking for, in football in general and in coaching”, says Club president Goran Nišavić.
They will, however, play if necessary. Blocker played at the well known University of Arizona, and later arena football. He also has a few years of playing American football in Europe, in Germany, with the Langenfeld Longhorns and the Kirchdorf Wildcats. With the Vukovi he will play linebacker and/or running back.
Green comes from a smaller school when it comes to football. He played at the Webber International University, after which he was on two indoor league teams and most recently tried out for the new All American Football League that will start this spring. As someone who will coach the offense, he plays either receiver or quarterback, but that also depends on whether the team’s quarterback from last year, will remain with the team in 2008.
With these acquisitions the 2007 champs have probably further improved their team and strengthened it for the much stiffer competition that is expected for next season. In doing so, while they’re not the first CEFL team with foreign professional coaches or players, they have become the first Serbian, among prior and current CEFL teams, and Serbian teams in general, that has done that.
As players with college experience, they will be the first players the Vukovi will have to fit under the star system, introduced for the 2008 season. Under it, teams are allowed a maximum of six stars — every player with college football experiences is a two star player, and any other player from the US carries one.