Football manager who collapsed and died at match 'made complaint hours before death'

A football manager who tragically died of a heart attack during a match after collapsing on the side of the pitch made complaints about the food he ate earlier in the day, it has been claimed. Mladen Zizovic, the manager of top-flight Serbian team Radnicki 1923, was taken ill during the first half of his team's game against Mladost on Sunday night.

The match resumed after Zizovic was taken to hospital for emergency medical treatment. But it ended up being abandoned 20 minutes later after the players learned their coach had died, with distressed players dropping to the pitch in tears of grief. The former Bosnia and Herzegovina international was just 44 years old and had only joined Radnicki on October 23.

A club statement read: "With the deepest sorrow, we inform the public, fans and sports friends that our head coach, Mladen Zizovic, passed away during last night's match between Mladost and Radnicki 1923 in Lucani.

"Our club has lost not only a great specialist but above all a good person, a friend, and a sports worker who, with his knowledge, energy, and nobility, left a deep mark in the hearts of all who knew him. Football Club Radnicki 1923 extends its sincerest condolences to his family, friends, and everyone who shared a love for football with him. Rest in peace, Mladen."

Now, one of his players, Mehmed Cosic, who was on the pitch when the news broke, has said that Zizovic complained about the fish he ate for lunch hours earlier.

Speaking to Faktor, Cosic revealed: "I didn't fall asleep until almost 3.30am. I have no words, we are stunned. I'm replaying the movie in my head. He was giving me instructions, turned around and at one point I saw that he was talking to the referee by the benches.

"Then he went towards our bench, turned to the others and said 'I'm not feeling well, I'm not feeling well.' He fell, you saw everything else. In the video that appeared on social networks, you can also hear screams.

"They say he complained about the fish, said he wouldn't eat it anymore. That's what he was talking about. There were no problems during the warm-up, the game started, everything was ok. We continued the game, hoping that the worst wouldn't happen and that he would be with us again.

"It was clear that that wasn't it, but we said that we were playing for him and that we wanted to reward him with a victory. We weren't focused, we were in disbelief, but we didn't want to disappoint him.

"We believed that he would come back and be with us again, and that we would celebrate the victory. Then there was complete shock. The referee suddenly stopped the game. Someone said 'he died'. Everything stopped in an instant."

Radnicki 1923's players and staff have been given the week off to mourn the loss of their manager. Their upcoming match against Cukaricki next weekend has been postponed and a funeral has been scheduled for Thursday.

Zizovic's former club FK Borac Banja Luka paid a heartbreaking tribute to their old manager, who coached them in the Conference League last season. "Boss, Our Ziza, We can't believe that you left us," the Bosnian side said.

"We are shaken by the terrible news that reached us at Platanova 6 and we refuse to admit that we will no longer see you smiling, that we will no longer hear you making jokes at your own expense and that of others, that we will no longer listen to you talk about the football you gave your life to.

"You left us at the age of 44, and we can only remember every moment you spent at the City Stadium. First as a player, and then as a coach who achieved the greatest European success in our history.

"We will remember that you gave your best to Borca and Banja Luka and that together we wrote stories for eternity. It's hard to admit that you're gone. Life is cruel and takes the best of us too soon.

"It remains for us that you live through us and that we pass on the story of Mladen Zizovic, a man, a husband, a father, a brother, a son, a coach and a football player. Young man, may your glory be eternal, Banjaluka and Borac will forever remember you."