
Miron Muslic: ‘We became refugees overnight. It was just devastating'
Muslic, his younger sister, Marinela, and their parents, Camil and Mersada, fled to Austria via Hungary, eventually arriving in the scenic Pertisau am Achensee after a few days on the road via various modes of transport. 'And from there, Austria became our second home,' he says.
He enjoyed an amateur playing career and pursued management, born from intrigue in Jürgen Klopp's Borussia Dortmund. 'It always felt like they were playing with 13 players. 'How is this possible?'' First there were the baby steps coaching under‑10s in Gmunden, a town an hour east of Salzburg, and last season big strides with Cercle Brugge, whom he led to the Europa League qualifying third round in August.
Ralf Rangnick, Roger Schmidt, Diego Simeone and Oliver Glasner have also influenced Muslic. Glasner started his career at Ried, where Muslic also had his first taste of frontline management. This Sunday Muslic's Plymouth side host Liverpool in the FA Cup fourth round. Arne Slot is another major inspiration. 'Growing up, this scenario felt so far away it was almost untouchable. From time to time I might tell my players something from my experience to support and help them. But when they hear my story they don't have to stand there and start crying or feel sorry for me.'
Muslic's father worked as a waiter in resort hotels in Tirol, his mother as a cleaner. He recalls the sacrifice his parents made and the struggles they faced to pay electric bills, monthly rent and education fees. The reason he could not go skiing with the rest of his class or attend Wienwoche, an annual festival in Vienna, dawned on him only as he grew older.
'But I had a happy childhood, I never had the feeling I missed out. We moved 13 or 14 times, Marinela and I changed schools 10 or 11 times; we had the life of a nomad family because my parents' work was seasonal. I'm just glad I can recognise real life, because football is a bubble. I always try to relay this message to young players. Most of them only know about this bubble. It is a game we love and a privilege. So don't waste it, don't throw away your talent. Real life is a lot more difficult than playing a football game.'
Muslic and his family had to start from scratch. They shared a poky room in Innsbruck, in a block with other refugees from Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia and Turkey. 'I guess it was the cheapest solution for us to have a roof over our heads,' he says, describing an arrangement with one bed, a wardrobe and a sink. 'My father slept on the floor so Marinela, my mother and I could sleep [on the bed]. We shared the toilet and shower with strangers. There was no kitchen to prepare food; I was used to my mother's cooking: stews, soup, pitta. I was used to singing in the shower, just enjoying it. But you couldn't.'
They moved into a one-bedroom flat. Muslic and his sister slept on a sofa bed in the living room. 'For us, it was like we had a mansion, having gone from one room to a little apartment. But the first day I woke up – I've always been an early bird, up at 6am, 7am – I saw a cockroach in the kitchen … I'll never forget the smell. And we thought we were moving somewhere really nice.'
It explains Muslic's interest in geopolitics and religion; he estimates he has read 150 books on everything from the former Yugoslavia and the collapse of the Soviet Union to the uprising in China and the history of the United States. He reels off a long list of former US presidents and is so engaging he could probably moonlight as a political leader. He has just finished reading Tariq Ali's Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree. 'It's about the Spanish inquisition,' he says. Other favourites are Ildefonso Falcones' Cathedral of the Sea and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, a story about two young boys from Afghanistan. 'I like to understand why the world is thinking like it is, why the situations are like they are in Europe, America, Asia, the Middle East, to connect things a little bit.'
Muslic's primary task after succeeding Wayne Rooney is to revive Plymouth, bottom of the Championship and four points from safety. This weekend, however, provides a different opportunity, with Slot and Liverpool in town. 'When I was working in Belgium [at Cercle] I travelled twice to Rotterdam to watch Slot's Feyenoord. I went on my days off to watch them live because I think he is unbelievable, the complete coach.
'At Feyenoord, his team was very dominant in possession but very intense out of it. It is the same at Liverpool. They don't give you a second to breathe. At one point under pressure everything breaks and that is the moment they intercept, steal the ball and then find one of their forwards capable of doing something special.'
He giggles in excitement. The 42-year-old was in the stands for Plymouth's win at Brentford in the previous round – when Kevin Nancekivell, the popular first-team coach awarded the freedom of the city last month, led the team – before heading to Devon for the first time. 'I think the idea of the people in charge of Argyle was to protect me by putting me on a train with 2,500 of the Green Army,' he says, smiling. 'They offered me wine, vodka, beer, cola, water, doughnuts … I only accepted a doughnut.' By that point Muslic was well versed on his new club. He had analysed 10 games in full, dived into the data and wowed the Plymouth hierarchy with a detailed presentation during talks in London.
Sign up to Football Daily
Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football
after newsletter promotion
Neither party could dress up the numbers: no team have conceded more goals across the top four divisions this season and Plymouth have taken 51 points from their past 51 league matches. But victory against West Brom last weekend ended a 15-game run without a league win and Muslic is determined to avoid dropping into League One. 'It is a hell of a task but it's not impossible,' he says. 'All of my life I have been chasing challenges, never running away from things.'
How, then, do Plymouth prepare to host arguably the best team in the world? 'With bravery,' Muslic says, citing his players' reaction to earn a point at promotion-chasing Sunderland three days after a 5-0 defeat at home to Burnley. 'Otherwise you cannot compete. I'm not saying with courage and being brave we're going to close the gap between Argyle and Liverpool, but you can get closer and make it more competitive. There is nothing to be afraid of.'
Muslic, whose wife, Ensada, and three children, Benjamin, Lejla and Hamza, are in Austria, does not want to waste a moment. His handshake is firm, his words convincing. Even the dead air plays a part; a clip of Muslic's stirring address to Plymouth's squad on his first day went viral. He insists it was not rehearsed but from the heart. 'I think my past defines the person who I am today. I am the same coach as I am a person. I cannot be one coach and also another person. I'm not thinking about it [my past] every single day but is this my drive? Yeah, I have this inside my soul,' he says, tapping his chest. 'I will never forget it.'
Another message sticks. 'My father always told me to never go through life with a closed hand,' he says, clenching his left fist. 'Maybe that way you can protect everything but nothing new will come in. If your hand is open, you will lose some things but new things will always enter. That is the mentality for the Liverpool game. I dreamed about watching Liverpool at Anfield but to be in the dugout managing against one of them, that's fantasy. And I don't read fantasy.'
There is a flash of lightning outside. 'My first days here were sunny but as soon as I signed my contract, it started raining and everything,' he says, laughing. It will not stop Muslic immersing himself in his new surroundings, aided by the '30 Walks in Devon' cards given to him by the club secretary, Zac Newton, after he shared his love of the outdoors. 'I try to escape, hide, breathe,' he says. 'There are other things in life than preparing a gameplan for the next opponent.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Metro
2 hours ago
- Metro
Ruben Amroim warns Chelsea over Alejandro Garnacho transfer
Ruben Amroim has told Alejandro Garnacho that he will remain at Old Trafford if Chelsea do not meet Manchester United's asking price this summer. Amorim made it clear to Garnacho that he has no future at United after he was left out of the squad for their final Premier League game last season and benched for the Europa League final against Spurs in May. Garnacho hit out at Amorim after he was dropped for the Europa League final defeat to Spurs in Bilbao and indicated that his future at United is in doubt. The Argentina international had attracted interest from both Chelsea and Napoli in the January transfer window but were unwilling to meet United's £70 million asking price. Chelsea have retained their interest this summer and reports this week have claimed that United have now dropped Garnacho's valuation to £40m. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you. Garnacho, who is keen to remain in the Premier League and join a Champions League club, has been omitted from United's pre-season tour squad this month. However, Amorim is adamant that Garnacho will be reintegrated back into United's first team if he fails to secure a move away before the end of the summer transfer window. Asked if United are concerned by the possibility of reducing the value of their unwanted players such as Garnacho, Jadon Sancho and Antony by leaving them out of their pre-season tour of the United States, Amorim said on Friday: 'I think that is not the case. 'There are different reasons for the players. Some players have to find a new place to have more space in the team, other players clearly show that they want a new challenge and they want new teams. 'So we are just allowing these players time to think and to decide. 'If they reach a point where they have to join the team they will join the team because they are our players. More Trending 'I know for a fact Omar [Berrada] and Jason [Wilcox] and the club have a number for these players. If they don't reach that they will be Manchester United players, no doubts about that. 'I understand the club are maybe waiting for the last minute but they can have a surprise and I am ready, I am ready to receive the players. 'They have more competition, if they want to play in the World Cup they need to play so I'm really happy with that because I will have more options. 'If they have to fight each other to play for me that is perfect.' For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Cole Palmer tipped for sensational transfer to Man Utd from Chelsea by former coach MORE: Chelsea agree deal for Crystal Palace star after beating eight clubs in transfer race MORE: Bayern Munich make approach sign Man Utd star as Luis Diaz alternative


Daily Record
4 hours ago
- Daily Record
Aberdeen vs Ipswich LIVE score and goal updates from pre season clash at Pittodrie
Aberdeen are heading into the final stages of their pre-season preparations as the big competitive return to action looms. Jimmy Thelin's men have had extra time on the grass as league rivals get down to work in the Premier Sports Cup. Booking European football means they skip the league section of the domestic cup competition. However, the Scottish Premiership gets up and running next weekend and the Dons face a trip to Hearts for a Monday night clash under the lights to kick off their campaign against a familiar face in Derek McInnes. The Europa League play-off round will also be firmly in the thoughts of Thelin and his troops and tonight's test against Ipswich - relegated from the Premier League last season - will provide another stiff test and get valuable match minutes in the legs. It's the final outing of the pre-season calendar and the last chance to impress and get in that starting XI for the real deal! Alan Galindo Pre-season so far It's been a busy pre-season schedule to date in the Granite City. Aberdeen spent 10 days working at a warm-weather camp in Portugal. It was then a 2-0 friendly win over Cove Rangers on the road at the Balmoral Stadium on their return with Ante Palaversa and Nicky Devlin on target. A trip to London to face Fulham followed in a closed doors game with the EPL outfit running out 4-1 winners in a strong test. Kusini Yengi got his first goal for the club since his summer move in that showdown. 16:33Alan Galindo Eur on my mind It is not only the league action at Tynecastle next Monday that will be on the mind of the players and staff. Rangers, Hibs and Dundee United have got underway in European qualifiers - and the Dons and Celtic will join the party soon. Aberdeen are in the Europa League play-off round with league phase football guaranteed in the back pocket in the Conference League. But with that huge two-legged game set to come around fast, the players will be desperate to show at every opportunity they should be in the team and part of the big occasions.


BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
Why McGrath fancies Hibs' chances at home to Midtjylland
Jamie McGrath says Hibs "fancy their chances" of overcoming Midtjylland at Easter Road after being disappointed to only draw in midfielder's debut goal set the tone for an impressive performance for David Gray's side, who are looking to finish the job next Thursday and secure a place in the Europa League third qualifying round against Fredrikstad of Norway."Overall we are disappointed not to win the game," McGrath told BBC Scotland. "It was a moment of magic to be fair [for Midtjylland's goal] but I don't think they cut us open from a defensive point of view."Going the other way I think we could be a bit better. We missed a few passes we really could have hurt them with, but the goal was to keep the tie alive for next week and we are in a good position."It's a tough place to come. They are a Champions League team but we missed some really good opportunities on the transition which maybe on another night we can score one or two more."They are obviously favourites for the tie but what we saw on Thursday night we will get at Easter Road as well. We will be looking to fancy our chances at Easter Road as well."With the Easter Road crowd, the place will be absolutely buzzing so I am looking forward to being part of that next week."