SKOPJE (EuroBasket 2015) - Marijan Srbinovski has been handed the task to steer The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (MKD) at EuroBasket 2015 after the country's Basketball Federation (MKF) promoted him to head coach.

The 41-year-old Srbinovski had served on the national team as an assistant to coach Ales Pipan at EuroBasket 2013 and as head coach at the Mediterranean Games the same year, where the country was represented by up-and-coming players who today form part of the senior squad.

Srbinovski then continued as an assistant to coach Aleksandar Dzikic during last summer's EuroBasket 2015 2nd Qualification Round.

Dzikic was dismissed from the role last Wednesday following a 'crisis of confidence between the two parties', as the MKF official announcement explained.

The MKF decided that turning to Srbinovski and trusting him with coaching the national team at the upcoming EuroBasket was the most sensible step with less than 45 days remaining to the tournament.

The new head coach of MKD terminated his playing career in 2007 at Rabotnicki Skopje.

He went on to coach the club of his native city, KK Kozuv Gevgelija and then took over at KK Torus Skopje.

MKF Sporting Director Zare Markovski was the one to suggest to the federation's board that Srbinovski was the right man for the job and he will assume the role of assistant coach at the EuroBasket.

The 55-year-old Markovski's coaching career spanned over two decades and he enjoyed great success abroad, especially in Italy and Switzerland.

He was at the helm of storied Italian clubs Virtus Bologna and Olimpia Milano and legendary French side Limoges CSP among others, while also leading Lugano Tigers to three Swiss league titles.

"We have full confidence in Srbinovski," Markovski said.

"In the last two national team cycles he contributed as an assistant coach to a success that was different from the historical fourth place at EuroBasket 2011, in more challenging conditions."

Srbinovski already conducted his first training sessions as the man in charge over the weekend, with the team's main preparations set to begin on 6 August in Ohrid.

The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia will play their first two warm-up games, against Ukraine and Israel, while on 14 August they will play host to Venezuela in Gevgelija.

At EuroBasket 2015, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is set to go up against Georgia, Netherlands, Greece, Slovenia and hosts Croatia in Group C, which is hosted in Zagreb. 

Go to eurobasket2015.org for more coverage of EuroBasket 2015.

FIBA