We can all take a page from Sinisa Mihajlovic’s book of courage

Bologna manager Sinisa Mihajlovic has been coaching the storied Serie A club this season despite also battling leukemia.

You realize sports don’t really matter much when cases like the one involving Sinisa Mihajlovic come up. You see, Mihajlovic isn’t just coaching Bologna this season — he’s doing it at the same time as having to battle leukemia.

It’s not as if Bologna is a title contender, but this is a team that has the backing of many due to Mihajlovic’s courage. He has become a symbol of heroism for the players, the city, their fans and supporters of other clubs as well since he began chemotherapy treatments this summer.

The 50-year-old Serb coach was once a hard-nosed defender who made his career by playing in Serie A for Roma, Sampdoria, Lazio and Inter Milan. After retiring in 2006, Mihajlovic became a manager. It was last January that he was named Bologna coach (he had previously managed the club in 2008) after Filippo Inzaghi was sacked.

But no opponent would instill as much fear in Mihajlovic and his players when over the summer he was diagnosed with leukemia.

“When they told me, it was a huge shock. I spent two days in my room crying … they are not tears of fear, I know I will win. I always play to win, both in football and in life,” an emotional Mihajlovic said in July. “It’s a treatable form, you can recover. And I will defeat it.”

Mihajlovic refused to resign. Instead, his heroic fight has inspired his players to success. The manager’s battle is reminiscent of legendary Lazio coach Tommaso Maestrelli, who died 18 months after the club won the league title in 1974. Maestrelli died of cancer while also trying to defend the title.

Bologna may not be a title contender, but they have surpassed expectations so far this season after catapulting themselves early on to the top half of the standings. For a team whose target was the middle of the table (and possibly even a relegation fight), Bologna has shown that they can battle for a spot in a European competition for next season.

Although it’s still early, Bologna have shown resilience in the face of struggle. Two weeks ago, the coach was absent when Bologna mounted a 4-3 comeback win against 10-man Brescia. Apparently, it was Mihajlovic’s halftime speech via telephone from his hospital bed that made an impact.

Following that victory, the players took their team bus to the hospital afterwards. Outside Mihajlovic’s window, they cheered and chanted hi name. The coach waved back.

“We’re playing like this thanks to his mentality. At the end of the first half he transmitted his anger to us,” said Bologna striker Rodrigo Palacio. “In the second half, we came out with the necessary desire and a great mentality.”

There is still plenty of fight ahead for Mihajlovic. For the coach, it is a time to get healthy again. A master motivator, he’s been an example to his players. In turn, his players have decided to win on the field for Mihajlovic. It has been an emotional start to the season for Bologna. It’s through victories, both on and off the field, that Mihajlovic and his team hope to overcome the odds.