During his colourful career, Miljanić coached Red Star Belgrade (won 10 trophies), Real Madrid (won back-to-back La Liga titles, including a League/Cup double in the 1974–75 season), Valencia CF (disappointing stint that lasted three quarters of the 1982–83 season when he got sacked with the team in 17th place in the league), and the Yugoslavia national team, of which he was a head coach in the 1974 and 1982 World Cups.

His influence on the game of football in Yugoslavia is huge as an entire generation of coaches including Ćiro Blažević, Ivica Osim, Toza Veselinović, etc.

In addition to admirers, Miljanić has his share of detractors who feel his trademark cautious and defensive tactics, as well as reliance on older players, contributed to the Yugoslavia national team's poor results and unattractive play throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

[2] The fleeing family first settled in the town of Jagodina followed by relocating to Kragujevac,[2] a city reeling from the October 1941 massacre of more than 2,700 civilians committed by the Wehrmacht force.

[5] Under Miljanić and Čabrinović, Yugoslavia played just one unofficial friendly against the club ACF Fiorentina, in Florence, for a minor attendance and under huge protests, on 28 May.

It was known by that day the rumor that Yugoslavia would be banned of the tournament due to Yugoslav wars, to which Miljanić, disgusted with increasingly questions about his players origins rather than their efficiency, reacted with wet eyes: "are we not welcomed?

The longtime coach's mid-season replacement Luis Molowny didn't fare well, losing 0–5 at home in El Clásico to the Johan Cruijff-led FC Barcelona in February 1974 and further cementing the club's league table placing away from the European spots.

[7] This time, within weeks, by March 1974, Miljanić committed to a two-year contract with Real Madrid effective summer 1974 following the World Cup, an arrangement reportedly set to see him receive US$150,000 in salary compensation (US$900,000 in 2022)[8] over the agreed period.

On 5 July 1974, three days after ending his World Cup participation in West Germany with a loss against Sweden, Miljanić was presented as Real Madrid's new head coach.

[11] Insisting on optimal physical and tactical preparation, he increased the number of daily training sessions from one to three—the first two (morning and noon) focusing on fitness and the late afternoon one with the ball—thus causing an outrage within the club initially.

[16] Others speculated that contentious relations between SFR Yugoslavia and the Spanish State under the regime of Francisco Franco played a role in Miljanić's decision.

[18] After visiting London on 20 April 1976 and receiving a reportedly lucrative offer to manage the club starting from the 1976-77 season, Miljanić decided not to sign with Arsenal and eventually re-signed with Real.

[20][18] The activities Miljanić partook in while in London and Stamford Bridge included watching Chelsea come back from 0-3 down to win 4-3 in the league versus Bolton Wanderers.