[2] After playing for two years at Segunda División club Almería, Popović joined Austrian side Sturm Graz in the summer of 1997, aged 30.

Between 2002 and 2006, Popović served as player-manager of Austrian lower league sides TuS FC Arnfels and SV Pachern.

In July 2009, Popović accepted an offer to coach J League club Oita Trinita, which had experienced 14 consecutive defeats in the season.

On 24 November 2014, Popović was appointed at the helm of Spanish Segunda División side Zaragoza, replacing the fired Víctor Muñoz.

[7] He led the team to the 2015 Segunda División play-offs, but fell short, losing to Las Palmas on the away goals rule.

[11] He left the position in June 2017 after receiving a three-month ban by the Thai FA (FAT) for slapping his team's physio after a league game earlier that month.

However, results started to drop off and in spite of a 4–0 league victory over Albirex Niigata, Popović was dismissed with Antlers sitting in 4th in the table and only 6 games left in the season.