Coach changes in "A" and "B" FG
9.6.08, 11:37 by Yordan Tsirov
The past two weeks heralded the start of the "A" and "B" FG's footballers short holidays before they begin preparation for the new season. But they also signaled for some coaching changes among the clubs. The greatest interest was attracted towards Lokomotiv (Sofia)'s new coach – Dragomir Okuka.



The bronze medalists were abandoned by Stefan Grozdanov during the spring part of the season and were lead by Dimitar Vasev, who was Grozdanov's assistant, until the end of the season. Despite a successful end to the season under his guidance, the club's board decided to appoint Serbian specialist Okuka at the helm. The 54-year-old coach was presented at a press conference on 5 June. He last worked with Cypriot side Omonia (Nicosia) in the fall of 2007. In his coaching career he also lead several Serbian and Polish club teams, as well as the U-21 national team of Serbia and Montenegro, with whom he reached 4th place at the U-21 Euro finals in 2006. Okuka has also lead Obilic (Belgrade) and Legia (Warsaw) to domestic titles in Yugoslavia and Poland respectively.

Shortly before that, one of the newcomers to "A" FG and namesake of the "zheleznichari" from Sofia – the team of Lokomotiv (Mezdra) – relieved from his position their coach Stamen Belchev. On 30 May his place was taken by Viktorio Pavlov, who worked in Levski (Sofia)'s youth academy up till now. During this past season he was in charge of the U-19 side (born 1989) of the blues.

As if to compensate for the loss of personnel, Levski's coaching ranks were strengthened with not one but two head coaches from Kaliakra (Kavarna) in less than a month's time. After Velislav Vutsov's transfer to the blues a round before the championship final, the man who took up his place – Antoni Zdravkov – has also followed him to become part of Levski's coaching staff. He did so following Kaliakra's defeat to Minyor (Pernik) in the play-off for "A" FG. On 30 May the "kalyari" board introduced to the media Atanas Atanasov as the team's new head coach. Atanasov was in charge at "A" FG side Spartak (Varna) until shortly after the beginning of the spring part of the season.

Another of the front-runners in Eastern "B" FG also lost its coach. Voin Voynov didn't renew his contract with Rodopa (Smolyan), citing the need to be close to his family in Sofia. In an interview for the "Meridian match" daily on 7 June, Voynov confirmed that he is now in charge of the Western "B" FG side Akademik 1947 (Sofia). The previuos "studenti" head coach Bogdan Kotev will remain at the club at a different position. Meanwhile Rodopa's executives are yet to announce a successor for Voynov.

Yeat another team from the East with promotion aspirations during the past season was not left unaffected by the spirit of change. However, in contrast to his colleagues at Kaliakra and Rodopa, who left on their own account, Nesebar's Nikolay Rusev was fired by the club's board. On 31 May the "delfini" appointed Blagomir Mitrev at his place. A former Naftex (Burgas) player, Mitrev was in charge of the U-19 youth team of the "sheyhove". Atanas Dimov, who also worked at Naftex during this past season – as an assistant to Plamen Mihov – too left the stadium of the greens in order to take charge of a team from the region around Burgas. On 4 June he was confirmed as a new coach of 3rd level side Pomorie by bourgasfootball.com, replacing Ivan Tsvetanov.

There was also a change at a team from the Western "B" FG. One of the veterans of football in Pleven – central defender Krasimir Bislimov – hung up the playing boots, after playing with the Belite orli this season. Bislimov returns to Spartak (Pleven) – the team, where he began his playing career – but this time as a head coach. At this position he replaces Spartak's coach up till now – Vachko Marinov.

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