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Kavazović takes over as Vipers coach
Vipers president Lawrence Mulindwa (M) hands over the club Jersey to new Serbian coach Nikola Kavazovic at St Mary's Stadium, Kitende. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
The 48-year-old has been netted down to a two-year employment contract, that will run at least up to 2026.
A month after winding up the 2023/24 campaign, six-time Uganda Premier League champions Vipers Sports Club have confirmed the appointment of Serbian native Nikola Kavazovic as new head coach.
The 48-year-old has been netted down to a two-year employment contract, that will run at least up to 2026.
He comes in with a daunting task of trying to bring back the Venoms to their glory, with the team failing to win a trophy last season. We finished third in the Uganda Premier League, and in the quarterfinals of the Stanbic Uganda Cup.
“I’m happy to be in Uganda and at a big club like Vipers. I thank the club president (Lawrence Mulindwa) for the trust he has given me,” Kavazovic said in his initial remarks.
Kavazovic boasts enviable managerial experience, having coached at over ten teams, including two national teams.
Kavazović is a former Tajikistan National football team head coach (2012 – 2013), as well as Sri Lanka’s National senior team between 2014 and 2015.
Still in Tajikistan, he was league champion at FC Istiklol. Also as head coach of Istiklol, Kavazović won the AFC Presidents Cup in 2012.
Meanwhile, he has also previously held managerial positions in Serbia with FK BASK, OFK Zarkovo, Borak Banja Luka and Resniki.
Kavazovic has also managed at New Radiant FC (Maldives) and Saif in Bangladesh.
In Africa, he has been at Kenya’s AFC Leopards, Botswana’s Township Rollers, South Africa’s Free State Stars and most recently, at Ethiopian Coffee.
Kavazovic is a UEFA A license holder, but also enrolled on UEFA “PRO” license with the Football Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It should be recalled that in July 2012, after his appointment as Tajikistan head coach, he became the youngest National team head coach in the world, aged 36.
NIKOLA KAVAZOVIC FACT FILE
Full Name: Nikola Kavazovic
Date of Birth: 29 – July– 1975
Place of Birth: Belgrade, Serbia
Clubs Managed
Aug 2023 – June 2024: Ethiopia Coffee
Dec 2022 – Aug 2023: Soua Flamingoes
July 2020 – July 2022: Township Rollers
Sept 2019 – July 2020: Jwaneng Galaxy
Dec 2018 – July 2019: Free State Stars
July 2017 – Nov 2018: Township Rollers
Sept 2016 – April 2017: Saif SC (Bangladesh)
June 2014 – June 2015: Sri Lanka (National team)
Jan 2012 – June 2013: FC lstiklol Dushanbe
April 2008 – Sept 2012: FC Borac (Serbia)
