Ilian Iliev is the new head coach of the national football team, reported BGNES. He replaces dismissed Mladen Krstajic and will debut against Hungary in a European qualifier on November 16. Three days later the Lions play with Serbia in Belgrade.
Ilian Iliev was born on July 2, 1968 in Varna. He played for Cherno more, Levski, Portuguese giant Benfica, Altay, Slavia, Bursaspor, AEK, Maritimo and Salgueiros. He was one of our most iconic footballers in 90s, playing 35 games for the national side, scoring 3 goals. Participant in the 1998 World Cup in France, in which he played all three matches for Bulgaria. His coaching career in our country is connected with Cherno more, Beroe, Lokomotiv Plovdiv and Vereya. Winner of the Bulgarian Cup with Beroe and twice Head coach of the year. Petar Kostadinov, Georgi Donkov, Zdravko Zdravkov (goalkeeping couch), Yasen Lyubenov (conditioning coach) and Atanas Ribarski (analyst) join his staff in the national team.
„I thought about this proposal for a long time. In such a difficult moment for the national team, despite all the negatives, I am obliged to try and help the boys, to change with my staff what’s happening here. Possibly leaving something for the next head coach. I know a lot of the players in the national team and the potential nationals, I’m sure they can play better. They play with anxiety and fear. In the short time before our matches with Hungary and Serbia, let’s change the mindset, raise the confidence and change things a bit tactically”, Iliev said.
Technical director of the Bulgarian Football Union Georgi Ivanov – Gonzo said that Cherno more’s coach will have all their support. „Ilian Iliev will have all the support of BFU. He is the national head coach, he’ll pick the players, the tactics for the next match in order to get results”. Deputy executive director Hristo Zapryanov added: „All of BFU stands firmly beside the head coach of the national team”.
About his contract, Iliev explained: „My contract is for two years and seven months, I will decide in the summer whether or not to continue my contract with Cherno more, because it expires. There is still uncertainty on that subject. The new national head coach added that he won’t call up footballers from Cherno more just because he trains them on club level. „If these players weren’t called up before, it would’ve been a different situation. Ilian played first under Yasen Petrov, Viktor Popov, no comment there. It’s certain that I haven’t come here to give Cherno more’s footballers opportunities. I’ve always said what I think, that won’t change. Previous head coaches have also worked with the same desire, now I want to change things, improve the team and leave something for the next coach”. /BGNES
