Vipers Sports Club has appointed Serbian Nikola Kavazović as their new head coach on a two-year contract.
Kavazović, who recently concluded his tenure with Ethiopian Coffee, officially signed with the Venoms on June 10, taking the helm from interim coach Richard Wasswa.
Wasswa had stepped in after Livingstone Mbabazi’s unexpected departure late last season.
The unveiling was done at St Mary’s Stadium in Kitende by Vipers’ club president, Lawrence Mulindwa.
“I want to thank coach Wasswa for standing in as an interim when our head coach Mbabazi went AWOL,” Mulindwa expressed during the unveiling ceremony.
He further elaborated on the club’s vision, “We are trying to address most of the aspects that define a professional team. We believe in modernization and that’s why we want to put in place all that entails that, including a right technical team.”
Mulindwa highlighted the rigorous selection process for the new head coach. “The search for a new coach has been ongoing and many applied, we received many applications from within the country, Africa, and outside Africa. The selection process continued, and after filtering, I believe we came out with the right candidate,” he said.
“Recruitment is a process that takes time and you have to do it very well. We feel this time round we got the right coach.”
Kavazović’s backroom staff includes Fred Muhumuza as his deputy, Brazilian-Portuguese coach Jose Esdras Costa Lopez as the trainer, Ali Kimera as the goalkeeping coach, Ibrahim Kato overseeing the gym, and Michael Lule as the team doctor.
Mulindwa emphasized that the backroom staff will be beefed up on the coach’s recommendations.
This is the latest foreign coach at Vipers who have previously had Brazilians, Portuguese among others in the hot seat.
“Pressure is my middle name,” Nikola jokingly said in regards to taking over at the club.
“I am grateful for this opportunity and I want to deliver success. I am a student of Portuguese football philosophy and I very much want disciplined players.”
Discussion about this post