Simovic savours 'dream' appointment

The former FK Cukaricki player Zeljko Simovic has been named as the Prva Savezna Liga club's new coach.

Replaces Vukasinovic
Formerly Miroslav Vukasinovic's assistant, Simovic steps up to replace the coach who stood down at the Belgrade club before taking charge of FK Vojvodina last month. The 44-year-old Simovic has signed a one-and-a-half year contract.

'My dream'
"This is my dream - to coach alone," said Simovic. "Because of my age I must prove that I know the job. We have a good team and I believe in the players. Maybe they don't have confidence in themselves but I am working on this."

On a mission
Cukaricki will begin the second half of the Yugoslavian season in 12th place in the 18-team division, though the new coach is not taking anything for granted. "We must stay in the Prva Savezna Liga, which I don't think is an impossible mission," he said.

'Best solution'
The Cukaricki president, Aleksandar Mihailovic, said: "Simovic represented the best solution for us. He is young and brave which is exactly what we need. I am by no means worried as I know that Simovic is a clever coach."