No country for old coaches

Job security is not easy to come by for Bulgarian league coaches with only six of the 16 A PFG clubs keeping the same man in charge throughout this season.

Lucky six
Three weeks into the spring campaign, only the managers of the four big capital clubs – runaway league leaders PFC CSKA Sofia, second-placed PFC Lokomotiv Sofia, reigning champions PFC Levski Sofia and PFC Slavia Sofia – and the coaches at PFC Cherno More Varna and PFC Chernomorets Burgas are still in charge of the sides with which they started pre-season training.
Now 13th in the table, PFC Marek Dupnitza have had the most turbulent season so far with five changes of coach within 20 games. Stoyan Kotsev started the season in charge but was replaced by Vassil Palvov, Yuri Vassev and Georgi Dimitrov before last week owner Yordan Andreev decided to reinstate the experienced Kotsev in order to save the club from relegation.

Mihtarski hired
They are not the only side to have changed coach in recent weeks. Ilian Iliev has been appointed as the new boss at PFC Beroe Stara Zagora, fellow former international Petar Mihtarski has taken over at PFC Pirin 1922, with his predecessor Petar Tsvetkov assuming an administrative role at the club, while Radoslav Zdravkov replaced Atanas Atanasov at PFC Spartak Varna.

Vidima upturn
Elsewhere a change of manager may yet mark an upturn in fortunes for bottom side PFC Vidima Rakovski. After nine successive league defeats under Kostadin Angelov, Manov Georgiev started his reign with a 1-0 defeat at Chernomorets before creating a major stir by earning a 1-1 draw against CSKA and picking up another point on the road with a goalless draw at PFC Vihren Sandanski.

Plovdiv change
Meanwhile, PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv 1936 have hired former F.Y.R. Macedonia coach Dragan Kanatlarovski. The 2004 Bulgarian champions started the season with Ivan Marinov in charge, but he was replaced by Yassen Petrov in September. Petrov resigned following a humiliating Bulgarian Cup defeat against second division PFC Kaliakra Kavarna, giving Kanatlarovski his chance.

European ambition
Formerly a midfielder with FK Crvena Zvezda and RC Deportivo La Coruña, the 47-year-old has signed an 18-month contract in Plovdiv and has excited supporters with talk of battling for European places in the future. However, given the tough circumstances he faces as an A PFG coach, surviving in his job until the end of the season may be a more credible target for the new man.