Old order restored in Bulgaria

By Nedko Kyuchukov

Bulgaria's most successful club are back in their rightful position at the top of the A PFG after a decade in the doldrums.

History of success
PFC CSKA Sofia have won 28 league titles in the 54 years since they were formed, as well as 23 Bulgarian Cups. They have also reached two European Champions Clubs' Cup semi-finals and a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup semi-final.

Pale imitation
Yet over the past decade CSKA have been a pale imitation of their former selves. While archrivals PFC Levski Sofia have won six championships in that period, CSKA have managed just one. Indeed, there was a fear that Levski, the reigning champions, would dominate for a generation after winning three consecutive titles. CSKA's hiring of Italian coach Luigi Simoni and the purchasing of players like former Colombian international Hamilton Ricard as well as legends Luboslav Penev and Yordan Lechkov failed to help the situation.

Winning record
But suddenly this season the situation has been turned around. CSKA are currently the only team in Europe to retain a 100 per cent league record, winning their first 12 matches. Indeed, they have not lost a competitive game this season, having played a total of 18 matches in all competitions.

Mladenov returns
CSKA's revival has coincided with the appointment of former striker Stoycho Mladenov as a head coach. Mladenov took over the club after an unsuccessful season under Simoni which saw the club finish a disappointing third. Even though Mladenov had an unsuccessful spell as the national team coach, he has enjoyed a formidable start at CSKA, helped by some shrewd signings over the summer.

New players
Brazilian Under-21 international Joao Carlos is a rock in CSKA's defence, while Argentinian U21 Marcos Charras has also shown a great deal of potential. In midfield, F.Y.R. Macedonia captain Artim Sakiri and Bulgaria's U21 captain Emil Gargorov have formed a deadly partnership and up front Bulgaria striker Velizar Dimitrov has been an able replacement for Vladimir Manchev after he was sold to French side Lille OSC in the summer. The 23-year-old, who has scored nine goals in 12 league matches, has been helped by two other new signings, Portuguese winger Joao Paulo Brito and pacey South African international MacDonald Mukasi.

Key figures
The coach has also placed his faith in goalkeeper Stoyan Kolev, a decision which has been an unqualified success. Kolev has conceded just five goals in the league this term and has been called up to Plamen Markov's national squad. CSKA's midfield has been particularly impressive too, with Bulgarian internationals Svetoslav Petrov and Todor Yanchev improving all the time.

Great start
CSKA got off to a great start this season, comfortably beating FC Dinamo Minsk in the UEFA Cup preliminary round. Yet their only disappointment so far came in Europe at the beginning of October when, after a satisfying 1-1 draw at Ewood Road against Blackburn Rovers FC, they could only manage a 3-3 stalemate in the second leg in Sofia. No one has been able to stop CSKA in the league, with some very impressive displays including a superb 3-0 win over Levski and a 1-0 home victory against second-placed PFC Litex Lovech.

'Discipline and ambition'
The players are clearly happy under the coach's new regime and are ambitious for even more success. CSKA captain Georgi Antonov said: "Mladenov brought discipline and ambition when he arrived at the club. We want to become the first Bulgarian club to qualify for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League." The coach is clearly delighted but feels there is to more to some. He said: "I cannot distinguish any player from the rest. We are winning because we have a good team, not only good individuals. However, I think that we have not yet shown our full potential." A chilling warning as the old order looks like being restored.