# Marjan Sekulovski

Marjan Sekulovski (Macedonian: Марјан Секуловски; born 13 March 1973) is a Macedonian football manager and former player, who was most recently the head coach of Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in the Bangladesh Premier League.

## Playing career

Marjan Sekulovski played for Pelister, FK Prespa, FK Novaci, FK Bitola, FK Borec and FK Napredok, among other clubs during his playing career. Marjan also played for the Macedonian National Teams (U-15, U-17, and U-19). He played in the attacking (creative) midfielder position. He was one of the biggest talents of his generation, but he could not prove his talent because of his many injuries. Due to the severe last injury of his Achilles tendon, he finished his career as a player at the age of 28. In May 2001, he started his coaching career.

## Managerial career

In June 2001, Sekulovski started his coaching career as Head Coach of the FK Pelister Youth Team, FK Pelister (U-15). In the first three seasons under him the FK Pelister Youth Team, 2001/2002 - FK Pelister (U-15), 2002/2003 - FK Pelister (U-16), 2003/2004 - FK Pelister (U-17), were three times runners up in the Macedonian First Youth League (U-15, U-16, U-17). In May 2004, FK Pelister (U-17), became Champions when they won the Macedonian National Cup U-17, in the season 2003-04. In June 2004, Marjan Sekulovski became the youngest-ever Head Coach in FK Pelister history when he took over the Professional Senior Team of the FK Pelister, in Macedonian Second League 2004-2005. From June 2005, he continued to coach the Professional Senior Team of the FK Pelister, guiding them to a Macedonian Second League title in the 2005-06 season. In May 2006, FK Pelister became Champions in the Macedonian Second League 2005-2006, for the first time under him, with an unbeaten record of 18 official matches in a row. From June 2006, he continued to coach the Professional Senior Team of the FK Pelister in the Macedonian First League 2006 - 2007. In his first season in the Macedonian First League, 2006 - 2007, FK Pelister finished in 5th position and played 1/2 final match in the National Cup. Marjan Sekulovski stayed with FK Pelister until June 2007. In June 2007, he took over FK Sileks from Kratovo in the Macedonian First League and stayed until November 2008. Starting from January 2009, he attended the education class for the UEFA PRO DIPLOMA / LICENCE and successfully finished in December 2010. In November 2009, he took over FK 11 Oktomvri from Prilep in the Macedonian Second League and stayed until June 2010. In December 2010, he took over FK Novaci from Novaci in the Macedonian Second League and stayed until June 2011. In September 2011, for the second time, he took over FK 11 Oktomvri from Prilep, Macedonian First League, and stayed until November 2011. In November 2011, Marjan Sekulovski returned to FK Pelister, bringing them to a Macedonian Second League title in the 2011-12 season and an unbeaten record of 14 official matches in a row. He stayed in FK Pelister until May 2012.
In May 2012, Sekulovski left FK Pelister and went to Myanmar, to manage his first international club, Ayeyawady United. In October 2012, for the first time in history, Ayeyawady United FC, became the winner of the Myanmar National Cup 2012, and qualified to play in AFC CUP 2013, in Group Stage. In January 2013, Ayeyawady United FC was the runner-up in the Myanmar Super Cup 2013. From February to May 2013, Ayeyawady United FC played in the AFC Cup 2013 Group Stage. He stayed in Ayeyawady United FC until he finished his 18-month contract in November 2013.
In March 2014, he took over FK Makedonija Gjorce Petrov from Skopje in the Macedonian First League and stayed until May 2014. In July 2014, for the third time, he took over FK Pelister from Bitola in the Macedonian First League and stayed until December 2014. In December 2014, the Macedonian Football Federation awarded Marjan Sekulovski the Best Macedonian Football Coach who works abroad. In December 2014, for the second time, he returned to Ayeyawady United FC. In January 2015, Ayeyawady United FC, become won the Myanmar Super Cup 2015 (MFF Charity Cup 2015). In May 2015, for the first time in history, Ayeyawady United FC successfully finished and passed the Group Stage in the AFC CUP 2015, without losing a match in Group Stage, having a record of 2 wins, 4 draws, 0 losses, qualifying to play the 1/8 final match in AFC CUP 2015. From January 2015 - May 2015, Ayeyawady United FC successfully played in the Myanmar National League 2015 and the AFC CUP 2015, with an unbeaten record of 15 official matches in a row. In September 2015, for a second time under his management, Ayeyawady United FC won the Myanmar National Cup 2015 (General Aung San Shield 2015), and qualified to play in the AFC CUP 2016, in the Group Stage. Sekulovski, with this success, became one of the most successful football head coaches in New Professional Myanmar Football history, with 3 Myanmar Cup Champion titles in the last 3 seasons. Sekulovski stayed with Ayeyawady United FC until January 2016. In January 2016, Marjan Sekulovski signed a contract with Yangon United FC, in Myanmar.
In February 2016, Sekulovski with his new team Yangon United FC, played a second preliminary round qualification match in the Asian Champions League 2016, for the first time in history. From February 2016 until May 2016, Marjan Sekulovski with Yangon United FC took part in the AFC CUP 2016 (group stage) in Group G. Sekulovski stayed in Yangon United FC until the end of June 2016. At the time when he left the team, Yangon United FC was in second position in MNL 2016 and already qualified in the Semifinal of the Myanmar National Cup 2016. In December 2016, Sekulovski signed a 10-month contract for the full 2017 season with Maziya Sports and Recreation Club FC, one of the most famous clubs in Maldives and the current Champion of Maldives. In February 2017, Maziya Sport & Recreation Club FC won the Super Cup of Maldives 2017 (Charity Shield 2017) and became the Champion of the Maldivian Super Cup 2017. In April 2017, Marjan Sekulovski achieved the biggest international success for Maziya Sport & Recreation Club FC, when for the first time a Maldivian football team defeated an Indian football team in India and for the first time after 13 years a Maldivian football team defeated an Indian football team. (19.04.2017, AFC Cup, Mohun Bagan FC 0 - 1 Maziya Sport & Recreation Club FC) and (03.05.2017, AFC Cup, Maziya Sport & Recreation FC 5 - 2 Mohun Bagan FC). From February 2017 until May 2017 Maziya Sport & Recreation Club FC played in the AFC Cup 2017 group stage in Group E. Maziya Sport & Recreation Club FC, with 12 points shared the first place in Group E with Bengaluru FC from India who were 2016 season AFC Cup runners up, which was the best team record ever in team history. Maziya Sport & Recreation Club FC collected 12 points in the AFC Cup competition with records of 4 wins, 0 draws, and 2 losses. In July 2017, Marjan Sekulovski with Maziya S& RC FC won the STO MALE LEAGUE 2017 and became the champion of the Maldivian National League 2017. Sekulovski stayed in Maziya S&RC FC until the end of his 10-month contract on 31 October 2017.
In January 2018, for the fourth time as a head coach, came back to FK Pelister from Bitola, in the Macedonian First League, to help the team survive in a difficult moment. Sekulovski stayed in FK Pelister until 20 April 2018. He left the club at the moment when FK Pelister was already qualified for the final game of the National Cup of Macedonia 2018 (finalist of the National Cup of Macedonia 2018). In April 2018 Sekulovski signed a contract with Shan United from Myanmar. He signed a 5-month contract until the end of the season 2018 (30 September 2018). Shan United was the League and Cup Champion of Myanmar for season 2017. But in the 2018 season, their performance was very poor, and they were in the fourth position in the table in MPT MNL 2018. In September 2018, Sekulovski as Head Coach with Shan United from Myanmar became the Vice Champion (second position) of the MPT Myanmar National League 2018 with an unbeaten record of 13 official matches in a row in MPT MNL 2018 (10 win and 3 draw games), and also an unbeaten record of 15 official matches in a row in all competitions (11 win and 4 draw games), and qualified to play in AFC CUP 2019, in Group Stage. Sekulovski stayed with Shan United until the end of his 5-month contract on 30 September 2018. In April 2019, Marjan Sekulovski for the second time came back and signed a year contract for the full season of 2019/2020 with Maziya Sports and Recreation Club FC, Maziya S&RC.
Under Sekulovski, Maziya S&RC FC captured two historical records in the Dhiraagu Dhivehi Premier League season 2019/2020. These were the biggest win in Maldivian National League history, Maziya 13 : 0 Nilandhoo (25 June 2019), and the fastest goal in Maldivian National League history, when Asadhulla Abdhulla scored in 15 seconds, Maziya 9 : 0 Victory (3 August 2019). On 19 January 2020, Maziya S&RC FC became the champions of the Dhiraagu Dhivehi Premier League (Maldives National League Champion) for the 2019/2020 season, confirming the Premier League Champion Title three games before the end of the League competition. Under Sekulovski, Maziya S&RC FC had success in the AFC CUP 2020 Qualification Round, defeating Abahani Dhaka FC of Bangladesh. Under Sekulovski, Maziya S&RC FC qualified for the AFC CUP 2020 Group Stage, defeating Bengaluru FC, who last season were Indian Super League 2019 champions and were AFC CUP 2016 finalists, 2:1 in Male (Maldives) on 19 February 2020 and 1:2 after full time, 2:3 after extra time, 4:3 after penalties in Bangalore (India) in a Play-Off round on 26 February 2020. On 2 March 2020, Maziya S&RC FC was crowned the champions of the Dhiraagu Dhivehi Premier League (Maldives National League Champion) for the 2019/2020 season. Sekulovski stayed in Maziya S&RC until the end of his 15-month contract on 1 July 2020. In November 2020, Marjan Sekulovski signed a long-term contract that lasted until June 2022 as head coach with Bregalnica Štip from Мacedonia. In May 2021, Bregalnica Štip became champions of the Macedonian Second League for the 2020-2021 season, with an unbeaten record of 27 official matches in a row in the Macedonian Second League 2020-2021, 23 W / 4 D / 0 L. On January 10, 2022, Sekulovski canceled his contract before its expiration and left Bregalnica Štip because of private reasons. At the moment of leaving the team, Bregalnica Štip was in the 4th position on the table of the I MFL with 29 points from 18 games in the Macedonian First League. On January 20, 2022, Sekulovski signed a contract lasting until June 2023 with FK Pelister, in the Macedonian First League. On January 25, 2023, Marjan Sekulovski canceled his contract early and left Pelister. At the moment of leaving the team, FK Pelister was in the fourth position on the table of the Macedonian Second League 2022-2023 with 30 points from 15 games.
On September 1, 2023, Sekulovski signed a contract for the upcoming 2023 / 2024 season with Sheikh Jamal DC, a team in the Bangladesh Premier League.

## Achievements

Head Coach Awards and Achievements:
* CHAMPION - NATIONAL LEAGUE (5): 2005/2006, 2011/2012, 2017, 2019/2020, 2020/2021
* CHAMPION - NATIONAL CUP (3): 2003/2004, 2012, 2015
* CHAMPION - NATIONAL SUPER CUP (2): 2015, 2017
* RUNNERS UP - NATIONAL LEAGUE (4): 2001/2002, 2002/2003, 2003/2004, 2018
* RUNNERS UP - NATIONAL CUP (1): 2017/2018
* RUNNERS UP - NATIONAL SUPER CUP (1): 2013
* AFC CUP - GROUP STAGE (5): 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020
* AFC CUP - ROUND OF 16 (1): 2015
* ACL - SECOND PRELIMINARY ROUND (1): 2016
* AFC CUP - CHAMPION / WINNER AT QUALIFICATIONS ROUND/STAGE FOR AFC CUP 2020 IN SOUTH ASIA ZONE (1): 2020
* AFC CUP - CHAMPION / WINNER AT PLAYOFF ROUND/STAGE FOR AFC CUP 2020 IN SOUTH ASIA ZONE (1): 2020
* 2001 / 2002 - FC "PELISTER" - BITOLA (YOUTH TEAM U - 15) - RUNNER UP - MACEDONIA NATIONAL YOUTH LEAGUE (U – 15)
* 2002 / 2003 - FC "PELISTER" - BITOLA (YOUTH TEAM U - 16) - RUNNER UP - MACEDONIA NATIONAL YOUTH LEAGUE (U – 16)
* 2003 / 2004 - FC "PELISTER" - BITOLA (YOUTH TEAM U - 17) - RUNNER UP - MACEDONIA NATIONAL YOUTH LEAGUE (U – 17)
* 2003 / 2004 - FC "PELISTER" - BITOLA (YOUTH TEAM U - 17) - CHAMPION / WINNER - MACEDONIA NATIONAL CUP
* 2005 / 2006 - FC "PELISTER" - BITOLA (MACEDONIA) - CHAMPION / WINNER - I PLACE - PROMOTION IN I MFL
* 2006 / 2007 - FC "PELISTER" - BITOLA (MACEDONIA) - 1 / 2 FINAL MATCH - MACEDONIA NATIONAL CUP
* 2009 / 2010 - UEFA PRO DIPLOMA / LICENCE - FOOTBALL HEAD COACH - GRADUATION
* 2011 / 2012 - FC "PELISTER" - BITOLA (MACEDONIA) - CHAMPION / WINNER - I PLACE - PROMOTION IN I MFL
* 2012 - "AYEYAWADY UNITED FC" (MYANMAR) - CHAMPION / WINNER - MYANMAR NATIONAL CUP 2012 (MFF DIGICEL CUP 2012)
* 2013 - "AYEYAWADY UNITED FC" (MYANMAR) - RUNNER UP - MYANMAR SUPER CUP 2013 (MFF CHARITY CUP 2013)
* 2013 - "AYEYAWADY UNITED FC" (MYANMAR) - AFC CUP 2013 - GROUP STAGE
* 2014 - THE BEST MACEDONIAN COACH ABROAD - AWARDED FROM FOOTBALL FEDERATION OF MACEDONIA
* 2015 - "AYEYAWADY UNITED FC" (MYANMAR) - CHAMPION / WINNER - MYANMAR SUPER CUP 2015 (MFF CHARITY CUP 2015)
* 2015 - "AYEYAWADY UNITED FC" (MYANMAR) - AFC CUP 2015 - PASS THE GROUP STAGE AND QUALIFIED TO PLAY 1/8 FINAL IN AFC CUP 2015
* 2015 - "AYEYAWADY UNITED FC" (MYANMAR) - CHAMPION / WINNER - MYANMAR NATIONAL CUP 2015 (GENERAL AUNG SAN SHIELD 2015)
* 2016 - "YANGON UNITED FC" (MYANMAR) - ASIAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2016 - SECOND PRELIMINARY STAGE
* 2016 - "YANGON UNITED FC" (MYANMAR) - AFC CUP 2016 - GROUP STAGE
* 2017 - "MAZIYA S & RC FC" (MALDIVES) - CHAMPION / WINNER - SUPER CUP OF MALDIVES 2017 - CHARITY SHIELD 2017
* 2017 - "MAZIYA S & RC FC" (MALDIVES) - AFC CUP 2017 - GROUP STAGE
* 2017 - "MAZIYA S & RC FC" (MALDIVES) - CHAMPION / WINNER - STO MALE LEAGUE 2017 - MALDIVIAN NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 2017
* 2017 / 2018 - "FC PELISTER" - BITOLA (MACEDONIA) - FINALIST / RUNNER UP - MACEDONIA NATIONAL CUP
* 2018 - "SHAN UNITED FC" (MYANMAR) - RUNNER UP - MYANMAR NATIONAL LEAGUE 2018
* 2019 / 2020 - "MAZIYA S & RC FC" (MALDIVES) - CHAMPION / WINNER - DDPL 2019 / 2020 - MALDIVIAN NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 2019 / 2020
* 2020 - "MAZIYA S & RC FC" (MALDIVES) - CHAMPION / WINNER AT QUALIFICATIONS ROUND/STAGE FOR AFC CUP 2020 IN SOUTH ASIA ZONE
* 2020 - "MAZIYA S & RC FC" (MALDIVES) - CHAMPION / WINNER AT PLAYOFF ROUND/STAGE FOR AFC CUP 2020 IN SOUTH ASIA ZONE
* 2020 - "MAZIYA S & RC FC" (MALDIVES) - AFC CUP 2020 - GROUP STAGE
* 2020 / 2021 - FC "BREGALNICA" - STIP (MACEDONIA) - CHAMPION / WINNER - I PLACE - PROMOTION IN I MFL