Velizar Popov
Velizar Emilov Popov (; born 7 February 1976), known as Velizar Popov is a Bulgarian professional football manager and former football player. Popov is recently a experienced UEFA Pro License holder and currently is Head coach of Myanmar U23. During his career as a player, he has played for Lokomotiv Plovdiv, Hebar Pazardzhik and Spartak Plovdiv. Velizar Popov is the only Bulgarian Head Coach to have managed abroad 9 different teams in 7 different countries including 2 National Teams and one of the best ambassadors of the Bulgarian coaching guild abroad, especially in Asia. He is the first Bulgarian  Head Coach who won historic treble with a 100% winning record in 2013 abroad and the Group Stage in AFC Cup. Popov is also the first Bulgarian Head Coach who has ever worked in the Moldovan Premier League in 2011, Thailand Premier League in 2014 and 2017, and in the Malaysian Super League in 2016. In 2019 Velizar Popov became the first Bulgarian Head Coach to win the Group Stage and a medal from the SEA Games as well. Popov is a highly qualified and ambitious professional football coach with over 21 years experience coaching across the world with extensive  stints in Europe, Asia and Middle East, gained tremendous experience with more than 200 official games as a head coach in premier leagues and international competitions last 11 years in Europe-Bulgaria Premier League, Denmark, Moldova Premier League, Asia-Thailand Premier League, Malaysian Super League, Maldives National Team, Myanmar National Olympic Team and in the Gulf-Oman Premier League participated in international competitions such as World Cup Qualifiers, AFC Cup, UEFA Europa League, AFF Championship and SEA Games - an incredible career journey and forged a formidable reputation for improving players and transforming teams. Coaching career. Cherno More. Popov had been  appointed on 16 September 2009 as the manager of Cherno More Varna to replace Nikola Spasov after two years of working as his assistant.He made his debut as a football manager in the Bulgarian A PFG on 20 September 2009 in a match against Minyor Pernik. The youngest manager in the Bulgarian League led Cherno More in 36 appearances for the A PFG and 3 matches of the Bulgarian Cup. Velizar remains in history as the coach who reached the most expressive win of Cherno More against the leader in Bulgarian Championship Levski Sofia. In December 2009 the "sailors  defeated the blue team" with 4-1 in the Bulgarian Cup. In June 2010 Velizar Popov attracted in PFC Cherno more one of Brazilian superstar Mário Jardel, who was the most famous name ever having played in the Bulgarian league. In October 2010, Popov left Bulgarian PFC Cherno More and moved to Danish Team Liberika Horsens, with which he won promotion in 2011. For the Season 2011-2012 Popov led Moldovan FC Costuleni which play in the Premier League Moldova. New Radiant. In January 2013, Velizar Popov headed the Maldivian champion New Radiant and won the Maldivian championship with a  100% winning record, the best score ever. He also won the Maldives FA Cup and the Supercup Milo Charity Shields, making the treble. This was the third time New Radiant won the league while the very first time a club has confirmed the league title with one round yet to play and with a 100% winning record. New Radiant broke the maximum league points record of 53 points set by VB Sports in 2010 by taking the "Blues" league points to 57, becoming the first team in history to finish off the league with a 100 percent record. New Radiant  won all 19 matches they played in this years league, scoring an outstanding 73 goals in the process and conceded only 5 goals. In the Asian AFC Cup Popov got to impressive results for the first time in the history of Maldivian football. The team scored the biggest win ever in the AFC Cup 7–0 against Indonesian team Persib. New Radiant finished on the top of the group stage of this year's AFC cup with the best attacking record of 20 goals in 6 games and second best defensive record of the tournament receiving 4 goals in 6 games . The club won the group with 15 points from 6 games —the best score ever in Maldivian football history— and qualified for the quarterfinals for the second time in the history of Maldives football winning Selangor from Malaysia by 2-0 after extra time. Popov won 2013 Maldives Haveeru Awards - Best Coach of the year award after guiding the blues to Charity Shield, Dhivehi League and FA Cup success with a 100% winning record leading the team to AFC Cup Quarter finals and also The Special Excellence Award of New Radiant SC for the historical season winning all domestic titles  with 100% record. Sur Sport Club. On 7 October, Just two days after winning the FA Cup for historic treble with New Radiant, Popov left the Maldives champion after a great season led the islanders to take on former champion of Oman, Sur Sports Club signing a one-year contract until the end of the season 2013/2014. Popov debut in one of the most attractive derby matches in Omani League defeating local rivals Al-Oruba 3-0. Just for 3 months Popov managed to climb Sur Club from 10 to 3 position in the standings and registering the best attack  in the league. As a consequence, for the first time in the history of the club five players from Sur Club are already part of the Olympic national team of Oman. Suphanburi F.C.. For the season 2014, Velizar Popov had been appointed as a new head coach of Suphanburi F.C. in Thailand. Currently they are playing in the Thai Premier League. Popov led the team to the 6th position from 20 teams in the final league table for the season 2014 and led Suphanburi to their first semi final in FA Cup ever in the history of the club. Maldives  national football team. In January 2015, Popov was unveiled as the new head coach of Maldives national team, in a ceremony held before the kick off of POMIS Cup Final. Popov has been appointed head coach of the Maldives national team, returning to the country where he led New Radiant to an unprecedented domestic treble in 2013. Maziya coach Ismail Mahfooz and former national team captain Assad Abdul Ghanee are the assistant coaches and Aslam Abdul Raheem is the goal keeper trainer. Ahmed Shakeeb remained as team's physician while New Radiant's long term serving kit manager Abdul Sattar  is the new kit official. Popov is a popular figure among Maldivian football players and supporters. The 38-year-old Bulgarian oversaw a league campaign that ended with New Radiant making history as the first team to take the Dhivehi League title with a 100% record winning Dhivehi League, FA Cup and Charity Shield Super Cup. He also led New Radiant to the quarter finals of 2013 AFC Cup with the best attacking record in the group stage that includes a local club's biggest away win in an international tournament. New Radiant beat Indonesia's Persibo Bojonegoro by 7–0  in Solo, Indonesia. Popov embarks on his first foray into national team coaching having had spells in Oman with Sur and in Thailand with Suphanburi and takes over the Maldives managerial reigns from Croatian coach Drago Mamic. Popov was very close to making one of the biggest surprises ever in the Asian football in the world cup qualifiers against Qatar. The favourite Qatar needed 9 minutes of added time to beat the Maldives in a World Cup qualifier with the lone goal coming in the ninth minute of added time, even though there was only supposed to be eight minutes  of added time. In the Indian Ocean Islands Games Maldives with Popov won their first match ever in this competition after 3 participations so far beating the old rival Seychelles 2-1. On 12 August 2015, Popov resigned as the Maldives national football team coach. National team captain Ali Ashfaq ‘Dhagandey’ and keeper Imran Mohamed had criticized FAM following Popov's decision to resign. Kelantan FA. On 12 May 2016 the Malaysian giant Kelantan FA has hired former Maldives national coach Velizar Popov to handle the Super League side until the end of the 2016 season following K.Devan’s resignation  after an unsatisfactory performance of the team under his guidance. Bulgarian Popov has been tasked to ensure Kelantan finish in the top four of the Super League. Popov,a experience coach with extensive stints in Europe, Asia and Middle East, has also coached Thailand's Suphanburi, Sur Sports Club of Oman and New Radiant of Maldives, relishes the challenge of reviving Kelantan's fortunes this year. Devan left after making his intention to step aside known to Annuar following a 4-3 defeat to Pahang on April 20 but waited until Wednesday to make his decision public. Following a search  for a successor, Tan Sri Annuar Musa made contact with Popov on Monday, with the Bulgarian arriving here the following day to hold talks. Kelantan are currently in sixth place in the Super League standings with 12 points, six points adrift of third-placed Selangor, who they meet on May 18 in Shah Alam. Popov, whose track record in Asia speaks for itself, is not an unknown figure among Malaysian football players and supporters, after eliminated the giant Selangor on 2013 AFC Cup 1/8 finals with New Radiant, in 2014 also was close to sign with Perak FA, but in  the last moment had signed with Thai Premier League club Suphanburi FC. He made his debut as Kelantan Head Coach against Selangor away on May 18 in Shah Alam stadium with impressive performance played more than 70 min with 10 players after the red card of Wan Zack in the massive derby draw 0-0.Velizar Popov reached the most expressive and biggest win ever in the history of the club in away official match for Kelantan on July 15 against Terengganu 6:1 in Kuala Terengganu in the East Coast derby for the Malaysian Super League Week 14.Kelantan under Popov's  guidance became the first team to qualify for this year's Malaysia Cup quarter-finals after 3 wins and one draw in their first 4 matches in the group stage 2 matches before the end. On 27 September 2016 Kelantan FA (KAFA) chairman Tan Sri Annuar Musa announced that KAFA have been satisfied with Popov so far, and have seen it fit to allow him to pick his own side proposed him the extension of the contract for the following 2017 season. “KAFA are satisfied with the commitment shown by Popov and would like him to pick his own ‘dream  team’, to ensure 2017 is a successful year for Kelantan,” explained the chairman. The former Maldives National Team head coach joined Kelantan in May on what was described by Annuar as a ‘flexi-contract’ following the resignation of former head coach K. Devan. Apart from the extension, Popov will also be given full rein with the appointment of team staff and players both local and foreign in 2017, Annuar announced. On 23 October 2016, Kelantan FA chairman Annuar Musa has announced that the club have accepted Popov's reject to extend his contract for the new 2017 season, and Kelantan  have no choice but to let head coach Velizar Popov leave, one day after he guided the side to a fourth-place finish in the 2016 Super league. Writing on his Facebook page, Annuar explained that the East Coast side have offered Popov a substantial salary raise, but Popov has cited personal and family reasons for his departure. "The reason given (by Popov) was personal and concerning his family. For your information, KAFA (Kelantan FA) have offered him a one-year contract with a 60% salary increment, given KAFA's current financial limitations," explained the chairman. However Annuar commended Popov 's contribution and willingness to serve the side, despite knowing the challenges that he would be facing. "KAFA and I want to thank Popov's exemplary service. He came on the basis of a long-standing friendship, accepting a salary that was not any higher than what was received by his predecessor, a local coach (K. Devan). "I fully understand the challenges he has been facing at Kelantan, and wish him success. He is a model professional, but maybe it is not our time yet to secure his service," conceded the chairman. Annuar ended his post by adding that no  replacement coach has been identified to take over from Popov. The Bulgarian had been appointed in May as Devan's replacement, and was then given the target of finishing in a top-four position in the 2016 Super League. The conclusion of the league action on Saturday sees Popov's Kelantan finishing in fourth. Under him, Kelantan have won eight, drawn six and lost five matches in all competitions. An initial discussion between Annuar and Popov on the team's plans for 2017 around a month earlier had seemed positive, with the former announcing that the latter will continue coaching  Kelantan for another year, but as it can be seen, the deal has apparently fallen through. Sisaket FC. Velizar Popov returns to the Thai Premier League as Sisaket FC Head Coach, after last coaching in the country in 2014 with Suphanburi FC.The Dangerous Koupreys are based in the Sisaket province of Thailand, and finished 13th in the league last season. In 2015 they came the closest to winning a major title, finishing runners up in the Thai League Cup. Bulgarian Popov has been tasked to ensure Sisaket FC, the Thai Premier League relegation battlers, finish out of the last 3  teams in the bottom of the table-the current position of the team at the moment after 6 matches with only 3 points after one win and five defeats. Popov last coached in Thailand in 2014, with Suphanburi FC before leaving to take up the Maldives national team head coach post in 2015. Popov then joined Kelantan midway through the 2016 Malaysia Super League season, overturning the Red Warriors' poor performance and guiding them to a fourth-place finish in the league, and the quarter-final stage of the 2016 Malaysia Cup. However he left the Kota Bharu-based side  at the end of the season, after the club could not meet his requirements for a contract extension. Despite the short time and the difficult schedule, Popov's Sisaket FC managed to win 15 points by the end of the first half of the season in the Thai Premier league T1 and after the fundamental wins against the direct rivals Sukhothai and Thai Honda managed to climb the team over the area of the relegation zone by equalizing points but with advantage in the direct duels with Sukhothai and Thai Honda. The crucial away win against Thai Honda was the  first away win for Sisaket FC after more than one year in all domestic competitions.Velizar Popov has officially parted ways with Sisaket FC on good terms after mutual agreement with the management of the club stepped down from the team on August 1, according to the announcement from the Thai Premier League 1 side. His decision was announced on Tuesday,August 1, after the 41-year-old officially had a meeting with the club president and managers and handed in the resignation to withdraw from the coaching responsibility. Popov returns to the Thai League 1 as Sisaket FC head  coach in March 2017, after last coaching in the country in 2014 with Suphanburi FC. After that, he left the country to take up the Maldives national team head coach post in 2015. He then joined Malaysia Super League side Kelantan in 2016, and successfully guided them to a fourth-place finish in the league, even took the Red Warriors to the quarter-final stage of the 2016 Malaysia Cup. Sur Sport Club. In 2018 Velizar Popov had been appointed as a new head coach of Sur Sport Club at Oman. Currently they are returned and playing in the Oman  Professional Premier League after 2 years in the second tier of the Oman League. Popov is a popular figure among Oman football players and the fans supported his return after already had spells with Sur SC during the season 2013-2014 when made his debut in one of the most attractive derby matches in the Oman League, defeated the local rivals Al Oruba with 3-0. He managed to lead Sur SC climb from the 10th to 3rd position in the standings and registered the best attack in the league. As a consequence, for the first time in the history  of the club five players from Sur SC became already part of the Olympic national team of Oman and already two players are part of the senior national team. “Delighted to return in Oman and after being approached to come back again as a head coach at Sur SC after a few years away it was an easy decision to make, so I'm very excited about ! Looking forward to the new coming campaign with renewed enthusiasm and energy to working with the team and believe we can really push on this season in Oman Professional Premier League."-explained Popov  to the local Oman sport media. With almost two decades worth of experience in football coaching across the world, Popov makes a highly qualified club's choice and Sur SC would be lucky to have a mind like Popov's at their fortress. The 42-year-old has had stints in Europe, Asia and the Middle East – having participated in almost a couple of two hundred official matches as head coach in International competitions. Popov has also been a part of events such as the AFC Cup, UEFA Europa League, and the Asian World Cup Qualifiers as well, concluded the  Oman sport media the presentation about Popov's return at Sur SC. Myanmar National Football Olympic Team U-23. In January 2019 Velizar Popov has been appointed as a new head coach of Myanmar National Football Olympic Team U-23 for this year's 2019 AFC Olympic Qualifiers, AFF Championship in Cambodia and SEA Games in Philippines. Still only 42 but with plenty of managerial experience under his belt already, Popov's appointment was announced by Myanmar Football Federation (MFF) on Wednesday evening. The Bulgarian – a UEFA Pro Licence holder – is no stranger to the region, having had spells in Thailand with  Suphanburi and Sisaket as well as in Malaysia with Kelantan. In fact, Popov has coached solely in Asia since 2012 with stints in Oman and Maldives as well, the latter of which involving being in charge of the national team in 2015. Myanmar are widely regarded as an emerging force in Southeast Asia but have seen their progress stagnate recently, highlighted by their group-stage exit at the last year's AFF Suzuki Cup following a semi-final appearance in 2016. The Under-23s also finished runners-up at the 2015 SEA Games, which was followed by a fourth-place finish  two years later – when the tournament was converted to an Under-22 competition. There is certainly no shortage of outstanding talent for Popov to work with, although inconsistency and indiscipline are often recognised as two factors preventing Myanmar from reaching the level of regional powerhouses Thailand and Vietnam. But, with six players from the AFF Suzuki Cup 2018 squad eligible for this year's SEA Games – Phone Thit Sar Min, Sann Sat Naing, Soe Moe Kyaw, Ye Yint Aung, Htet Phyo Wai and Lwin Moe Aung – Popov will definitely have some youngsters with valuable experience to build his side around, along  with fellow bright prospects Myat Kaung Khant and Hein Phyo Win. In the AFC Qualifiers Myanmar under Velizar Popov reached the most expressive and biggest win ever in the history of the U-23 National Team against Timor Leste 7-0. In the biggest South East Asian tournament Velizar Popov’s Myanmar have entered the semifinals of men’s football in SEA Games 2019 after impressive group stage campaign winning against the host Philippines 2-1, Timor Leste 3-1, Cambodia 2-1 and drawing with Malaysia 1-1,Myanmar made it 10 points from four group fixtures to enter the knockouts , they have left Cambodia, Philippines and Malaysia, all on four points with one matchday left, to fight it out for the one remaining last four slot available for Group A. Myanmar have claimed the men’s football bronze medal at SEA Games 2019 after beat Cambodia 5-4 on penalties following a 2-2 draw at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in the match for the 3rd place.</ref> In December 2020, the technical committee of the Myanmar Football Federation, after a thorough analysis of the team's performance in the last two years, decided to propose a new contract to  Popov. The MFF Secretary General U Ko Ko Thein said that the agreement of his contract extension was reached till the end of 2021 SEA Games. “We are very pleased with the work of Mr Velizar Popov with the team so far and we reached an agreement last week to renew his contract. He agreed to extend the contract with the U23 Myanmar until the end of the 2021 SEA Games in Viet Nam. We are also planning to sign a contract with Mr Popov soon, ” U Ko Ko Thein said. Velizar Popov confirmed the proposal of Myanmar Football Federation  (MFF) to extend his contract for another year until the end of 2021. “Delighted to have been offered and can confirm that I agreed to accept the proposal of the Myanmar Football Federation (MFF) to extend my contract for another year until the end of 2021”, said Popov. “We have already improved many things in technical, tactical, physical, and mental aspects during 2019, both collectively as a team and individually as the development of each player; in 2020 the pandemic has made it difficult and we couldn’t progress the way we wanted, but we’re excited about the future  in 2021 and where we want to reach next year is a faraway, distant place right now, so we’ll keep trying and moving forward in order to improve more and to achieve something bigger. Thanks to the Myanmar Football Federation (MFF) and Myanmar National League (MNL) Clubs, we will restart our preparation for all important tournaments in 2021 as SEA Games, AFC Qualifiers, and AFF Championship with Pre-Season Camp on January 10 until March 14.”, the head coach added. Velizar Popov is currently shaping Myanmar U-23 men’s national football team to have better movements. In the AFC  Qualifiers, Popov pushed team Myanmar to secure the biggest win ever in the history of the U-23 National Team against Timor Leste by 7-0. Remarkably, in the men’s football competition of the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines, Velizar Popov assisted team Myanmar winning the bronze medal.