Newly appointed Central FC head coach Zoran Vraneš wants improvement from his players and has promised to put in the necessary work as coach.
The 63-year-old Serbian said his focus is for the team “to play better, to play nicer maybe, to achieve similar and maybe better results.”
Last season under the charge of Englishman Terry Fenwick, Central captured the First Citizens Cup and Lucozade Sport Goal Shield titles, as well as finished runners-up behind W Connection in the Digicel Pro League, qualifying for the 2015 Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship, which serves as the qualifier towards the Concacaf Champions League.
Vraneš said that he and Fenwick, a three-time Pro League winner at San Juan Jabloteh, have been friends for a long time as well as very tough opponents.
“He (Fenwick) has been very successful with Central, yes,” added Vraneš. “(…) but I don’t want to say it’s our limit. I believe that we have the ability to [make the next step] and that’s what I’m here for. If I didn’t believe that we can make the next step then [what am] I doing here.
“I could promise that I would work very hard with the guys and develop [the players] further – that’s definite.”
Vraneš admitted however, “It will take some time for players to adapt to my style, which is different from Fenwick.”
He said that Central finished second in the league last season, and qualified for the Caribbean Club Championship, with a bit of luck. And that he believes under his charge the club can make a “bigger step”.
“I know other clubs are looking for success also but I know our players here [at Central],” said the former Trinidad and Tobago Men’s Senior Team, Under-20 and Under-23 coach.
“I know Trinidad, I know Trinidadians, [and] I know their habits; some good, some bad. I know they can achieve if they are more disciplined.
“Now I'm at new club (Central FC) to develop my record, to help young guys, especially those who want (opportunities) outside of the country.
“I believe that Trinidadians have potential. I know many of Central players already. Of course we are expecting to have some [new ones in] to be the strongest opponent in this country.”
Zoran Vraneš coaching career in order of years
FK Rudar Pljevlja (1993 - 1994)
Trinidad and Tobago Men’s Senior Team (1995 - 1996)
Antigua and Barbuda (1997 - 2000)
Joe Public FC (2001 - 2003)
Trinidad and Tobago Men’s Senior Team (assistant coach) (2001)
FK Rudar Pljevlja (2003 - 2004)
St Vincent and the Grenadines (2004 - 2007)
Trinidad and Tobago Under-20 and Under-23 (2008 - 2011)
Trinidad and Tobago Men’s Senior Team (assistant coach) (2009)
FK Sumadija (director of youth football) 2012 – 2014
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Zoran Vraneš takes over at Central FC
Former Trinidad and Tobago Men’s Senior Team, Under-20 and Under-23 coach Zoran Vraneš was unveiled on Thursday as the new Central FC head coach.
The 63-year-old Serbian penned a two-year deal which will see him at the Couva-based club till mid-2016, occupying the position left vacant by Englishman Terry Fenwick.
Fenwick, who led Central FC to last season’s First Citizens Cup and Lucozade Sport Goal Shield titles, and the runners-up position in the Digicel Pro League to qualify for the 2015 Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship, signed a three-year agreement in Belgium with lower division outfit CS Visé prior to the end of last season.
“I think he (Vraneš) is, in no doubt, one of the most experienced, probably one of the better coaches to pass through the island,” said Central FC managing director Brent Sancho on the appointment of Vraneš as the club’s new head coach.
Vraneš is no stranger to T&T football, having served various levels of the national set-up – Senior Team, Under-20 and Under-23 – and at club level with Joe Public. Vraneš led the T&T Men’s Senior Team to successive Caribbean Cup titles in 1995 and 1996, and won the title again in 2001 as an assistant coach to, now deceased, Scotsman Ian Poterfield.
Vraneš, who also had stints with the Antigua and Barbuda, and St Vincent and the Grenadines Men’s Senior Teams, had a brief stint as assistant coach to Russell Latapy with the T&T Men’s Senior in 2009, and in the same year led the T&T U20’s to the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Egypt.
“We had a number of foreign coaches that passed through this island,” continued Sancho. “(…) but when you look at Zoran’s record as a coach, he has a tremendous record, not just as being successful on the pitch but also, what really interests us as a club, the development of the young players. That is something that we are quite high on, moving forward as a football club. So once his résumé hit our desk, it was a no-brainer for us.
“We have been around for a very short space of time but we have tasted some success… success good enough for us to build on and we believe that Zoran is the one to take us to the next level.
“He has coached a plethora of national team players and also coached many other Caribbean islands. He is a coach with a vast wealth of experience, and we expect him to continue his success under Central FC.”
Under the charge of Vraneš, Central FC will begin its 2015/2016 pre-season on Monday.