Kazma appoints Croatian Tadić as new head coach
KUWAIT CITY, June 1: Kazma announced the appointment of Croatian coach Dragan Tadić as the new head coach of the first football team, replacing Bosnian manager Rosmir Cefko. Although the club had initially hoped to retain Cefko for the upcoming season, the Bosnian coach received several offers from Gulf clubs and paused contract renewal talks. He later departed for vacation in his home country and ultimately declined to continue with Kazma.
Born in 1973, Tadić brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record. Most recently, he led Bahraini side Sitra to a strong season, securing third place in the league, reaching the final of the King's Cup (finishing as runners-up), and qualifying for the 2025 Gulf Champions League.
Tadić's playing career included stints with Croatian clubs Rijeka, Novalja, Sibenik, Sesveta, and Astra before transitioning to coaching in 2011. He began his managerial journey with Croatian side Rijeka, followed by roles at Kavala and Slaven Belupo, with multiple returns to Rijeka over the years. He also had international coaching spells with Losinj (Austria) and Mesaimeer (Qatar), and most recently managed Al-Bukayriyah in Saudi Arabia.
Kazma's decision to appoint Tadić comes amid a rebuilding phase following a challenging season, which saw the team exit early from local competitions and narrowly avoid relegation through the Zain Premier League playoffs, where they finished fourth.
In terms of player contracts, the club has chosen to renew the deals of Jordanian winger Anas Al-Awadat and Beninese forward Samson Akiniola. They have also added two new players to the squad: Jordanian midfielder Ali Al-Azaizeh and Youssef Abu Al-Jazar. Negotiations are currently ongoing to sign an Algerian defender, which would complete the club's quota of foreign players.
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