Latest news with #Vidakovic
The Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- The Sun
KL City FC starts Super League season with 3-0 win over Immigration FC
KL City FC kicked off their 2025/2026 Super League campaign with an impressive 3-0 victory over Immigration FC at Batu Kawan Stadium. Head coach Risto Vidakovic hailed the win as a promising start despite limited preparation time with new squad members. 'We just brought many players together in a very short time. It is not easy to expect something special today. 'But of course, I am very happy with the result,' Vidakovic said during the post-match press conference. The Serbian coach highlighted the significance of breaking KL City's long-standing opening match jinx. 'I think KL has not won their first game in the last 30 years, they always lose the opener. 'We broke that pattern today, and I think it is very important for us to gain more confidence, especially because we have many new players.' Vidakovic expressed optimism about his team's development and stressed the need for consistency in future fixtures. Immigration FC coach Yusri Che Lah admitted his side faced difficulties against KL City's dominant performance. Yusri remained hopeful his squad would improve ahead of their next match against Kelantan United FC. 'There is still room for improvement, particularly in fitness, and we must intensify our efforts to achieve positive results in the coming games,' he said. The coach defended his players after two missed penalties, stating such occurrences were part of football. Yusri commended his team's fighting spirit despite the lopsided scoreline. Both teams now prepare for their next Super League fixtures following this season-opening encounter. – Bernama
New Straits Times
01-08-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Vidakovic 'unfazed' by claims of discontent, commits to KL City
KUALA LUMPUR: Under-fire KL City coach Risto Vidakovic has finally broken his silence, brushing off explosive allegations made by Kuala Lumpur FA (KLFA) president Syed Yazid Syed Omar. Last week, Timesport reported that Vidakovic was on the verge of quitting the club following tensions over training sessions, foreign player selection, and the controversial exclusion of club icon Paulo Josue. Syed Yazid claimed that players were unhappy with the Serbian's methods, including allegedly running training sessions as short as 40 minutes. KL City are believed to be considering a move for club legend Fandi Ahmad, who guided Sri Pahang to last year's Malaysia Cup final, as Vidakovic's potential replacement for the new M-League season. But Vidakovic has dismissed the claims, insisting he remains committed to taking the City Boys forward. "I don't have anything to say. I never discuss matters through the press, it's not my way," said the 56-year-old. "If I have something to say, I'll speak directly to the person. It doesn't matter what he (Syed Yazid) said. The most important thing is what the players think of me." Vidakovic made it clear that public criticism doesn't faze him. "Everybody is responsible for their own words. You'll have to ask him, I'm not going to comment," he added, revealing he hasn't spoken to the players about the allegations but is staying focused on the task at hand. "We're concentrating on training and the next games. Maybe someone had a bad day and said something they shouldn't have. I'm not going to get into it." The former Melaka United and Lion City Sailors coach also addressed questions over foreign signings and team selection, stressing that the squad remains a work in progress. "We started a bit late and have only had four friendly matches so far. You need six to seven months to build a proper team," he said. "I know 99 per cent of the players who will stay, but it's not the time to reveal anything yet." While admitting his side are still "far" from ready, the former Real Betis and Red Star Belgrade centre-back is encouraged by the squad's progress. "I'm pleased with how they're working. From the first game until yesterday, we've seen real improvement," he said.
New Straits Times
25-07-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
KL drop coaching bombshell
KUALA LUMPUR: Just two weeks before the new Super League season kicks off, KL City have been rocked by a a dramatic fallout with their head coach Risto Vidakovic. Tensions have erupted behind the scenes, with KLFA president Syed Yazid Syed Omar revealing that the Serbian has threatened to walk out over matters he had previously agreed to. "He said if this continues, he's leaving. And if that happens, Fandi Ahmad (Singapore legend who helped KL win three consecutive Malaysia Cup titles as a player) will take over. We won't beg anyone to stay," Syed Yazid told Timesport in an exclusive interview. Vidakovic's discontent has not only puzzled the management, but also raised eyebrows in the dressing room. Vidakovic's attempt to stop the contract extension of KL captain and icon Paulo Josue has caused shock and confusion, with many questioning his motives. Another worrying issue is that KL's training sessions have reportedly been cut short, some lasting only 30 to 40 minutes, leading to serious concerns about the players' match readiness. "Even our players asked me, 'that's it? We're done training?' At this rate, we're not even 50 per cent fit. It's unacceptable," said Syed Yazid. In a recent media interview, Vidakovic also criticised the quality of KL's temporary training pitch — something Syed Yazid said had already been discussed when he signed on. "He knew that this was a temporary pitch. He agreed. Now it's being used as an excuse. We don't have a permanent ground, but to go out and say this when he had all the information is saying something," said Syed Yazid. Adding to the chaos is that KL won't be signing the foreign players previously linked to the club: Enzo Cora, Nicolao Cardoso, Madger Gomes, Gorka Larrucea and Dmytro Lytvyn. Vidakovic is also said to have apparently refused to honour the club's promise to promote nine Under-23 players to the senior team, opting instead to retain just two, including striker Haqimi Azim Rosli. "We gave these boys hope. It's not right to discard them now," said Syed Yazid. "If you're not here to develop talent and build a club identity, then you're not the right person." Syed Yazid has made it clear that he won't compromise on values, no matter who sits in the dugout.
The Star
12-07-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Coach happy with City boys' strong desire and commitment
PETALING JAYA: New Kuala Lumpur coach Risto Vidakovic is taking a measured approach as he builds his squad for the upcoming Super League season, stressing that his focus is more on building chemistry and assessing players than early results. The City Boys were held to a goalless draw by A1 Semi-Pro side Bunga Raya in their first pre-season friendly at the PKNS Training Centre in Kelana Jaya on Friday, but Vidakovic wasn't too concerned with the outcome. 'It has been good. All the boys are working hard and adapting,' said the Bosnian. 'It's not easy to build a team immediately, especially with new players.' The game against Bunga Raya offered the coach a chance to evaluate his players in a match setting, but he admitted that the pitch conditions made it difficult to draw conclusions. 'I wanted to see something different. I didn't care about the result, I was assessing the boys. But the pitch wasn't great, practically unplayable. You cannot see good football if the field is bad.' Despite the uninspiring scoreline, Vidakovic found positives in the team's attitude and work rate. 'The desire and commitment is there. That's a good sign. It's just one week into pre-season, so the work continues.' Kuala Lumpur have secured three loan signings from reigning champions Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT): midfielder Syamer Kutty Abba, wingers Safawi Rasid and Manuel Hidalgo; defenders Adam Nor Azlin, Syazwan Andik, Azrif Nasrulhaq from Pahang; and Kelantan winger Fazrul Amir Md Zaman, Filipino goalkeeper Quincy Kammerad. 'We need to improve some positions. There are some names we are trying to bring in. Maybe one or two more additions,' said Vidakovic. 'I want players to compete every day in training. We're getting players who suit our style and system. That's the priority. It's not always easy to get exactly who we want, but we are working on it.' 'Players from Europe aren't used to playing in these conditions. They need about a month to adapt. Technically, they're strong.'
