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Bendigo City have announced Srecko Baresic-Nikic as its new head coach for 2017, replacing the outgoing Jose Santamarta.
The coach has experience in Bosnia and Germany, and was an assistant and youth coach at Melbourne Knights in the late 90s and early 2000s.
Since then he had led St Albans in the old VPL and held roles at state league clubs Maribyrnong Greens, Heatherton Unted, Western Eagles and Heidelberg Stars. Baresic-Nikic will be tasked with leading and improving a youthful outfit in a competitive NPL2 West division.
He has a track record of working with talented youth in the past, coaching Melbourne Victory and PSV defender Thomas Deng at Western Eagles and handing Socceroo Ivan Franjic his senior debut at St Albans. Spaniard Santamarta arrived at Bendigo with the club languishing near the bottom of the ladder following the earlier departures of Esteban Quintas and interim Marco Kueck.
While its position on the ladder didn’t increase, results and performances did improve, something Baresic-Nikic will have to continue with relegation a potential reality between the NPL and State League One in 2017.
“I’m excited to be starting in Bendigo with the club’s culture and being involved in FFV’s National Premier League,” he told the club via press release.
“I am confident that Bendigo is a friendly place and I am keen to get going.”