Nikola Kavazović

Nikola Kavazović
Personal information
Date of birth	29 July 1975 (age 48)
Place of birth	SFR Yugoslavia
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Ethiopian Coffee (manager)
Senior career*
Years	Team
1985–1993	OFK Beograd
1993–1995	BASK
Managerial career
1996–2005	BASK
2006–2008	Žarkovo
2008–2010	Borac Banja Luka
2010–2012	Resnik
2012–2013	FC Istiklol
2012–2013	Tajikistan
2014–2015	Sri Lanka
2015	New Radiant
2016	Lanexang United
2016	New Radiant
2016–2017	Saif
2017–2018	Township Rollers
2018	Leopards
2018–2019	Free State Stars
2023–	Ethiopian Coffee
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Nikola Kavazović (Serbian Cyrillic: Никола Кавазовић; born 29 July 1975) is a Serbian professional football coach who is the current manager of Ethiopian Coffee.

Kavazović is the former

AFC Presidents Cup 2012.^[1]

Kavazović successfully completed UEFA "A" license, and enrolled on UEFA "PRO" license in Football Federation of Bosnia and Hercegovina. In July 2012, he was the youngest national team head coach in the world, aged 36.

Career

Serbia

Kavazović started coaching job in 1996. in BASK, as youth coach. Besides BASK, Kavazović worked as youth and senior coach in BSK, Zarkovo, Borac and Resnik.

In 1998, Kavazović graduated from Belgrade Sports University as youngest high educated football coach in FR Yugoslavia.

FC Istiklol

In January 2012, Kavazović moved to Asia, Tajikistan, and become FC Istiklol head coach. In his first season, Istiklol won Tajikistan Supercup and

AFC Presidents Cup

. Also, they won silver medal in Tajikistan elite league, and lost Tajikistan Cup finals against Regar Tad Az after penalty series (8:7).

In his second season, Istiklol finished first part of season with record of 8 wins, 0 draws and one defeat. After 8 straight wins, Istiklol lost away game to Champions Ravshan Kulob (1:0), and Kavazović was sacked day after, on 17 June 2013.

Tajikistan

In July 2012, Kavazović got offer to become Tajikistan national head coach. On his debut, Tajikistan beat Qatar in Munich (Germany) 2:1. Also, under him, Tajikistan won Pakistan (1:0), Macau (3:0), Afghanistan (3:2) and India (3:0), and lost to Iran (6:1) and Kyrgyzstan (1:0).

Sri Lanka

On 5 June 2014, Kavazović was appointed as the head coach of the Sri Lanka national football team.^[2] On his debut, on 24 August 2014, Sri Lanka beat the Seychelles national team in Mahé, by two goals to one. This was the first away victory for Sri Lanka after 15 years.

New Radiant SC

On 12 September 2015, Kavazović was appointed head coach of the Maldivian champions

New Radiant SC

won 9 games, 2 draw and lost one game, and won fifth champions title in club's history.

Lanexang United

After Champions title in Maldives

New Radiant SC, Kavazović decided not to extend contract. Attracted with great new project of Laos football, Kavazović accepted offer from Lanexang United F.C.

and become their Head coach on 2 January 2016. After 7 consecutive wins on beginning of season, Kavazović was appointed as Laos national team head coach for friendly game against Cambodia. Under mysterious circumstances, Kavazović left Cambodia night before game and resign on both posts. He and his family left Laos on 2 April 2016, just 3 days after arrival from Cambodia.

Saif Sporting Club

On 21 September, Kavazović was appointed as new head coach of Saif Sporting Club. During preparations for the new season, in India, Kavazović resigned after the decision was made to join Township Rollers from Botswana.

Township Rollers

Ahead of the 2017-18 season, Kavazović was appointed as the new manager of Township Rollers in Botswana.^[3] In first season in Africa, Kavazović won "double", both and Botswana Premier League and Mascom Top 8 Cup in Botswana. Besides local achievements, under Kavazović, Township Rollers became first ever club from Botswana who qualified for group stages of CAF Champions League.

In first half of 2017-18 campaign, Kavazović broke two all time records: 1) 8 consecutive wins and maximal 24 points after 8 opening games - all time Botswana Premier League record.

2) 33 points (10W, 3D, 0L) after 13 opening games - all time Township Rollers record. Also, Kavazović finished 2017. with personal record, unbeaten run of 42 consecutive games as a head coach of New Radiant SC, Lanexang United, Saif SC and Township Rollers.

On 3 March 2018, Township Rollers won Mascom Top 8 Cup, and that was their first trophy under Kavazović. Botswana Champion defeated Orapa United 4:2 (2:0), and that was their first won Mascom Top 8 Cup since 2012.

On 21 February, Township Rollers qualified to 2nd round of qualifications for

Al-Merreikh

from Sudan, at that moment officially 5th ranked club in Africa - 4:2 in aggregate (3:0. 1:2).

On 11 March 2018, Township Rollers became first ever club from Botswana in

Young Africans SC

from Tanzania - 2:1 in aggregate (2:1, 0:0), and on 21 March in Cairo (Egypt) they were drawn in Group A with Al-Ahly (Egypt), Esperance de Tunis and KCCA (Uganda).

On 4 May 2018, in their first ever game of CAF Champions League group stage, Township Rollers won KCCA from Uganda 1:0.

Kavazović resigned from post of head coach in Township Rollers on 16 October 2018, leaving them as log leaders with record 6W, 1D, 0L, and goal difference 15:2.

A.F.C. Leopards

Ahead of the 2018-19 season, Kavazović was appointed as the new manager of A.F.C. Leopards in Kenya.

Managerial statistics

Team	From	To	P	W	D	L	GS	GA	%W	Honours
Istiqlol	January 2012	June 2013	46	36	6	4	129	22	078.26	AFC Presidents Cup Tajik Supercup
Tajikistan	July 2012	June 2013	7	5	0	2	14	10	071.43
Sri Lanka	June 2014	June 2015	11	1	2	8	6	27	009.09
New Radiant	October 2015	December 2015	12	9	2	1	26	11	075.00	Dhivehi Premier League
Lanexang United F.C.	January 2016	April 2016	7	7	0	0	32	6	100.00
Saif Sporting Club	September 2016	April 2017	16	9	7	0	29	13	056.25	Bangladesh Championship League
Township Rollers	June 2017	October 2018	52	33	10	9	90	47	063.46	Botswana Premier League Mascom Top 8 Cup