By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Retaining his role as team president, Andrey Vedischev emerged as the next head coach of Lokomotiv Kuban.
Slovenian tactician Aleksander Sekulic was released from his contract upon mutual agreement on Saturday. A few hours later, president Vedischev appointed himself as the next head coach, countering rumors about several potential candidates.
“I am totally confident in this decision. I know what the team needs for progress and great victories,” said Vedischev heading to the 2024-25 installment of the VTB United League.
Sekulic, 46, was appointed head coach before the 2022-23 season. His efforts combined with second place in his first campaign and fourth place in his second VTB run. Without a job at the club level, the native of Ljubljana remains head coach of the senior national team of Slovenia.
“Despite the results, the key points of our strategy was building the team around Russian players. I consider this not fulfilled. Also, the team chemistry wasn’t fine in the decisive matches of the past season. Therefore, we decided to interrupt our cooperation,” Vedischev explained his decision to part ways with Sekulic.
Vedischev has been team president since 2003. Relaying his plan, Lokomotiv Mineralnye Vody became Lokomotiv Rostov and relocated to Rostov-on-Don for six years, before establishing the current status as Lokomotiv Kuban based in Krasnodar in 2009. Behind plenty of front-office experience, this will be his first coaching experience.
Russian teams, including Loko, are disqualified from European club continental competitions since the country’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.