Sports Desk:

Bashundhara Kings president Imrul Hassan on Tuesday announced that the 58-year-old Romanian manager Valeriu Tita will become the head coach of the Bangladesh champions.

“We will initially ink a one-year deal with him, the signing formalities will be done after he arrives in Dhaka at the end of this month,” said Imrul, who is also the vice president of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF).

Tita will replace the 47-year-old Spanish tactician Oscar Bruzon, who served the top-flight Bangladeshi club for six consecutive years since August 2018.

Oscar also worked as an interim head coach for the Bangladesh national team during their campaign in SAFF Championship 2021 in Maldives.

The Daily Sun earlier on Saturday wrote that Kings management made a shortlist of foreign coaches to find a successor for Oscar.

The club had been reconstructing the team with a lot of changes as they were coming up with a massive change in their vision and plan for the upcoming season and parting ways with Oscar was a part of their reconstruction.

Kings’ new tactician Tita had coached the Syria National Team for three terms – 2010-2011, 2012 and 2021-22, though his coaching career started with a Romanian club named Dierna Orsova in 2002.

But Tita’s career as a club manager took a turn when Syrian Premier League club Al-Ittihad Ahli of Aleppo Sports Club bagged the AFC Cup title under his coach in 2010.

Al-Ittihad SC Aleppo beat Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Qadsiah Football Club by 4-2 in the penalty shoot-out as the final match was tied 1-1 at the regular time and extra time.

The title is considered Tita’s most honourable achievement of his coaching career till the date and he also became beloved by Syrian football fans.

However, the Romanian tactician coached Al-Ittihad SC for two terms – 2007-2009 and 2010.

He also coached Syrian club Al-Shorta Sports Club, Kuwaiti club Al Naser Sporting Club, UAE club Sharjah Football Club, Jordanian club Al-Faisaly Sports Club, two Lebanese clubs Safa Sporting Club, Nejmeh Sporting Club, two Saudi Arabian clubs Al-Orobah Football Club, Al-Ain Saudi Football Club and two Iraqi clubs Al-Talaba Sports Club, Al-Minaa Sports Club.

Kings are also appointing former Romanian footballer Dorel Stoica as set piece coach and Khalil Chakroun as fitness coach or trainer. They are also expecting to arrive in Dhaka at the end of this month.

Kings’ new set piece coach Dorel Stoica played four matches for the Romania national team in 2007-2009.