Russian coach Sergey Andreyev was officially presented as the new manager of Vardar, the club that is now under new ownership in Sergei Samsonenko.

The 57-year-old Ukrainian born Sergey Vasilyevich Andreyev is the new manager of Vardar, where he will replace departed coach Blagoja Milevski. The new Russian owner Sergei Samsonenko decided to appoint a former Soviet national team striker (26 games and 8 goals).

“I am happy to be in Macedonia and honored to be a part of Vardar, a great club with huge history and tradition. I am not very familiar with the football here because I have only watched Vardar once, against CSKA Moskva, but I will learn. There will be changes in the team, but first of all I will have to get to know the players whose names and last names I haven’t memorized well so far since we’ve only had three trainings. My vision is for Vardar to play aggressive football, but also be fun to watch at the same time. Our goal is clear, to win trophies and bring back the fans in the stands,” Andreyev stated in his press conference.

Before entering the coaching ranks, Andreyev played for Soviet teams Zorya, SKA Rostov, Rostselmash and Swedish sides Östers and Mjällby. He represented the Soviet Union at the Summer Olympic games in Moscow in 1980, winning a bronze medal in the process, and also at the 1982 World Cup in Spain. Andreyev started his coaching career in Rostselmash, the same club where he ended his playing career. Before taking charge of Vardar, he also managed the teams of Chernomorets Novorossiysk, Salyut, SKA Rostov, Nika Krasny Sulin and Donenergo in Russia, while his only abroad adventure was in Atyrau at Kazakhstan.

Besides Andreyev, Vardar also announced 4 new signings in strikers Filip Ivanovski and Ilcho Naumoski, defender Aleksandar Trninić and midfielder Anej Lovrečič. Furthermore, Vardar appointed Samoil Simev as its new executive director.