Brisbane Roar have officially named Michael Valkanis as the club’s new head coach in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
Valkanis, a trailblazer in Australian football, makes his return to the A-Leagues following over seven years overseas. He steps in to succeed Ruben Zadkovich and will take charge for the upcoming Australia Cup play-off against Wellington Phoenix in Darwin next week.
The experienced manager, who previously led Melbourne City and Adelaide United, is rejoining the coaching ranks after parting ways with Turkish side Adana Demirspor last September. He will be supported in his role by Borja Lema as assistant coach and Grijia Nektarios as the head analyst.
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Having acquired a wealth of knowledge and experience, Valkanis steps in to lead the Roar following their disappointing second-last position in the 2024-25 season. The 50-year-old previously served as an assistant at PEC Zwolle in the Dutch Eredivisie, before joining the Greece national team under John Van’t Schip for two years. He also had a brief stint in Belgium, where he managed KAS Eupen and successfully steered the team away from relegation in 2022.
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He made history as the first Australian to manage in the Israeli Premier League after his appointment at Hapoel Tel Aviv, but his time was cut short by the conflict in the area, leading to his departure just three months later in October 2023. Following this, Valkanis joined Van’t Schip at the renowned Ajax in the Netherlands.
Valkanis not only became the first Australian to serve as an assistant coach at Ajax, but also made his mark as the first Australian to manage the illustrious four-time European champions when he stepped in for two matches in Van’t Schip’s absence.
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“Our search for a new head coach at Brisbane Roar extended both nationally and internationally, and we are thrilled to welcome Michael and several members of his team to our football club,” stated Roar CEO Kaz Patafta.
“Michael’s reputation and expertise in both Australian and European football is well acknowledged. He arrives at our club with a defined vision to elevate our men’s team and restore them to their rightful place—competing for silverware every season.”
“We warmly welcome Michael to the football club and look forward to watching him get started.”
Valkanis and his new team will face the Phoenix in the Australia Cup play-offs on Wednesday, May 14.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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