1. FC Köln: Ex-coach Zvonimir Soldo takes over the Iran club
Copyright: imago images / Kaletta
From 2009 to 2010 Zvonimir Soldo coached 1. FC Cologne. Now the ex-Bundesliga professional has taken on a new job as head coach in Iran.
Tabriz. An ex-FC coach is trying his luck in Iran: Zvonimir Soldo (54) takes over Tractor FC – a club from the 1.5 million-inhabitant city of Tabriz in the province of East Azerbaijan.
Soldo has signed a two-year contract, as his new employer revealed on Saturday (November 13, 2021).
Zvonimir Soldo has been without a coaching job for more than a year
The Croat (301 Bundesliga games for VfB Stuttgart) last looked after the Austrian first division club FC Admira Wacker Mödling from February to September 2020 – at times with ex-FC professional Patrick Helmes (37) as an assistant coach at his side.
After a break of more than a year, Soldo is now returning to the football stage in the Persian Gulf Pro League, the top division in Iran. With three points from four games, Traktor is currently only twelfth (out of 16 teams). Last season the club was fourth. In terms of market value, Traktor is in the upper third of the league.
Will Soldo go in this direction again? The ex-Bundesliga professional only had real success as head coach at his first stop at Dinamo Zagreb, and promptly won the championship and trophy in his debut season.
Zvonimir Soldo sacked in 18th place at 1. FC Köln
It was followed by almost a year and a half at 1. FC Cologne. At that time, Soldo succeeded Christoph Daum (68) and initially led Die Geißböck to 13th place in 2009/10. In his second season, however, it was already over after match days – in 18th place.
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Soldo then moved away from football and back to Zagreb, where a restaurant opened.
In 2017, his former Stuttgart coach Felix Magath (68) brought him back to the sidelines for ten months as his assistant at the Chinese first division club Shandong Luneng Taishan. Then there was only the job in Austria (also under Magath’s direction) – and now the Iran adventure. This time with a longer dwell time? (mze)