Who is Veljko Paunović, new Chivas head coach?
With the Chicago Fire he took charge of 149 games, of which he won 48, drew 37 and lost 64.
Albert Celades, José Bordalás and Antonio Mohamed were just some of the coaches who were candidates to take over at Chivas but Serbian coach Veljko Paunović has been appointed by the Mexican club. He is perhaps not so familiar to Mexican fans, so who is the new coach of the club? The Serb is 45 years old and fits part of the profile sporting director Fernando Hierro wanted at the club.
World champion with Serbia
Early in his coaching career, he coached Serbia’s U-18 and U-19 teams. He then took the U-20s and went on to win the World Cup in New Zealand in 2015, beating favourites Brazil in the final.
MLS stint
In November 2015, he was appointed coach of the Chicago Fire of the MLS. In those four seasons, he managed 149 games, winning 48, drawing 37 and losing 64, for an underwhelming win rate of 40.49 per cent.
Less than 100 games in England
Subsequently, on 29 August 2020, he was appointed manager of Reading in England’s Championship. He was sacked on 19 February 2022, due to the poor results and in total, he managed Reading 82 times, winning 28, drawing 18 and losing 36, with a win rate of 41.46 per cent.
Veljko Paunović was born in Belgrade on 21 August 1977. He is 45 years old and spent most of his playing career in Spain. He played as a forward and midfielder, plying his trade with Atlético Madrid, Mallorca, Oviedo, Tenerife, Getafe and Almería. He also played for Hannover in Germany, Rubin Kazan in Russia. After three years without playing, due to injuries, he joined Philadelphia Union in the MLS and subsequently retired there in 2011.
Chivas back their man
Although his appointment has generated doubts, Chivas explained in a statement the reasons behind their decision. “He has already shown that he is capable of playing well with elements of a single nationality and with an age limit, something that is becoming increasingly common at Chivas.”
“Another of his characteristics that fit like a glove is his adaptability as a coach. He has had a wide variety of player profiles, from the physicality of his Serbia U-20s to the technical skills of his Reading players, and has always been able to adapt to them without neglecting his basic idea,” the club added in a statement.