Former Germany international Thomas Brdaric has taken over as head coach of Saudi Arabian second-division club Al-Bukiryah FC, cutting short a four-month stint at Kosovan side FC Malisheva, T-Online reported.
The 51-year-old German manager steps into a challenging rescue mission in the Saudi First Division League. Al-Bukiryah currently sits at the bottom of the standings, occupying the 17th position with just two points from six matches and zero wins, according to additional reporting from Periskopi.
Al-Bukiryah FC announced the appointment on its official Instagram channel, confirming that club management had completed contract formalities with the German coach. Brdaric arrives to replace Argentine coach Rodolfo Ojeda, who had been hired at the start of the season.
The move marks the eighth country in which Brdaric has worked as a coach or sporting director. Over his nomadic career, the former striker has managed clubs in Belarus, Uzbekistan, Albania, India, North Macedonia, Kuwait, Kosovo, and now Saudi Arabia. In domestic German football, his resume includes stints guiding TSG Neustrelitz, Wolfsburg II, TSV Steinbach, TeBe Berlin, and Rot-Weiß Erfurt.
Sudden Departure From FC Malisheva
Brdaric’s exit from the Kosovo Superliga comes as a surprise given his strong start with FC Malisheva. Having taken charge at the end of June, he guided the club to five wins in seven league matches, lifting them to second place in the domestic standings. During his tenure, Malisheva also reached the second round of the qualifiers before bowing out to Scottish club Hibernian FC.
Periskopi noted that the abrupt departure caught observers off guard, as the team was performing well in domestic competition. However, quick exits have characterized Brdaric’s managerial career. In none of his previous 12 coaching stations has he remained in charge for two full seasons. His longest tenure was with Albanian club KF Vllaznia, where he spent one year and seven months between August 2020 and March 2022. Alongside Malisheva and Vllaznia, his career in the region also features spells managing Albanian sides Shdija and Drenica.
Bundesliga Playing Background
Before moving to the touchline, Brdaric built an extensive career as a professional forward in the German Bundesliga. He made 204 top-flight appearances, scoring 54 goals while playing for clubs including Bayer Leverkusen, Hannover 96, and VfL Wolfsburg.
At international level, he earned eight caps for the senior German national team, scoring one goal. He was a member of Rudi Völler’s squad for the 2004 UEFA European Championship, notably coming on as a substitute for Kevin Kuranyi during the match against Latvia.
First Division Relegation Battle Awaits
Brdaric inherits a squad facing an uphill battle for survival in Saudi Arabia’s second tier. With Al-Bukiryah rooted in 17th place and searching for its first victory of the season after six rounds of play, the new coach’s immediate mandate is securing safety in the First Division League.
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