SC Villa unveil Kovacevic Zeljko as new head coach ahead of 2025/26 season

Uganda Premier League record champions SC Villa have confirmed the appointment of Serbian tactician Kovacevic Zeljko as their new head coach ahead of the 2025/26 season.

The announcement was made on Tuesday, July 1st, just a week after the club parted ways with Nemanja Milincic, who had only been unveiled the previous month. Zeljko now steps in to take charge of the 17-time league champions as they begin their preparations for the new campaign.

“SC Villa is delighted to announce the appointment of Kovacevic Zeljko as the club’s new Head Coach with immediate effect. Zeljko joins SC Villa with a wealth of experience and brings to the club some of the unique qualities that it has sought after for a very long time,” read part of the official club statement.

“He is remembered during his playing days as one of the best defenders in the game.”

The club further described Zeljko as a highly respected modern tactician, boasting over 12 years of coaching experience and a preference for some of the most effective formations in contemporary football.

“Zeljko’s unique understanding of the game is an exciting prospect for the Club, and the Club has no doubt that he will, in the fullness of time, turn around its fortunes and make it the best Club on the Continent.”

SC Villa also assured their fans of continued commitment and support to the new head coach. “Zeljko is very welcome to Uganda’s record champions. The Club undertakes to fully support him and ensure that he meets his targets and the Club’s aspirations within the shortest time. To the Club’s fans, please be assured that the management is working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that SC Villa is a force to reckon with next season.”

Zeljko becomes the fourth Serbian to manage SC Villa, following in the footsteps of Milutin “Micho” Sredojevic, Zivojnov Srdjan, and Dusan Stojanovic. He also becomes the seventh foreign coach in the club’s history, joining a list that includes Englishman Geoff Hudson, Spaniard Antonio Flores, and Greek tactician Petros Koukouras.

With Zeljko at the helm, SC Villa will now turn focus to building a competitive squad capable of challenging for top honors in the upcoming season.