Bulgarian APFG Preview 2007/2008

[*Tosh*]

Litex Lovech ... Same as Loko Sf - nodoby in ... And out - striker Alexander Rodic sold to Interblock Slovenia , goalie Yordan Gospodinov was released , later he signed with Slavia Sofia , Junior in Pelister Macedonia , and a lot of young players left - Boby Hazurov and
Todor Palankov to Pirin Blagoevgrad , Nikolay Tzvetkov , Delyan Kolev , Krassimir Georgiev to Lokomotiv Mezdra .

My Comment: Litex , I can say , is the top Bulgarian team right now . They totally outplayed both Levski and Cska , defeated Levski 2-1 , and only drew with Cska 1-1 , but should have won , as they were the better team . If the team is serious in their games on
road vs most of the poor teams in league /like vs Vihren in Sandanski for example ,where Litex surprisingly lost/ , Litex should have great chance for the title .
Litex has a great player like Tom /Wellingtom/ , who is one of the best , even best player in APFG atm , he can be a danger for every team . Definitely stick to the previous comment on Litex - should
be in top 3 .

[*Tosh*]

Slavia Sofia ... I forgot to say , that Slavia signed with striker Helton , from Polish side Pogon , who now in front with partner Ortega look very dangerous . Other new player , as I said , is ex-Litex goalie Yordan Gospodinov .
Nothing interesting in players , who left the club .

My Comment: As I predicted , Slavia started very well , and showed that they can beat every club here , but ... But , their last visit , in Dupnitsa , vs one of the poorest side Marek , proved my oppinion , that I have for Slavia . This team just loves to give points vs relegation battlers , and to fix games . Slavia is not a serious team , they will surely win most of their games until the end of the season , but you should be very careful when Slavia plays with such kind of underdogs like Marek , in this case . They totaly gave them the victory , as a birthday gift , had many opportunities to win the game , but they did not scored ...

Cherno More ... Absolutely nothing interesting here ... Nobody in , nobody out since the last updates ... A little unsure about coach Nikola Spasov , but still Cherno More is a solid team , maybe won`t be that good as the last two seasons , but still will be in top half of the table ...

[*Tosh*]

Lokomotiv Plovdiv ... After some problems , that Loko had in the club , now everything is fine . Team has new chairman , and players get their salary , so they can concentrate on the field .
Most important players in , are club favourite Martin Kamburov , goalkeeper Stoyan Kolev , who was said to be transferred to Italian Treviso , but the transfer failed down , and he`s back in the team now , and four players from Cska , who came on loan in Plovdiv , we already said who are they - Daniel Morales , Alexander Branekov , Ivan Ivanov and Stoyko Sakaliev .
Nobody important left the club since the last update ...

My Comment: Loko played well vs Levski in Sofia , and when Kamburov and Sakaliev are in their best form , Lokomotiv will be very dangerous . We must say , that both Kamburov and Sakaliev did not played regular first team football in last year , maybe two , as both were injured , but they should be ok now , so I suppose that in Loko they can find their good form . Still Loko is poor in defence , which can be a problem in hard games , that`s why I don`t think that they can chase an Euro spot this season . Maybe next one , they will be more prepared . But not this one , not with these kind of players ...

[*Tosh*]

Pirin Blagoevgrad ... Still no changes here , nobody in and nobody out . 4 wins in 4 games so far is a good reasult , but you should not be impressed . Pirin still have not played vs strong team in good form , two very lucky wins at home , with 1-0 , and two away wins vs
very poor teams . This team right now is a leader , but it won`t be for too long . Sooner or later Pirin will start to drop possitions , until they reach the place that they really deserve - bottom half . As a newcomer , that`s what is expected from them ... Again stick to my previous comment on the team ...

Belasica Petric ... Again nothing interesting since last update . Bela shows poor form , and did not play the way they did in last two years , maybe because of the lost of their key player Marquinos , who organizes the team play very well . They should improve their kind of
play in next few matches , cause right now they are in the red zone , but this position can be explained - in these 4 matches , Bela played both vs Cska and Litex , and now this Sunday
will play vs Levski , so in first 5 matches Bela plays vs all top 3 in Bulgaria , it is not an easy task . My expectations stays the same ...

Vidima Rakovski ... Nobody in and nobody out ... I watched them live , when visited Botev in Plovdiv , and lost 5-0 , that was two rounds ago , and I have to say , that this was the poorest and weakest team that I have seen in APFG in last 3 years / except last year joke called Chernomorec Sofia Burgas / . Vidima did not posses quality in their squad , and for me this is candidate N1 for relegation . Right now , that`s what has to be said about Vidima ...

[*Tosh*]

Vihren Sandanski ... Well , no football player left or came into the club , but Vihren made a very good move . They changed their coach , Rui Dias , for well-known Eduard Eranossyan .
Eduard won APFG with Lokomotiv Plovdiv few years ago , and that is a success for every coach - to win a title , and not to be at the helm of Levski Sofia and Cska . He is very talanted and wise manager , so this is very good for Vihren . As for Vihren`s display - I don`t think
that is important now , because Rui Dias is gone , and he was everything else but a football coach . Vihren has only 3 pts , and scored only two goals , but I expect that they will improve their game soon ...

Marek Dupnitsa ... A good move in Dupnitsa - striker Evgeni Yordanov signed in . He is ex-Cska Sofia player , played then in Russia , he is a good player . But Marek still plays poor , this win vs Slavia ... it was very funny game , and the winner was not decided on the field . One thing is for sure - Marek can not fix all of their matches until the end of the
season , so they will have to improve their kind of play , and start to play like a team . Well, that is actually the most interesting around the club . New Serbian players received permittion for registration , so now they can play for the team , if coach decides , of course . My expectations here stays the same .

[*Tosh*]

Beroe Stara Zagora ... Nobody came and nobody`s gone . Last placed Beroe has some troubles right now . President Nikolay Banev left the club , he first tried to sell it for the price of 1 bulgarian lev /this is about a half of an euro - 0.50 cents/ , but nobody was
interested . Than he offered it to the City Hall of Stara Zagora , but they did not accepted the offer , so now Banev leaves the club to survive on his own . About the display , that the team shows so far ... Well , I do not think that Beroe is the team that most deserves to be on the last 16-th place , but yes , in bottom top 3 for sure . Only one point in a scoreless and really boring game at home vs Loko Plovdiv , and losses vs Levski , Slavia and Cherno More . In fact , Beroe played vs better opponents so far , and maybe in next few games will win some points , but right now , when players do not know who will pay their salary and bonuses and
so on , I think that Beroe`s games should be skipped ... Still do not think that the club will be relegated , Stara Zagora is one of the biggest towns in Bulgaria , and Beroe is the only club there , there must be somebody who will buy the club , and decide their financial problems ...

Chernomorets Burgas ... No ins and outs , but some players were registered and now can play in Chernomorets matches . Still , winger Omonigo Temile waits for this kind of permittion , and rumors are saying , that he will get it in a two months time , so he will have to wait
for his debut in the club . And ... that`s all interesting around the club so far ...

[*Tosh*]

Spartak Varna ... Nobody in and nobody out . Don`t know what to say about them . A very strange win in last round , in fact there are rumors , that Vihren lost vs Spartak on purpose , just to sack their manager Riu Dias , what actually happened . A little unsure about Spartak , in Varna they can play well , but on road are still a little toothless . Again stick to my early thoughts here ...

Botev Plovdiv ... Last , but not least ...
Nobody out , some players tried to find a club abroad , but failed - Borislav Karamatev in Norrkoping , Mauro Alegre in Lugano /Switzerland/ , but both are now in Plovdiv . Striker
Georgi Kakalov left the club , he had a fight with club owner Dimitar Hristolov , Georgi wanted to leave , but then changed his mind and decided to get back in the team .
About the team display ... I am very delighted , that my expectation did not happen . Botev plays well , and this is something that I did not expect . Veteran midfielder Kostadin Vidolov left , but new one Nikolay Manchev is doing very well on his position . And new striker Georgi Hristov is just great - 4 goals in 4 games . In last two games , Botev can
feel a little scr***d , in games vs Pirin and Lokomotiv Sofia , where the referees were not correct in their decisions , but that`s football . All I can say , is that the team shows very good and attractive style of playing , there is a will for victory , and I and all of the fans like that very
much . If Botev plays like that in rest of the games , shows this kind of display until the end of the season , the team will have no problem in securing his place in APFG , and even to get a place in the middle of the table , why not ?! Right now there are at least 5 teams , who are weaker than Botev , and the place , that Botev occupies atm /8th place/ , is fair .
I do not stick to my previous comments on Botev , now I`m more confident and calm about team future . I do not see Botev as a relegation fighter right now , and hope that they will stay away from the red zone ...

[Fen4e]

Bravo! I appreciate your work :-) Who will be the champ, man? Who is going to relegate/

[*Tosh*]

Originally Posted by Fen4e

Bravo! I appreciate your work :-) Who will be the champ, man? Who is going to relegate/

Thanks...

Well, my expectations before the start of the season have not changed a lot, and I still expect Cska to win the title for their 60th anniversary. Not because Cska are so strong, but because Levski shows nothing, and other teams like Loko Sofia and Litex are ... are completely jokes, I can say ...
This Sunday is the derby game between Levski and Cska. If Cska DID NOT LOSE the game, they are 90% champions. For sure.

I still see Vidima as the poorest team in the league, despite their current league position, and I think that at the end they will be one of the teams to go back to BPFG ... Other two... I cannot be so sure, but I think that both Marek and Belasica will improve their form in second part of the season, they always find a way to secure their elite status, with some "strange" games vs better opponents , you are from Bulgaria, you know what I mean ...
Troubled Beroe and Botev are questionable, but think that in winter break there will be some changes in these two teams, and they will start to climb in the table in second half of the season...
Vihren is poorer this season, compared to what they showed in last couple of years , so I rate them as a relegation battler, too ...
Too many candidates, as you see, but it is too early. We should wait until the second part of the season, very interesting things can happen during the winter break, when the transfer window is open ...

I hope that I managed to answer your questions..

Mnogo pozdravi ot Plovdiv!

:

[*Tosh*]

Bulgarian APFG restarts on 3rd March, just a couple of weeks from now, and here are all of the official inns and outs during the winter break. Of course, there can be more changes, and if there are, I`ll let you know...

Cska Sofia

In: Emil Gargorov (Strasbourg, France)
Nenad Nastic (Vojvodina Novi Sad)
Daniel Bekono (Beroe)
Evgeny Yordanov (Marek)
Moussa Gyeue (Senegal)

Out: Kevin Amouneke (Norrkoping, Sweden)
Abder Kabous (Mursia, Spain)
Georgi Chilikov (Dalien, China)
Pavel Vidanov, Stanko Yovchev, Krum Lovkov (Vihren)

Lokomotiv Sofia

In: Vanya Dzeferovic (Beroe)
Danail Mytrev (Beroe)
Fabio Moreira (Tenerife)

Out: Rumen Rangelov (lower division)
Ventzi Hristov, Nikolay Ivanov (lower division)
Plamen Krumov (Banats, Amrenia)

Slavia Sofia

In: Milan Koprivarov (Levski)
Georgi Samokishev, Radoslav Anev, Zoran Zlatkovski (Lokomotiv Plovdiv)
Simeon Mechev, Galin Ivanov (Beroe)
Atanas Drenovichki (Pirin GD)
Zoran Beloshevic (Modrica)

Out: Radoslav Vasilev (Reading, England)
Zdravko Lazarov (Shinnik)
Georgi Mechadziev, Petar Kiumurdziev (Lokomotiv Plovdiv)
Dimitar Vodenicharov (Spartak Varna)
Martin Hristov (Vidima Rakovski)

Levski

In: Ze Soares (Remo, Brazil)
Jean Carlos (Figuerense, Brazil)
Joazinho (Portuguesa, Brazil)
Ismail Isa, Tzvetomir Matev (Haskovo)

Out: Elin Topuzakov, Dimitar Telkiyski (Apoel Tel Aviv, Israel)
Hristo Yovov (Aris Limasol, Cyprus)
Valeri Domovchiyski (Herta Berlin, Germany)
Emil Angelov (Litex)
Milan Koprivarov (Slavia Sofia)
Ekundayo Jaeyoba (Macaby Herzelia)
Sedric Bardon (Bney Yehuda, Israel)

Cherno More

In: Tigran (Armenia)
Kristian Prechakovic, Stefan Nikiforovic (Serbia)

Out: Jalmah, Fabinho (Brazil)

Botev Plovdiv

In: Apostol Popov (Haskovo)
Nikolay Harizanov (Beroe)
Mohamed (Juventus)
Georgi Korudziev (Shopron)

Out: Atanas Vurgov (Rodopa)
Vasil Gurkov (Montana)
Emil Urumov (Rodopa)
Todor Timonov (Nesebur)

Beroe

In: Kostadin Vidolov (Spartak Plovdiv)
Vladislav Zlatinov (Lokomotiv Plovdiv)
Nedko Milenov (Rodopa)
Janko Kosturkov, Ilic, Milosavlevic (Serbia)
Ivan Spakov (Russia)

Out: Vanya Dzeferovic (Loko Sofia)
Slavi Jekov, Anton Vergilov, Doncho Atanasov, Todor Simov (lower division)
Galin Ivanov (Slavia)
Daniel Bekono (Cska Sofia)
Gerasim Zakov (Loko Plovdiv)
Vladimir Pekin (Fosteras)
Danail Mitev (Loko Sofia)
Nikolay Harizanov (Botev Plovdiv)

Marek

In: Nunes, Senturion, Moricone (Argentina)

Out: Lubomir Bozankov (Akademik Svistov)
Nenad Stamenkovic, Marko Cenic (Vidima Rakovski)
Enyo Krastovchev
Evgeny Yordanov (Cska Sofia)

Pirin Blagoevgrad

In: Kiril Nikolov

Out: Velik Irmiev, Faik Tairov, Rumen Lapantov (lower division)

Chernomorets Burgas

In: Stefan Toshkov, Mustafa Mustafa (Pomorie)

Out: Kosta Yanchev, Georgi Karakanov

Litex

In: Emil Angelov (Levski)
Du Bala (Belasica)
Adriano Miranda (Brazil)
Wilfred Niflor (Guenon, France)
Momchil Tzvetanov (Spartak Pleven)

Out: Robert Popov (Auxerre, France)
Kostadin Hazurov (Vidima Rakovski)
Beto (Gaziantepspor)
Ivan Bandalovski, Alexandro Sychero, Fabien Boudarene

Lokomotiv Plovdiv

In:Petar Lazarov, Lubomir Nikolov, Karin Izrailov, Anatoly Todorov (lower division)
Georgi Mechedziev, Petur Kiumurdziev (Slavia Sofia)
Gerasim Zakov (Beroe)
Teodor Banev, Kiril Akalski (Maritsa Plovdiv)

Out: Illamy Halimy
Mario Georgiev, Georgi Samokishev, Zoran Zlatkovski, Radoslav Anev (Slavia Sofia)
Stoyan Kolev (Otelul Galati, Romania)
Vladislav Zlatinov (Beroe)
Martin Kamburov (Asteras, Greece)

Belasica

In: Alexander Stoyanovski (Macedonia)
Luciano Villas (Brazil)

Out: Daniel Gadzev, Kostadin Nazurov
Du Bala (Litex)

Spartak Varna

In: Dimitar Vodenicharov (Slavia Sofia)
Radostin Stanev, Martin Dimov, Ivo Mihaylov (Levski)
Stoyan Abrashev (Cska Sofia)
Villar (Argentina)
Borislav Stoychev (Vidima Rakovski)

Out: Mladen Stoev, Genady Lugo, Stanislav Jekov

Vihren

In: Pavel Vidanov, Stanko Yovchev, Krum Lovkov (Cska Sofia)
Tihamer, Feher (Hungary)
Bruno Beas (Brazil)
Marcos Grifero (Argentina)

Out: Luis Dias, Diogo Andrade Rudolfo Lima, Georgi Micev, Stoycho Mladenov Jr

Vidima Rakovski

In: Kostadin Hazurov (Litex)
Martin Hristov (Slavia Sofia)
Marko Cenic (Marek)

Out: Borislav Stoychev (Spartak Varna)
Hristo Markov (Lokomotiv Sofia)
Maryan Dragnev, Hristo Ivanov, Dean Petrov, Dragomir Ivanov, Borislav Dichev

[*Tosh*]

Some updates here ...

Cska Sofia
Club captain and best player Velizar Dimitrov has left Cska and signed for Hungarian Zalaegerszegi TE FC .
Key defender Valentin Iliev signed for Russian Terek Grozny, and another key player, wing-back Yordan Todorov, is very close to switch teams, having negotiating with Romanian side Rapid Bucuresti. The deal should be completed until Monday, but atm is more than 90 percent sure, that Todorov will follow Valentin and Velizar out of the troubled Cska.

Levski Sofia

Levski is very close in signing ex Marek star Enyo Krastovchev. He played in last Levski friendly game, vs Vidima Rakovski, and could sign a contract literally any minute. There are negotiations right now, and maybe tomorrow there will be an official statement ...

Lokomotiv Plovdiv

Loko signed brazilian player Tom. He has impressed Loko`s coach Yassen Petrov, and will stay in Plovdiv for the next three years.

Chernomorets Burgas

Chernomorets signed ex Botev and Levski player Atanas Chipilov, on loan, as he is still on contract with Dinamo Kiev. He will stay in the club until the summer of 2009. Of course, if Dinamo decides to bring him back in Ukraine, Chipilov will leave APFG before 2009.

[*Tosh*]

And some more updates ...

Levski sold key midfielder Richard to russian side Himki . Also, signed striker Enyo Krastovchev, on free transfer...

Also, club captain Velizar Dimitrov will stay at Cska, as his transfer to Hungarian Zalaegerzeg FC fall through...

Litex will soon sell key defender and Venezuela international Alejandro Sychero, clubs from Russia and South America are interested in signing a contract with the player.