To fill their coaching vacancy, FC LONDON has again reached across the Atlantic, acquiring the services of Domagoj “Dom” Kosić, a certified UEFA “A” coach who will be taking on the role of Technical Director as well as coaching the Men’s League1 and OSL U21 teams. Mario Despotovic, who coached the League 1 Ontario squad to a 15-5-2 record last season, has accepted a full-time professional position as the U-19 coach of Croatian First Division club Hajduk Split.
“We’re excited that we’re not only creating opportunities for players, but we’re creating them for coaches too,” said FC LONDON CEO Ian Campbell upon announcing his new coach for the 2017 League1 season.
Kosić, who is a big believer in a playing style similar to Despotovic, will continue promoting the ‘periodization model,’ which was adopted by FC LONDON in 2016 and proved successful in bringing home hardware at both the team and individual level during the club’s inaugural year in League1.
Beyond his training in various Croatian top clubs, Kosić was educated in Amsterdam with coaching icon Raymond Verheijen. With FC LONDON, his responsibilities will also extend to that of a supervisor for the roster of young coaches involved in the affiliated FC LONDON Academy program (for boys and girls aged 8-17).
Despotovic, who has earned an 18-month contract with Hajduk Split, sees it as a stepping stone to his goal of being a Head Coach with a top European club. He notes that his time in League1 Ontario gave him the experience to take his coaching career to the next level.
“I think League1 was an amazing learning experience for me,” Despotovic said. “It’s a top-quality league, and coming to a different culture and building a team with senior players was something I did not do before.”
Mario will continue his role as a Technical Advisor to the FC LONDON coaching staff.
“Using technology, we can communicate with screen sharing, video analysis and conference meetings from anywhere in the world,” he said. “We’ll continue to learn and educate coaches in Canada as they look to improve their football teaching abilities.”
Michael Marcoccia will remain as the coach of the Women’s League1 team and the U21 women’s team, which is new this year. Marcoccia was named ‘Coach of the Year’ in Women’s League1 last year.
Meanwhile, with the start of the season on the horizon, FC LONDON has secured Under Armour as their equipment and team gear sponsor for the season.
“Recognized worldwide, the UA brand is one that resonates well both on and off the field,” said Campbell. “We’re thrilled to have them involved.”
Submitted by FC LONDON
