Oakleigh Cannons have parted ways with coach Bill Theodoropoulos and hired former A-League coach Miron Bleiberg as interim coach.
As Cannons’ general manager Aki Ionnas confirmed for Neos Kosmos, Bleiberg has joined Cannons on an indefinite interim basis, following the departure of Theodoropoulos midweek.
Ionnas thanked the outgoing Theodoropoulos for his service to the club, emphasising that Theodoropoulos has always been a “club boy” and will be respected for everything he did for Cannons through his appointment.
“We parted ways with Theodoropoulos on good terms. Bill is a club boy and he has always been. He will always be welcome to the club and respected for everything he did. We thank him and wish him all the best,” Cannons’ general manager Aki Ioannas said.
Bleiberg’s appointment as Cannons’ interim coach has come after last year’s Grand Finalist has struggled in the early stages of the 2013 VPL season, coming out from the first five rounds with just five points. Oakleigh Cannons is currently ninth on the Victorian Premier League table after one win, two draws and two losses.
Miron Bleiberg returns to coaching, after being appointed as a former A-League club Gold Coast United coach, between 2009 and 2012, and Brisbane Roar coach, between 2004 and 2006.
“He has been appointed as an interim coach at the moment. He is going to lead the club for few weeks, as long as we need. At the moment, nothing is definite,” Ionnas told Neos Kosmos.
“He has agreed to take the post as a favour to assist the club, until we find a permanent solution,” Aki Ionnas, long-time friend of Bleiberg, said.
With Bleiberg taking the bench of Oakleigh this late in season, Cannons’ general manager said there is not much that can be done at this point in time.
“He is going to help us out, but in few days you can’t do wonders. We’ll wait and see what happens this weekend, and see if he stays on permanently or we’ll appoint someone else. At the moment he is doing it on interim basis,” Ionnas said, refusing to comment if Bleiberg could be employed as a permanent replacement.
“Let Miron do his job for a week or two and we’ll take it from there,” he said.
Miron Bleiberg won the 1987 Victorian State League title with Maribyrnong Polonia during the infancy of his coaching career.
Bill Theodoropoulos, a former Cannons player, led the Cannons to the VPL grand final last season as an interim coach in partnership with Peter Zois, before taking on the role this season after Zois’ decision to focus on his goal-keeping coach duties with Melbourne Heart. Injury interruptions to key players hurt the Oakleigh squad in the first rounds of 2013 VPL season; however, in the last weekend’s round five, Cannons scored a 1-1 draw against the highly-rated Bentleigh Greens.
Miron Bleiberg led the Cannons for the first time last Saturday, in what was a 2012 Grand Final rematch, when they faced reigning premiers Dandenong Thunder at Jack Edwards Reserve.
