PHNOM PENH CROWN UNVEIL HODAK AS NEW COACH

The 39-year-old Hodak arrived in Phnom Penh this week to begin his one-year contract with Phnom Penh.

“I will be pleased if everyone can see an improvement in the club,” said Hodak at the team’s training ground in Tuol Kork. “I like my teams to have possession of the ball and to play attacking football, and that is what we’ll be aiming for this season.

“I’m a young coach and this will be great experience for me. The club will allow me to take my UEFA ‘Professional’ coaching license, which will help a lot.

“We need to improve our fitness, in fact I’d like half a dozen friendly matches over the next two months to work on our match fitness.”

Hodak turned to coaching after completing a successful playing career as a hard-nosed central defender in Croatia, playing for six years in the Croatian first and second divisions with NK Trnje, NK Vrapce, NK Hrvatski Dragovaljac and NK Ponikve.

He headed to Asia in 1997 to play a further five years in the top divisions in Singapore and Hong Kong at Balestier Central, Jurong FC and Hong Kong Rangers. He earned his UEFA ‘A’ License badge in 2004.

Hodak, who has worked for the Asian Football Confederation as an analyst for the last three years, turned to television and radio punditry for the Malaysian media before accepting his latest challenge in Phnom Penh.

“It’s so important to involve the community, especially the kids,” said Hodak. “For football to take hold, we need the kids to love football, to follow local football, to build their passion for the game and to get involved. That’s what we will be doing here at Crown.”

Other than Hodak, the Cambodian league champions have also signed five new players for the new season including internationals Kouch Sokumpheak, Khim Borey and Sam Narith.

Phnom Penh have also signed two new imports – Nigerian-born duo, Odion Obadin, a 21-year-old central defender, and 24-year-old forward Kingsley Njoku – both of whom had played at Singapore’s Gombak United previously.

Assisting Hodak will be Vann Piseth, a former Cambodian international while Prak Vanny will be the goalkeeper coach.