Asparuh Nikodimov gave a positive assessment of Markus Gisdol’s work at CSKA following the convincing 3–0 victory over Levski. The legendary midfielder and coach of the “Reds” said that the derby victory was particularly significant both for the players and the supporters.
“If he is achieving victories, that means Gisdol is doing a good job,” Nikodimov told Sportal.bg. He added that he viewed what was happening at the club positively, but declined to go into detail about the German coach’s work.
According to Nikodimov, CSKA’s most important objective remains winning the league title. Europe also matters, but it is particularly important to the fans that the team finish ahead of Levski, Ludogorets and Slavia in the standings.
The winter transfer window will be important
The former CSKA coach declined to single out an individual player for praise after the derby. He stressed that football is a team sport and that all the players contributed to the result.
Nikodimov also addressed the upcoming winter transfer window. In his words, the quality of the new players will be decisive, as even a good coach can hardly achieve significant results without a suitable squad.
He described the construction of the new stadium as an important foundation for the club. According to Nikodimov, CSKA deserved a facility that met modern requirements and reflected the stature of the team.
Nikodimov defended Mikeala
Asparuh Nikodimov also commented on the doubts surrounding Georgi Iliev-Mikeala’s role at CSKA in the early 1980s. He said that Iliev had been extremely important to the squad and had started as a first-choice player in all of the team’s European matches.
Nikodimov explained that Mikeala had been tasked with marking the opposition’s most dangerous player. Among the examples he cited was Liverpool’s Ian Rush, whom Iliev had managed to restrict through his man-marking.
The former coach described Georgi Iliev as a fearless footballer with a good aerial game, a long stride and excellent sliding tackles. He used him as a defensive midfielder in front of Georgi Dimitrov-Dzheki, where Mikeala would mark the opposing team’s strongest player.
Nikodimov is an Olympic silver medallist from Mexico City and one of the most recognisable figures in CSKA’s history.
Source: sportal.bg