Brazilian Osmar named Persepolis manager for the rest of the season
Weeks of speculations and rumors swirling around the Persepolis bench came to an end as Brazilian Osmar Loss Vieira was appointed as the manager of the Persian Gulf Pro League champion for the rest of the season.
Numerous names, including Vladimir Petkovic and Portuguese Jose Peseiro, had been brought up in the media for the job but the 48-year-old Brazilian – an assistant to former coach Yahya Golmohammadi – was eventually handed the helm after Croatian Branko Ivankovich rejected a third approach by the Reds on Saturday due to “family and personal” reasons.
A three-time league champion with Persepolis, Golmohammadi stepped down from his role following a 1-1 at Mes Rafsanjan on the first day of the new year, putting a lid on months of rift with club chairman Reza Darvish.
Ivankovich, whose Oman team crashed out of the AFC Asian Cup group stage on Thursday, was the club’s prime candidate for the vacant role but he made it clear that he has no intention of returning to the Iranian top flight, where he had also lifted the trophy on three occasions before parting ways with the Reds in 2019.
Osmar, now with the team in a training camp in Dubai, first joined Persepolis as a number two to Golmohammadi for the start of the 2022/23 season.
“Osmar has a decent knowledge of the team, the opponents, and the competitions, while enjoying a friendly relationship with the players. He also played his part in helping Persepolis win a league and cup double last season,” the club’s statement read after his appointment.
Before leaving for Iran, Osmar worked as a first-team assistant and academy coach in his home country for the best part of his managerial career, while spending short and unimpressive spells as the manager of Corinthians and Juventude.
His appointment drew criticism from parts of the Reds supporters on social media as they were expecting a more high-profile face on the bench in chasing a seventh league crown in eight years.
Persepolis is third in the Iranian league table with 30 points after 15 matches – trailing archrival Esteghlal and Sepahan by two and one points respectively.
However, the Brazilian, who is believed to have the backing of senior Persepolis players, will be privileged to have a reinforced squad for the second part of the season after Qatari fullback Abdelkarim Hassan signed for the club, while former Persepolis striker Issa Alekassir rejoined from Sepahan last week.
Osmar’s first game in the new role will come at home against second-tier side Naft Gachsaran in the Hazfi Cup on February 9.