Floriana opt for Brazilian coach as Popovic's successor

Floriana have ended their search for Zoran Popovic's successor after appointing Antonio Carlos Vieira as their new coach.

Vieira, from Brazil, has never worked in Maltese football before but he has had coaching spells with several clubs in South America, including Brazilian team Parana and Juventus FC of Ecuador.

According to information posted on his personal website, Vieira coached the national team of Belize in 2006-07 and his last job was with Portuguesa FC, in Brazil.

Contacted by The Times, Dione Borg, the Floriana FC secretary, confirmed that Vieira has been appointed first-team coach but added that he will work hand-in-hand with Tony Alamango, who started the season as Popovic's assistant.

Popovic was named coach of Floriana last summer, taking up the post previously held by his Serbian compatriot Danilo Doncic, but he resigned two weeks ago, having just led the team to a 3-0 win over Old Firm rivals Sliema Wanderers.

Vieira landed in Malta earlier this week and conducted his first training session as Floriana coach on Tuesday.

Floriana are still waiting for the international transfer certificate of Brazilian striker Rodrigo Felix who joined the club for a trial last week.

The Greens are also looking to sign an experienced goalkeeper as a replacement for Dejan Maksic but their interest in Murphy Akanji appears to have cooled.

Meanwhile, Sliema Wanderers are hopeful of completing the signing of Lucian Dronca in the coming days. At Sliema, Dronca has been reunited with coach Stephen Azzopardi who worked with the Romanian when the two were at Birkirkara some years back.

Dronca, who last played for Woodlands Wellington in Singapore, has trained with the Blues in the past few days and has also passed a medical.

The 35-year-old is expected to take the place of Croatian striker Kosta Bjedov who has agreed to terminate his loan spell with the Blues after suffering a knee injury.