Adnan Beganovic opens up on failed Richards Bay move

The Bosnian tactician has twice come close to securing a Betway Premiership return, having held discussions with Sekhukhune United before they appointed Cedric Kaze, and subsequently with Richards Bay.

Both opportunities reportedly advanced to the latter stages of negotiations before reaching a stalemate, with the Natal Rich Boys eventually turning to Bulgarian coach Dimitar Pantev earlier this month.

“I don’t want to take a job for the sake of returning to the PSL,” Beganovic told SABC Sport this week.

“I know what I want from my next project – after everything I built at TS Galaxy, I want to be in an environment with a clear vision, ambition and the right structure to compete. I am still very ambitious, and I believe I have a lot more to achieve in the PSL.”

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One of Beganovic’s biggest regrets remains his departure from Galaxy just two weeks before the Nedbank Cup final, which the Rockets subsequently lost 2-1 to Durban City at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.

With a string of poor results threatening to drag the club into the relegation battle, chairman Tim Sukazi pulled the trigger with five league matches remaining, handing the reins to assistant coach Bernard Parker for the remainder of the campaign.

Despite the disappointing end to his tenure, Beganovic believes he still has unfinished business in South African football.

“The PSL is still very attractive to me because I know the league and I know what it takes to work and compete here. South Africa has become a very important part of my coaching journey,” he added.

“I spent more than four years in the country, worked my way from assistant coach to head coach and experienced what it means to compete in the PSL. I also worked on developing young players and helped build a team with a clear identity. I believe I still have a lot to give to South African football, and I would like the opportunity to show that again.”

Asked what ultimately prevented him from joining Richards Bay, Beganovic pointed to several factors that influenced the negotiations.

“There have been different situations. Sometimes the financial side was not right, sometimes the project was not what I was looking for, and sometimes the timing simply wasn’t right. I’m not going to take a job just because I have an offer on the table,” he explained.

“I have worked very hard to build my career, and I want my next decision to be an important step forward. For me, the project has to make sense from every angle.”