Manly United Football club is proud to announce Vladimir (Vlado) Knezevic as our new Men’s First Grade Head Coach.
With over ten years of coaching experience across all levels of football, including with Football Club Rad in Serbia’s SuperLiga, Vlado brings international expertise and a proven record in getting the best out of players, notably coaching over 40 players who have gone on to play in teams throughout Europe.
Vlad holds both a UEFA A Licence (senior), and a UEFA Elite Youth A Licence (the highest coaching licence for youth football in the world), and is a qualified fitness coach, combining technical expertise with a deep understanding of player development and senior performance.
Vlado moved to Australia in 2023 with his young family to settle on the Northern Beaches and after coaching in the area – including Manly United’s youth system – it’s clear to all at the club his professionalism, passion, and experience make him an exciting appointment to lead our senior men’s program into a new chapter.
He will work alongside assistant Dan Petkovski, a former A-League and NPL NSW player, Petkovski brings a wealth of experience to the role. His playing career includes time with Sydney FC, APIA Leichhardt, and a long stint at Rockdale Ilinden, where he was part of the club’s 2020 Premiership-winning squad. Most recently, Dan has been involved with Hills United FC in the NPL NSW competition and is currently Head of Football at St Luke’s Grammar School and a Manly United youth coach.
Manly United Technical Director Jason Bennett said the appointment of Vlado and Dan strengthens the club’s senior coaching team:
“I have worked with Vlado for the past three years and his experience working with players in our development phase has been invaluable. He brings a wealth of experience to our coaching staff.”
“Dan is an outstanding addition to our First Grade program. He understands what it takes to perform consistently at NPL level and has a genuine passion for developing players within a professional and positive environment.”
Preparations for the new season are already underway, with pre-season training set to begin in the coming weeks.
