12 days ago, the cup of patience for Ivaylo Petev in Ludogorets finally ran out and he was released. The proven option Georgi Dermendzhiev returned to the coaching post in Razgrad and the first positive signals were not late. In the re-debut of the experienced specialist, the Eagles played a good away game against the very classy and expensive Fenerbahce and undeservedly lost 1:3. On the home stage, however, they stepped back on the winning path after 3:1 over Heber and 2:0 over Slavia. Dermendzhiev seems to know every nook and cranny of the processes of “Huvepharma Arena” and knows how to fix the biggest accidents and steer the course of events in the right direction with a few simple actions.
But Dermendzhiev’s arrival is not the only key return that has led to Ludogorets’ improved form. The other belongs to the left full-back Anton Nedyalkov, who spent half a year treating a heel injury. The 30-year-old footballer once again showed that he is one of the most consistent players in the league and cannot afford to drop even after a long absence. In just a few games, he once again became the best Bulgarian defender. But apart from his sports and technical skills, he is also very useful for Ludogorets with his leadership qualities, bringing serious order to the team’s until recently confused defensive performance.
“It is a matter of time, training and adaptation of the players to understand the philosophy of Mr. Dermendzhiev and to realize what he expects from them. You can see we are starting to play better, let’s keep it up. If we play the way we should, we won’t have any problem for the title again”, Nedyalkov was emphatic after the 2:0 victory over Slavia that day.
