Zahari Sirakov

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Zahari Sirakov

| image = Zahari Sirakov October 2011.jpg

| image_size = 200

| caption = Sirakov with Amkar in 2011

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1977|10|8}}

| birth_place = Smolyan, Bulgaria

| height = {{Height|m=1.81|precision=0}}

| position = Right-back

| currentclub = Ludogorets Razgrad II (manager)

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1996 | clubs1 = Levski Kyustendil | caps1 = 12 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 1997–2001 | clubs2 = Levski Sofia | caps2 = 98 | goals2 = 8

| years3 = 2001–2002 | clubs3 = Spartak Pleven | caps3 = 27 | goals3 = 1

| years4 = 2002 | clubs4 = APOEL | caps4 = 5 | goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2003 | clubs5 = Lokomotiv Sofia | caps5 = 4 | goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2003 | clubs6 = Rodopa Smolyan | caps6 = 12 | goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2004–2015 | clubs7 = Amkar Perm | caps7 = 276 | goals7 = 7

| totalcaps = 434 |totalgoals = 16

| nationalyears1 = 1997–1998 | nationalteam1 = Bulgaria U-21 | nationalcaps1 = 15 | nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 1998–2010 | nationalteam2 = Bulgaria | nationalcaps2 = 4 | nationalgoals2 = 0

| manageryears1 = 2020

| managerclubs1 = Levski Sofia U17

| manageryears2 = 2020–2021

| managerclubs2 = Ludogorets Razgrad U19

| manageryears3 = 2021–2023

| managerclubs3 = Ludogorets Razgrad III

| manageryears4 = 2024–

| managerclubs4 = Ludogorets Razgrad II

| manageryears5 = 2024

| managerclubs5 = Ludogorets Razgrad (interim)

| pcupdate =

| ntupdate =

}}

Zahari Sirakov ({{langx|bg|Захари Сираков}}; born 8 October 1977) is a Bulgarian football coach and a former player. He is the manager of Ludogorets Razgrad II.

Career

Sirakov started his career with Levski Kyustendil, but made a name for himself in Bulgaria while playing for Levski Sofia.{{cite web|author=Botusharov, Konstantin|publisher=sportal.bg (originally published in '24 Hours')|language=Bulgarian| title=Захари Сираков: Идея на жена ми ме прати в Русия и след 11 г. си тръгнах със сектор на мое име|url=https://sportal.bg/news-2020061916544854038|date=25 August 2015|access-date=20 August 2024}}{{cite web|title=Честити 40 на Захари Сираков!|url=https://levski.bg/news/details/176351|website=levski.bg|language=bg|date=8 October 2017 |access-date=6 August 2020}} On 24 September 1999, he scored a last-minute goal against Litex Lovech in an A Group match to bring the score to 1–1 in the heated derby encounter, prompting a brief pitch invasion by joyous Levski supporters. Sirakov was also notable for his sportsmanship, on one occasion shaking the hand of referee Atanas Uzunov after receiving a red card in a match against CSKA Sofia. He has remained popular with Bulgarian supporters even after starting his Russian adventures.

In February 2004, Sirakov signed with Russian club Amkar Perm. After more than 11 years with Amkar, Sirakov ended his career at the end of 2014–15 season.{{cite web | url = http://www.sportal.bg/news.php?news=567876| title = Захари Сираков се връща на терена| language = bg | publisher = sportal.bg| date= 23 September 2015 |access-date = 1 May 2016}}

International career

After first receiving a call-up for a friendly match against Morocco prior to the 1998 World Cup, but withdrawing due to an injury, Sirakov made his debut for Bulgaria against Poland on 6 September 1998. However, he received his second cap in 2007 during UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying. In August 2010, he earned a recall to the national side due to an injury suffered by Georgi Sarmov and on 11 August 2010, he came on as a substitute in the 0–1 away loss in a friendly match against Russia.

Managerial career

Sirakov became a youth coach in Levski in 2015, right after announcing retirement. In 2018 he become a coach of Levski U15 and in 2020 he was promoted to U17 team.[https://levskiacademy.com/coaches/zahari-sirakov Захари Сираков]

In November 2020 he was announced as the new manager of Ludogorets III, together with the U19 team.[https://gong.bg/bg-football/efbet-liga/multimedia/video/zahari-sirakov-podpisa-s-ludogorec-615083 Захари Сираков подписа с Лудогорец] In January 2024 he was promoted to manager of Ludogorets Razgrad II in Second League.[https://topsport.bg/ludogorets-ii/zahari-sirakov-poema-dubala-na-ludogorets.html Захари Сираков поема дубъла на Лудогорец] In August 2024, Sirakov was appointed as interim manager of the first team after Georgi Dermendzhiev stepped down as head coach following the club's elimination from the Champions League.{{cite web|author=|publisher=bntnews.bg|language=Bulgarian| title=Захари Сираков: Тази победа е и за Георги Дерменджиев|url=https://bntnews.bg/news/zahari-sirakov-tazi-pobeda-e-i-za-georgi-dermenjiev-1290095news.html|date=18 August 2024|access-date=20 August 2024}} In his first match in charge, he led the “eagles” from Razgrad to a 1:0 league win over former club Levski Sofia.

Managerial statistics

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
rowspan=2\|Team !rowspan=2\|From !rowspan=2\|To !colspan=8\|Record
G !W !D !L !Win % !GF !GA !GD
rowspan="1" align="left"\| {{flagicon\|BUL}} Ludogorets Razgrad III \|rowspan="1" align="left"\|23 December 2021 \|rowspan="1" align="left"\|1 January 2024 {{WDL\|54\|34\|8\|12}} \|align="center"\|148 \|align="center"\|64 \|align="center"\|+84
rowspan="1" align="left"\| {{flagicon\|BUL}} Ludogorets Razgrad II \|rowspan="1" align="left"\|8 January 2024 \|rowspan="1" align="left"\|present {{WDL\|19\|7\|8\|4}} \|align="center"\|26 \|align="center"\|20 \|align="center"\|+6
rowspan="1" align="left"\| {{flagicon\|BUL}} Ludogorets Razgrad (interim) \|rowspan="1" align="left"\|15 August 2024 \|rowspan="1" align="left"\|26 September 2024 {{WDL\|9\|7\|1\|1}} \|align="center"\|14 \|align="center"\|3 \|align="center"\|+11
colspan="3"\|Total {{WDLtot\|82\|48\|17\|17}} !align="center"\|188 !align="center"\|87 !align="center"\|+101

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

rowspan=2|Team

!rowspan=2|From

!rowspan=2|To

!colspan=8|Record

!Win %

!GF

!GA

!GD

rowspan="1" align="left"| {{flagicon|BUL}} Ludogorets Razgrad III

|rowspan="1" align="left"|23 December 2021

|rowspan="1" align="left"|1 January 2024