Ludogorets officially unveils Thomas Reis as new head coach

Ludogorets officially introduced its new head coach, Thomas Reis, at a press conference in Razgrad. The German manager was welcomed by the club's CEO, Angel Petrichev, and was presented with the club's No. 1 shirt.

"I hope to have a good relationship with the media here, just as I did at my previous clubs. I don't mind criticism, but my plan is to receive as little of it as possible. I want to thank Ludogorets for giving me the opportunity to coach this club. Even in Germany, people know Ludogorets as a 14-time Bulgarian champion. Sometimes unexpected things happen in football, but they can always be put right. I'm here to help and to correct what has gone wrong," Reis said in his opening remarks.

"If I said our goal was to finish in the top three, I'd probably be on my way back to Germany tomorrow. My objective is to restore the team's mentality, reignite the fire, and get everyone ready again. This club belongs where it has been for the past 14 years," he added.

Speaking about his football philosophy, Reis explained:

"I've been watching the World Cup and have my own opinions. Many of the smaller nations have shown how important defensive organisation is, and that's something we'll face in our first match. I expect quick reactions and immediate pressure to win the ball back after we lose it. I prefer proactive football—making the opponent play the way we want them to. Mentality is just as important. The first training session was new for all of us, meeting each other just before an official match, but I will never use the lack of preparation time as an excuse. I have players with great quality, although some won't be available for the opening matches. That creates opportunities for others to prove themselves. I see a squad determined to collect as many points as possible."

Looking ahead to the season opener against Lokomotiv Plovdiv, Reis said his full attention is on the immediate challenge.

"My focus is entirely on our current opponent. We will face two very different styles in our upcoming matches, but first we have to prepare properly for Saturday and earn the three points. Lokomotiv Plovdiv are a very disciplined defensive team. They'll wait for us to make mistakes. They sold their main goalscorer but signed a player with similar qualities. We want to dominate possession and force them to open spaces. They have the same coach as last season, so I expect a similar approach."

Regarding transfers, the German coach stressed that he wants to evaluate the current squad before making major decisions.

"Since I started talking with Ludogorets, we've discussed players for various positions. First, I want to see the players we already have and give them a chance. If the opportunity arises to sign footballers who fit both the team and my philosophy, we'll look to bring them in. Right now, my focus is on preparing this group for a successful match on Saturday."

Reis also revealed he had spoken with Stanimir Stoilov before accepting the role.

"It quickly became clear to me that I would enjoy working here. Yes, I didn't have a pre-season, but that also happens when you take over a team during the campaign. I'm not someone who looks for excuses. We'll improve step by step. Every athlete prefers competing to training."

Speaking about the title race and the squad, he added:

"I know who the current champions are, and they'll do everything possible to defend their title. But everything depends on us. Deroy Duarte had an excellent World Cup, so we're giving him time to recover. He won't be available for the first matches. Once he returns, we'll assess his condition. As for the 2026 World Cup, although I was hoping Germany would win it, my favourites are France or Spain."

Reflecting on the new challenge in his career, Reis said:

"I'm an honest person. When you're working as a coach, it's difficult to follow every league, but I've always heard positive things about Ludogorets and their performances in Europe. This is a new challenge for me. I've worked extensively in youth football, then in the 2. Bundesliga and the Bundesliga, where we fought relegation. In Turkey, we took a club from a relegation battle to European qualification. Now, for the first time, I'm fighting for a championship. I enjoy pressure and I want to live up to these ambitions."

Club CEO Angel Petrichev also addressed the media, explaining the club's recent silence and outlining its plans for the future.

"Over the past month and a half we've been criticised for not speaking publicly. But as someone who spent many years as a journalist, I believe you should speak when you actually have something to say. After last season's collapse, we needed time to put our house back in order. A new season brings new hope. The biggest question was who our new head coach would be, and today we can finally answer it. Thomas Reis is highly respected in both the Bundesliga and the Turkish Süper Lig. We believe he's the right man for the job. His appointment shows clearly that Ludogorets has not surrendered—we have the energy and determination to get back on the right path."

Petrichev emphasised that appointing the new head coach was the club's top priority.

"The coach is the most important person in any football club. Once that position was resolved, we could move forward with recruitment. We don't need a massive rebuild. We already have the strongest squad in Bulgaria. We simply need the right additions—players Thomas Reis believes fit his plans. Our scouting department has worked tirelessly over the last six months, travelling thousands of kilometres. We always pursue our first-choice targets, although not everyone is within our financial reach."

He admitted that lessons had been learned from last season's disappointment.

"After such a failure, it's only natural to evaluate ourselves. Some mistakes were subjective, others objective. Over the past two winters we never had a proper preparation period because we played 120 matches during that time. Injuries affected key players throughout the campaign. We've never hidden from difficult questions, and we're prepared to answer them."

Petrichev also confirmed that the club consulted widely before appointing Reis.

"We have an excellent relationship with Stanimir Stoilov, although I'd rather not discuss private conversations. Thomas Reis is well known to many Bulgarians who played alongside him, and we used numerous sources during our research."

On transfer speculation surrounding Petar Stanic, he said:

"Several clubs, including Olympiacos, have shown interest. We only complete transfers when both the club and the player are satisfied with the terms. At this stage, there is no completed deal, and Thomas Reis is counting on Petar Stanic."

He also addressed interest in Deroy Duarte.

"There have been enquiries not only for Duarte but for several other players as well. So far, no offer has met Ludogorets' expectations. The transfer window is still open, so we'll see what happens, but Duarte is an important player for us and we will not sell him at any price."

Petrichev concluded by wishing success to the other Bulgarian clubs competing in Europe.

"I hope all of our Bulgarian clubs enjoy successful European campaigns and reach the league phase of the competitions. That would be fantastic for Bulgarian football. Hopefully we'll see two, three, or even four Bulgarian teams there."

Finally, he thanked the Ludogorets supporters.

"I want to thank all our fans. During this difficult period we discovered who our true friends are. Thank you to everyone who supported us during the play-off against Lokomotiv Plovdiv. I hope to see you back at the stadium supporting Thomas Reis and the team. Hopefully this season we'll once again host major European nights at our stadium."