Marcel Licka leaves Orenburg for Dynamo

Czech coach Marcel Licka relieved duties as Orenburg head coach and joined Dynamo Moscow on the same position.

The White-Blues activated buy-out clause in coach’s contract, which was previously extended for 2023/24 season. Licka and Dynamo agreed one-year contract, and it can be extended for 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons respectively if certain results are achieved.

New head coach will be joined in staff by his brother Mario Licka, Adesoye Oyevole and Aleksey Radevich, all were Licka’s assistants in Orenburg. Another assistant coach position is taken by ex-Dynamo player Rolan Gusev; he had been working with CSKA U-19 team during last two season. Goalkeepers coach Dmitry Isotov will continue his job.

Licka became Orenburg head coach ahead 2020/21 season in FNL. Team finished second in first season with the Czech, then they were third and captured promotion to RPL through relegation play-off matches against Ufa. In 2022/23 season Orenburg tied their best position in RPL finishing seventh; they also set new club records on points (46), wins (14), and goals scored (58).

Dynamo were ninth at the end of past RPL season. Since June 2022 till May 2023 Slavisa Jokanovic had been working as head coach, Pavel Alpatov was interim manager for final three matches. 33-year-old Alpatov was appointed as head coach in Dynamo second team for next season.