PICTURE: Krum Bibishkov, now player coach and head coach of Real Mississauga of the Canadian Soccer League has played close to 350 professional games with distinction during a 20-year period, mostly in Europe where he is seen here.
When Krum Bibishkov recently questioned the fairness of a league rule for teams loaning players, it was characteristic of the mild-mannered player of friendly demeanor being the complete footballer, whether it be playing, coaching, or ensuring there is a level playing field while representing his club.
Now in the twilight of a sparkling playing career that rose to greater heights when signed at the age of 17 by Bayern Munich of the German Bundesliga (named to the reserve team), later selected to the Bulgarian U-21 national team, then named Footballer of the Year with Bulgarian club Litex Lovech while winning the Bulgarian Cup in 2008. Some of the highlights of those earlier years included playing in the UEFA Cup competition and his team then qualified for the UEFA Europa League.
Bibishkov has played close to 350 professional games, earlier as a forward, sometimes a midfielder mostly in Bulgaria, then Germany, Portugal, Romania and Israel to be considered a player of some distinction for more than 20 years. Today, he is with the CSL’s Real Mississauga where he often enters the field following a first half of coaching from the side line.
Bibishkov first entered Canada in 2016 to play in the Canadian Soccer League’s Brantford Galaxy, then signed as player-coach for Scarborough the following season before moving to expansion club Real Mississauga in 2018.
Coaching is important to the now 37 year old, both as a UEFA certified coach teaching the fundamentals to the U-11 players with Canada First Academy for Soccer Excellence in Toronto and being head coach of a team in the semi-professional CSL. With more than a million soccer players registered in Canada (760,000 with the Canadian Soccer Association and another close to 300,000 with organized, unaffiliated soccer) Bibishkov is doing his part passing on the much needed skills to Canadians while in Canada and while he has an opportunity to do so.
