Sasa Ognenovski’s journey through Australian football has culminated in his second chance of taking charge at the top level as the newly appointed head coach of Macarthur Bulls.
Before he was a coach Ognenovski was a successful player. His playing career spanned across both NPL and A-League with over 100 appearances for the Preston Lions, he also enjoyed spells abroad playing in South Korea and Qatar. Ognenovski enjoyed silverware with K-League side Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma, winning both the Korean FA Cup and the AFC Champions League.
Ognenovski first began his coaching career in 2019 at Dandenong City as an assistant to at the time head coach Ante Moric, gaining irreplaceable experience and help lead the club to a seventh place finish in their first season in NPL Victoria. Following the departure of Moric at the end of the season, Ognenovski was named his successor and earned his first chance as a senior head coach.
His first season in charge however would end abruptly, as the 2020 NPL season was cancelled after five rounds due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It would be a similar story in the 2021 season, which got to 18 rounds before being called off once again due to COVID-19 thus meaning Ognenovski would never get to lead Dandenong City in charge for a full season.
Ognenovski’s tenure at Dandenong City ended in 2021 after he departed the club to join Preston Lions as football director of the club, a unique position and with the goal of steadying the club and helping them return to the top division of Victorian football. The 2024 season saw this dream come true, as Preston finished second and gained promotion to NPLM.
In the 2025 season Ognenovski returned to coaching, expanding his portfolio at the club from Football Director to assistant coach. Although the workload was greater and the pressure to perform was on, he shined. Under his guidance, the Lions finished fifth in their first season back in NPLM and reaching the Semi Final before being knocked out by eventual winners Heidelberg United. A success for the club and the first of the foundations that has ensured their continued success and longevity in the years that have followed.
The year is now 2026 and Ognenovski departs Preston to take up the head coach role at A-League side Macarthur Bulls, leaving behind a successful legacy and affirming his name into the history books of the Lions.
Having only been announced less than a week ago, Ognenovski is wasting no time getting stuck into his new role and is “straight onto the pitch.”
“It’s really exciting. Come in, try and imprint what I want to do and how we want to do it together with the staff that’s here and work from there.”
Ognenovski boasts a considerable reputation in Australian football, having both a lengthy playing career and a more recent yet fast growing coaching one. He insists this experience will be passed down particularly to the younger player’s inn his side.
“I’ve got a lot to teach and I’ve got a lot to give in football, particularly to younger players.
“Older players will help us steady the ship but I really enjoy working with the younger talent and giving them an opportunity to succeed.
“I can fully out all my efforts into making Macarthur a really strong outfit.”
Previously playing in the A-League for Brisbane Roar, Adelaide United and Sydney FC, Ognenovski already has a good idea of what he wants his side to look like.
“Do I want an uncompromising, relentless team that’s going to push teams and run teams off their feet? Yes. Absolutely.
“Every player has their own strengths and as long as they can get above and beyond that then I’m a happy man.”
The 26/27 season is set to be the first full season in charge of Ognenovski’s entire career and still in the face of such a daunting challenge, Sasa Ognenovski insists he is ready for it all.
“I’m ready for anything; I’m not one to shy away from hard work so that doesn’t scare me.
“That hard work doesn’t scare me at all.”