Blaž "Baka" Slišković (pronounced [blâːʒ slîʃkoʋitɕ];[1] born 30 May 1959) is a Bosnian professional football manager and former player. He is regarded as one of the most successful Bosnian football managers.[2]
 Slišković as Bosnia and Herzegovina head coach during UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 30 May 1959 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Mostar, FPR Yugoslavia | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1976–1981 | Velež Mostar | 123 | (25) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1981–1986 | Hajduk Split | 101 | (21) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1986–1987 | Marseille | 29 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1988 | Pescara | 23 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1988–1989 | Lens | 15 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1990 | Mulhouse | 27 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1992 | Rennes | 22 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1993 | Pescara | 18 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1995 | Hrvatski Dragovoljac | 5 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1997 | Zrinjski Mostar | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 363 | (71) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1978–1986 | Yugoslavia | 26 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993 | Bosnia and Herzegovina XI | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–1998 | Hrvatski Dragovoljac | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Zrinjski Mostar | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | Brotnjo | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2006 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | Hajduk Split | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2007 | Zrinjski Mostar | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Tirana | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | Unirea Alba Iulia | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Široki Brijeg | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Al-Ansar | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Qingdao Jonoon | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | Široki Brijeg | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Zrinjski Mostar | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Zrinjski Mostar | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | Kitchee | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Željezničar | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||
As a player, Slišković was capped 26 times for Yugoslavia in the late 1970s and early 1980s. After retiring from playing, he became a successful manager. In July 2011, French football manager and former player, Zinedine Zidane, named Slišković as one of his idols while growing up and included him in his "All Time Best 11" of Marseille.
Club career
editDuring his playing days, Slišković was considered one of the most technically gifted players of his generation. In 1985, he was named the Yugoslav Footballer of the Year. He had the most success while playing for hometown club Velež Mostar and Croatian club Hajduk Split. With Velež, Slišković won the 1980–81 Yugoslav Cup and the 1980–81 Balkans Cup, while with Hajduk he won the 1983–84 Yugoslav Cup and was also part of the Hajduk team that made it all the way to the semi-finals of the 1983–84 UEFA Cup.
Slišković was most famous while playing for French Ligue 1 club Marseille. After Marseille, Slišković played in Italy with Pescara, before returning to France and playing for Lens, Mulhouse and Rennes. In 1992, he returned to Italy and came back to Pescara. In 1993, Slišković left Italy and joined Croatian club Hrvatski Dragovoljac, where he stayed until 1995. Finally, in 1996 he joined Bosnian club Zrinjski Mostar, where he eventually finished his career in 1997 at the age of 38.
In 2011, for the 100th anniversary of Hajduk Split, Slišković was chosen in the "Hajduk Split Best 11 of all-time".[3]
International career
editAlthough most experts expected Slišković to make a great international career, he was only capped 26 times for Yugoslavia. He scored three goals in the process.[4] Slišković was prevented from playing in the 1982 FIFA World Cup due to an injury, sustained in the second half during a 1981–82 Yugoslav First League match between OFK Beograd and Hajduk Split. He then lost his place in the UEFA Euro 1984 Yugoslav squad after, allegedly, a Yugoslav-printed newspaper journalist quoted Slišković incorrectly after an interview after a friendly game between Yugoslavia and Switzerland (0–2) and caused the national team head coach, Todor Veselinović, to drop him from the squad. His final international was a November 1986 European Championship qualification match away against England.[5]
Slišković began to play for the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team after the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. He played three unofficial friendly games for Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1993 as the captain in all three games.[6][7]
Managerial career
editRight after ending his playing career, Slišković became the new manager of Hrvatski Dragovoljac in 1997. He managed Dragovoljac until 1998, after which he joined Zrinjski Mostar. In January 1999, Slišković joined Brotnjo and won the Herzeg-Bosnia Cup with the club in May of that same year.
In the winter of 2000, he left Brotnjo and became an assistant manager to Mišo Smajlović in the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team. Slišković became the head coach of the national team in March 2002, after Smajlović left the team because of his contract expiring. Slišković stayed as the head coach until 2006.[8] In 2004, he won the award "Best Bosnia and Herzegovina Coach" by Dnevni avaz and the "Bosnia and Herzegovina Man of the Year" also in 2004. While Bosnia and Herzegovina head coach, on 24 August 2004, Slišković replaced Ivan Katalinić and simultaneously became the new Hajduk Split manager.[9] On 10 April 2005, he got sacked at Hajduk.[10]
From 2005 until 2007, Slišković once again managed Zrinjski Mostar, making decent results. By the summer of 2008, he was appointed manager of Albanian Superliga club Tirana, but shortly after left the club in December of that year. In March 2010, Romanian club Unirea Alba Iulia hired Slišković until the end of the season, replacing Adrian Falub.[11] In April 2011, he again came back to Bosnia and Herzegovina taking the manager position at Bosnian Premier League club Široki Brijeg, reaching the fourth position in the 2010–11 Bosnian Premier League season and qualifying for the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League first qualifying round.
On 19 January 2012, Chinese Super League side Qingdao Jonoon announced that they signed a contract with Slišković to replace South Korean manager Chang Woe-ryong.[12] From April to June 2015, he once again managed Široki Brijeg.
In March 2017, Slišković again took the manager position at Zrinjski Mostar for the third time in his career,[13] eventually leading the team to win the Bosnian Premier League in the 2016–17 season. In the 2017–18 season, he won his second league title in a row with Zrinjski. After winning two league trophies, Slišković left Zrinjski in June 2018.[14] However, after the sacking of new manager Ante Miše, the club asked Slišković to return, which he agreed to on 13 August 2018.[15] After the end of the 2018–19 Bosnian Premier League season, it was announced on 7 June 2019 that Slišković did not come to an agreement with the board of directors of Zrinjski on a contract extension and that he was leaving the club.[16]
Shortly after leaving Zrinjski, on 3 July 2019, Slišković became the new manager of Hong Kong Premier League club Kitchee, signing a two-year contract.[17] On 23 March 2020, he stepped down and transitioned to a consultancy role with the club.[18]
After Amar Osim got sacked as manager by Bosnian Premier League club Željezničar on 11 April 2021 due to poor results, three days later, on 14 April, Slišković was named as its new manager.[19] In his first game as manager, Željezničar drew against Radnik Bijeljina on 18 April 2021.[20] Slišković oversaw his first loss as Željezničar manager on 25 April 2021, in a league game against Olimpik.[21] In his first ever Sarajevo derby, Slišković's Željezničar lost against FK Sarajevo away in a league match on 1 May 2021.[22] Slišković left Željezničar after his contract with the club expired in June 2021.
Personal life
editSlišković was born in Mostar, FPR Yugoslavia, present day Bosnia and Herzegovina, on 30 May 1959 to Bosnian Croat parents. He was married to Bosnian Serb handball player Svetlana Kitić. Slišković's father Vladko played for Velež Mostar for 15 years.[23] Slišković's son Vladimir is also a professional football manager.
Career statistics
editInternational goals
edit- Scores and results list Yugoslavia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Slišković goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 September 1979 | Marakana, Belgrade, Yugoslavia |  Argentina
|
4–1 | 4–2 | Friendly |
| 2 | 31 October 1979 | Gradski Stadion, Kosovska Mitrovica, Yugoslavia |  Romania
|
2–0 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 1980 qualifying |
| 3 | 25 March 1981 | Gradski Stadion, Subotica, Yugoslavia |  Bulgaria
|
2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
Managerial statistics
edit- As of match played 7 May 2021[24]
| Team | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 27 March 2002 | 11 October 2006 | 37 | 11 | 11 | 15 | 44 | 56 | −12 | 29.73 |
| Hajduk Split | 24 August 2004 | 10 April 2005 | 23 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 41 | 23 | 18 | 60.87 |
| Zrinjski Mostar | 2 August 2005 | 14 October 2007 | 82 | 41 | 13 | 28 | 146 | 94 | 52 | 50.00 |
| Unirea Alba Iulia | 12 March 2010 | 25 June 2010 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 14 | 30 | −16 | 28.57 |
| Široki Brijeg | 24 March 2011 | 4 June 2011 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 25 | 10 | 15 | 66.67 |
| Al-Ansar | 1 July 2011 | 31 October 2011 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 0.00 |
| Qingdao Jonoon | 20 January 2012 | 13 March 2012 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Široki Brijeg | 19 April 2015 | 30 June 2015 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 19 | 18 | 1 | 27.27 |
| Zrinjski Mostar | 23 March 2017 | 11 June 2018 | 45 | 26 | 11 | 8 | 76 | 40 | 36 | 57.78 |
| Zrinjski Mostar | 13 August 2018 | 7 June 2019 | 34 | 19 | 9 | 6 | 52 | 26 | 26 | 55.88 |
| Kitchee | 3 July 2019 | 22 March 2020 | 20 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 44 | 22 | 22 | 55.00 |
| Željezničar | 14 April 2021 | 1 June 2021 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 9 | −5 | 0.00 |
| Total | 286 | 137 | 61 | 88 | 467 | 334 | 133 | 47.90 | ||
Honours
editPlayer
editVelež Mostar
Hajduk Split
- Yugoslav Cup: 1983–84
Yugoslavia U21
Yugoslavia
Individual
edit- Yugoslav Footballer of the Year: 1985
- Hajduk Split all-time first 11: 2011
Manager
editBrotnjo
- Herzeg-Bosnia Cup: 1998–99
Zrinjski Mostar
Individual
edit- Bosnia and Herzegovina Manager of the Year: 2003, 2018
- Bosnia and Herzegovina Man of the Year: 2004
- Best Bosnia and Herzegovina Coach by Dnevni avaz: 2004
- Bosnian Premier League Manager of the Season: 2017–18
References
edit- ^ "Blȃž". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Croatian). Retrieved 16 July 2020.
- ^ E.K. (1 December 2017). "Ko su najtrofejniji treneri iz BiH?". sportske.ba (in Bosnian). Retrieved 1 December 2017.
- ^ "IZBOR SLOBODNE DALMACIJE Jedanaest veličanstvenih hajduka; I Grgur Ninski - hajdukovac! (FOTOGALERIJA) > Slobodna Dalmacija > Hajduk". Slobodna Dalmacija. 5 April 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
- ^ Mamrud, Roberto (16 December 2020). "Yugoslavia (Serbia (and Montenegro)) - Record International Players". RSSSF. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
- ^ "Player Database". eu-football.info. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
- ^ "Sušić, Slišković, Škoro i drugi počeli stvaranje reprezentacije". Sarajevo-x.com. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
- ^ "Čudesni Mostarac koji je bio idol Zinedineu Zidaneu" (in Bosnian). sport.ba. 20 June 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
- ^ "Blaz Sliskovic - A Talented Coach With One Job Too Many". Soccerphile.com. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
- ^ "Blaž Slišković novi trener Hajduka" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. 24 August 2004. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- ^ "Blaž Slišković više nije trener Hajduka" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. 10 April 2005. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- ^ "Ziarul Unirwa - Unirea are antrenor nou - bosniacul Blaz Sliskovic". Ziarulunirea.ro. 27 January 2008. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
- ^ 青岛中能足球俱乐部主教练公告 Archived 29 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in Chinese)
- ^ "Blaž Slišković spašava Plemiće". bljesak.info. 23 March 2017.
- ^ "Blaž Slišković više nije trener Zrinjskog" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. 11 June 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
- ^ "Miše više nije trener Zrinjskog, Slišković se vraća na klupu Plemića" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. 13 August 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
- ^ "Blaž Slišković više nije trener Zrinjskog, klub mu ponudio novu funkciju" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. 7 June 2019. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
- ^ Chan, Kin-wa (3 July 2019). "Former Yugoslavia great Blaz Sliskovic appointed Kitchee boss". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- ^ "KITCHEE MADE CHANGES TO COACHING TEAM". Kitchee. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
- ^ N.K. (14 April 2021). "Blaž Slišković je novi trener FK Željezničar" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
- ^ H.H. (18 April 2021). "Željezničar remizirao protiv Radnika na debiju Blaža Sliškovića" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
- ^ H.H. (25 April 2021). "Očajni Željezničar izgubio od Olimpika i produbio veliku krizu" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
- ^ N.K. (1 May 2021). "Sarajevo uvjerljivo pobijedilo Željezničar i vratilo se na lidersku poziciju" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
- ^ "Slišković: Da mogu vratiti vrijeme, više bih se koncentrirao na karijeru". Archived from the original on 12 February 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
- ^ "Blaž Slišković". Sofascore (in Croatian). Retrieved 7 May 2021.
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External links
edit
- Blaž Slišković at National-Football-Teams.com
- Blaž Slišković at Soccerway