Krunoslav Jurčić

Krunoslav "Kruno" Jurčić (pronounced [ˈkrunɔslaːʋ ˈjuːrtʃiːtɕ]; born 26 November 1969) is a retired Croatian professional footballer and a head coach.

Club career

He started his professional career at Dinamo Zagreb in 1988, before moving to Inter Zaprešić in 1991 and NK Istra in 1993. He went on join Belgian side Beveren in 1995, but returned to Dinamo Zagreb after one season following Beveren's relegation from the top flight. He subsequently spent three seasons with Dinamo Zagreb, also playing for them in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League in 1998. He then went on to spend three seasons in Italy with Torino and Sampdoria, before returning to Croatia by signing with Slaven Belupo in 2002. He finished his career with Slaven in 2004.

National team

He has been capped 21 times for the Croatian national team and also played three full matches at the 1998 FIFA World Cup finals, where Croatia won the bronze medals.

Managerial career

Jurčić started his managerial career at Croatian First League side Istra 1961. In his first season as head coach, Istra 1961 finished the 2005–06 season in sixth place which was the best ever season result for the club. The following season, he was offered the head coaching position at Slaven Belupo. They finished the season in 2nd place on the table (best ever league position in club history) and qualified for UEFA Cup competition. He left the club in 2008 and went on to join the reigning Croatian champions and his former club, Dinamo Zagreb, on 5 March 2009. With Dinamo he won his first managerial titles by winning the 2008–09 and 2009–10 Prva HNL and Croatian Cup in 2009. On 19 May 2010 Krunoslav Jurčić resigned as the coach of Dinamo Zagreb.

He returned to Dinamo after Vahid Halilhodžić resigned in 2011 and remained manager until December of the same year, when he was fired after Zagreb's final group game of the UEFA Champions League against Lyon, having failed to pick up any points.

After appearing as a football pundit in various sports papers and during football matches broadcasting, Jurčić was included in Igor Štimac's staff that took charge of Croatia national football team after Euro 2012. In late November 2012 Jurčić once again returned to Dinamo Zagreb, replacing sacked Ante Čačić.

On 22 August 2013, Jurčić was sacked after Dinamo Zagreb lost 2–0 at home to Austria Wien in the Europa League play-off round.

On 29 February 2016, he was sacked from Maribor after a 0–1 home defeat against Celje.

Jurcic was appointed manager of Turkey club Adanaspor on 28 August 2016 on a two-year contract.

Honours

Player

• Inter Zaprešić
  • Croatian Cup: 1992
• Dinamo Zagreb
  • Croatian champions: 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–09, 1999–00
  • Croatian Cup: 1997, 1998

Manager

• Dinamo Zagreb
  • Croatian champions: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2012–13
  • Croatian Cup: 2009
  • Croatian Supercup: 2013

Orders

• Order of Danica Hrvatska with face of Franjo Bučar - 1995
• Order of the Croatian Trefoil - 1998

• "ODLUKU KOJOM SE ODLIKUJU REDOM DANICE HRVATSKE S LIKOM FRANJE BUČARA" (in Croatian). hrvatska.poslovniforum.hr. 
• "PREDSJEDNIK TUDJMAN ODLIKOVAO HRVATSKU NOGOMETNU REPREZENTACIJU" (in Croatian). hrt.hr.