Zoran Vulić

Zoran Vulić

Vulić as a manager at Luch-Energiya
Personal information
Full name	Zoran Vulić
Date of birth	(1961-10-04) 4 October 1961
Place of birth	Split, FPR Yugoslavia
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position	Centre back
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1979–1988	Hajduk Split	167	(25)
1988–1991	Mallorca	95	(11)
1991–1993	Nantes	65	(10)
1993–1995	Hajduk Split	21	(4)
Total		348	(50)
National team
1986–1991	Yugoslavia	25	(1)
1990–1993	Croatia	3	(0)
Teams managed
1998	Hajduk Split
2000–2001	Hajduk Split
2002–2004	Hajduk Split
2006–2007	Hajduk Split
2008	Luch-Energiya
2009	Rijeka
2010	Istra 1961
2010–2011	Istra 1961
2012–2013	RNK Split
2014	Croatia U19
2014–2015	RNK Split
2015–2016	Sheriff Tiraspol
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Zoran Vulić (born 4 October 1961) is a Croatian retired footballer who played as a central defender and football manager.

Playing career

Vulić was born in Split, Croatia, Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia. He was the son of Ante Vulić, a famous goalkeeper for HNK Hajduk Split in the 1950s. Zoran Vulić joined Hajduk Split and the stopper with a powerful shot played nine seasons in his first spell, amassing 167 league games with 25 goals. He then had successful abroad stints with RCD Mallorca (Spain) and FC Nantes (France) in the following five years, being instrumental for the former in a La Liga return in his debut season – 35 matches, five goals – and scoring more than ten times overall with both clubs.

Vulić returned to Hajduk in 1993, retiring after two years at the age of 34. With the club he conquered two Yugoslavian cups in 1984 and 1987, two Croatian leagues (1994, 1995) and one cup (1995).

Vulić won 25 caps for Yugoslavia netting once, and participated at the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy, appearing in four out of five matches (two starts) for the eventual quarterfinalists. His debut was on 30 April 1986 in a 2–4 friendly loss in Brazil.

During three years, starting in 1990, Vulić played as many times for the newly established Croatian national team.

Manager career

Vulić became a manager in 1998, and his first spells were spent at his main club Hajduk, only being fired near the end of his fourth.

His biggest success as Hajduk manager was winning the 2000–01 Croatian First Football League and the 2002–03 Croatian Football Cup. In 2004, he was sacked just 3 round before the end of the 2003–04 Croatian First Football League where he held the first place in the league. Petar Nadoveza took over the team and won the championship at the end.

In January 2008 he moved to Russian Premier League's FC Luch-Energiya Vladivostok, returning the following year to his country with NK Rijeka. In February 2010, he took charge of lowly NK Istra 1961.

Vulić also managed RNK Split on two occasions. His biggest success with them was reaching the final of the 2014–15 Croatian Football Cup where they were beaten on penalties by Dinamo Zagreb.

In 2015, he took over Sheriff Tiraspol and managed to win the 2015–16 Moldovan National Division. He left the club in June 2016.

Additionally, Vulić also served as assistant in the Croatian national team.

Honours

Player

Hajduk Split

• Croatian First League (2): 1993–94, 1994–95
• Croatian Cup (1): 1994–95
• Yugoslav Cup (2): 1983-84, 1986–87

Manager

Hajduk Split

• Croatian First League (1): 2000–01
• Croatian Cup (1): 2002-03

Sheriff Tiraspol

• Moldovan National Division (1): 2015–16

External links

• BDFutbol profile
• National team data (Serbian)
• Croatian national team data
• Zoran Vulić at National-Football-Teams.com
• Worldfootball profile