Ivan Zelic
Encyclopedia
Ivan Zelic was born in Canberra
on 24 February 1978. He is a former international footballer (Soccer) as well as a current writer
, film-maker, actor
and model
.
, a club known as a breeding ground for Australia
n Croatia
n footballing talent, with the likes of older brother, Australian international Ned Zelic
, and Croatian international Josip Simunic
also coming through the same ranks.
He won a scholarship at the illustrious Australian Institute of Sport
(A.I.S) at the age of 16. Known for his cultured left foot, it was here that Zelic was picked out by Sydney Olympic in the National Soccer League
(NSL), where he began to ply his trade in the professional league at the age of 17, cementing a spot as a defender in David Ratcliffe's side of 1995-96.
After two seasons, he then signed for Canberra Cosmos
, and due to his outstanding leadership qualities, in his second year there was to become the National Soccer League's youngest ever captain at the age of 21. With a below par squad recruited by coach Rale Rasic though, the team lacked the ingredients to be seriously competitive, Rasic eventually sacked towards the end of the season as the team struggled to elevate itself from the foot of the table.
He then signed for Adelaide City
on a two-year deal with mixed results after succumbing to injury, and infuriating coach Zoran Matic by becoming involved with modeling, which led to him missing a training session to shoot a campaign in 2000. Halfway through the second season in Adelaide, Zelic departed for Melbourne Knights
.
After finishing the season, Zelic returned home to play for Canberra FC
, being a stand out for the local side as a left sided midfielder as they won the minor premiership, and finally enjoying his football again.
It was at his next NSL side, Sydney United
, that Zelic suffered a horrific injury, a Lisfranc fracture
, which involved breaking two metatarsals and tearing the ligaments in his right foot whilst playing in Auckland
against the Auckland Kingz in the NSL.
He was still only 24.
He was to eventually recover, and after a 9 month lay off through injury, signed for Malaysian club Johor FC
, where he spent a season.
Upon returning to Australia
, he signed for NSW premier league sides St. George Saints and Blacktown City Demons
, where he united with the astute and technically advanced coach, Aytec Genc, and was in possibly the best form of his career, leading the Demons to a minor premiership playing as an attacking left sided midfielder
.
With the emergence of the professional A-League on the horizon and his interests outside of football such as writing and acting becoming more prominent, he decided to retire at the age of 28, much to the dismay of Aytec Genc, who stated: 'Ivan was a wonderful footballer. I don't know too many guys that are 28 years old, 6-foot-3 and have the technical ability that he has; It's a shame to lose him at what I consider, to be the peak of his talent.'
, starting 11 in the lead up to, and in the World Youth Cup, which was held in Malaysia in 1997. Played out of position at left back though, he struggled to make an impact.
After the World Youth Cup was over, he furthered his international career by becoming the captain of the Australian Olympic team
or Olyroos in their lead up to the Sydney 2000 Olympics, but known for his lack of interest in the game due to interests outside of football, he was to eventually fall out of favor with Australian Olympic team coach Raul Blanco
.
Blanco eventually invited Zelic to be part of the Olympic squad for the 2000 Olympics
in Sydney, but true to form and uninterested in international football, Zelic declined the offer in a storm of controversy, instead opting to concentrate on his club football with Adelaide City
, where ironically he was to fall out with coach Zoran Matic
a few months later.
In June 1998, Zelic travelled with the Australian National Team Socceroos to San Jose
for a friendly fixture against the USA.
for the Tanya Powell Modeling Agency, which was to become a sore point for his football career at the time. After finishing up his national football league career, he was to return to Sydney
, and at 26, signed with respected modelling agency Chadwick where he has since gone on to shoot several ads over the years including Carlton Draught
, Samsung
, Kumho
tyres and Powerade
to name just a few, as well as numerous campaigns and print ads with the likes of Megan Gale
for David Jones
.
He began to write and star in numerous short films which were directed by the accomplished Simon Watts.
Since then, Zelic has gone on to star in hit Australian shows such as All Saints
, Home and Away
and Packed To The Rafters
.
He most recently shot a role on the channel 10 telemovie A Model Daughter: The Murder of Caroline Byrne.
In 2011, Zelic took the stage name Ivan Ford, to further remove himself from his and his brother's past footballing career, and as a homage to one of his favourite directors, John Ford, and one of his favourite actors, Harrison Ford.
. Zelic's style in the The Sin Bleeder became known for its long takes and smooth camera movements, the short film eventually going on to play at numerous short film festivals, as well as appearing at the Bondi Short Film Festival
.
His follow up, Ruthless Days, a gritty crime story, was shot in late 2008, and also went on to appear at several short film festivals across Australia
, one of them being the Melbourne Underground Film Festival
.
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
on 24 February 1978. He is a former international footballer (Soccer) as well as a current writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, film-maker, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
.
Club career
Ivan Zelic was born to Croatian parents, and began to play football (Soccer) at the age of 7 for club side Canberra FCCanberra FC
Canberra Football Club is an Australian football club from the city of Canberra that competes in the ACT competitions including the ACT Premier League. The club was founded in 1958 as Canberra Croatia by local Croatian Australians, later taking the names HOPE, Croatia Deakin, Canberra Metro and...
, a club known as a breeding ground for Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n footballing talent, with the likes of older brother, Australian international Ned Zelic
Ned Zelic
Nedijeljko "Ned" Zelić is a former Australian football player.-Club career:Zelic started his career in the old Australian National Soccer League,where he played with clubs Sydney Croatia and Sydney Olympic...
, and Croatian international Josip Simunic
Josip Šimunic
Josip Šimunić is a Croatian footballer who plays as a defender for Dinamo Zagreb and the Croatian national team.-Club career:...
also coming through the same ranks.
He won a scholarship at the illustrious Australian Institute of Sport
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
(A.I.S) at the age of 16. Known for his cultured left foot, it was here that Zelic was picked out by Sydney Olympic in the National Soccer League
National Soccer League
The National Soccer League is the former national association football competition in Australasia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004...
(NSL), where he began to ply his trade in the professional league at the age of 17, cementing a spot as a defender in David Ratcliffe's side of 1995-96.
After two seasons, he then signed for Canberra Cosmos
Canberra Cosmos
Canberra Cosmos FC is a defunct Australian association football club based in Canberra in the ACT. It participated in the National Soccer League from the 1995/96 season until the end of the 2000/01 season, after which it folded, primarily due to financial difficulties...
, and due to his outstanding leadership qualities, in his second year there was to become the National Soccer League's youngest ever captain at the age of 21. With a below par squad recruited by coach Rale Rasic though, the team lacked the ingredients to be seriously competitive, Rasic eventually sacked towards the end of the season as the team struggled to elevate itself from the foot of the table.
He then signed for Adelaide City
Adelaide City
Adelaide City is a football club in Adelaide, South Australia. They are also known as The Zebras. They played in the National Soccer League for 27 Seasons but withdrew just prior to the 2003/2004 season. They now play in the South Australian Super League. City won the inaugural Super League...
on a two-year deal with mixed results after succumbing to injury, and infuriating coach Zoran Matic by becoming involved with modeling, which led to him missing a training session to shoot a campaign in 2000. Halfway through the second season in Adelaide, Zelic departed for Melbourne Knights
Melbourne Knights
Melbourne Knights Football Club is a football club representing Melbourne, Australia in the Victorian Premier League . The club is one of the most successful football clubs in Australia, being a two-time championship and four-time premiership winner in the now defunct National Soccer League...
.
After finishing the season, Zelic returned home to play for Canberra FC
Canberra FC
Canberra Football Club is an Australian football club from the city of Canberra that competes in the ACT competitions including the ACT Premier League. The club was founded in 1958 as Canberra Croatia by local Croatian Australians, later taking the names HOPE, Croatia Deakin, Canberra Metro and...
, being a stand out for the local side as a left sided midfielder as they won the minor premiership, and finally enjoying his football again.
It was at his next NSL side, Sydney United
Sydney United
Sydney United Football Club are an Australian football club from Sydney, Australia, established in 1957 by Croatian Australians in the area...
, that Zelic suffered a horrific injury, a Lisfranc fracture
Lisfranc fracture
The Lisfranc fracture is a fracture of the foot in which one or all of the metatarsals are displaced from the tarsus.It is named after 18th- and 19th-century surgeon and gynecologist Jacques Lisfranc de St. Martin.-Causes:...
, which involved breaking two metatarsals and tearing the ligaments in his right foot whilst playing in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
against the Auckland Kingz in the NSL.
He was still only 24.
He was to eventually recover, and after a 9 month lay off through injury, signed for Malaysian club Johor FC
Johor FC
Johor Football Club is a Malaysian football club based in Pasir Gudang, Johor. They play in the top division in Malaysian football, the Malaysian Super League...
, where he spent a season.
Upon returning to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, he signed for NSW premier league sides St. George Saints and Blacktown City Demons
Blacktown City Demons
Blacktown City FC, formerly The Demons, are an Australian football club based in Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia. The club was formed in 1953 as Toongabbie Soccer Club and changed their name to Blacktown City in 1979...
, where he united with the astute and technically advanced coach, Aytec Genc, and was in possibly the best form of his career, leading the Demons to a minor premiership playing as an attacking left sided midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
.
With the emergence of the professional A-League on the horizon and his interests outside of football such as writing and acting becoming more prominent, he decided to retire at the age of 28, much to the dismay of Aytec Genc, who stated: 'Ivan was a wonderful footballer. I don't know too many guys that are 28 years old, 6-foot-3 and have the technical ability that he has; It's a shame to lose him at what I consider, to be the peak of his talent.'
International career
Zelic was a regular of the Australian Under 20s, or Young SocceroosAustralia national under-20 football team
The Australia national under-20 association football team, more commonly known as the Young Socceroos, is controlled by Football Federation Australia and represents Australia in international Under 20 or youth football competitions....
, starting 11 in the lead up to, and in the World Youth Cup, which was held in Malaysia in 1997. Played out of position at left back though, he struggled to make an impact.
After the World Youth Cup was over, he furthered his international career by becoming the captain of the Australian Olympic team
Australia national under-23 football team
The Australia Olympic football team, more commonly known as the Olyroos, is controlled by Football Federation Australia and represents Australia at association football in the Olympic Games...
or Olyroos in their lead up to the Sydney 2000 Olympics, but known for his lack of interest in the game due to interests outside of football, he was to eventually fall out of favor with Australian Olympic team coach Raul Blanco
Raul Blanco
Raul Blanco is an Argentine-born Australia Association football coach. He is well known for coaching the Socceroos from March 1998 to June 1999. He was also coaching the Olyroos at the same time, and coached them during the 2000 Summer Olympics...
.
Blanco eventually invited Zelic to be part of the Olympic squad for the 2000 Olympics
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
in Sydney, but true to form and uninterested in international football, Zelic declined the offer in a storm of controversy, instead opting to concentrate on his club football with Adelaide City
Adelaide City
Adelaide City is a football club in Adelaide, South Australia. They are also known as The Zebras. They played in the National Soccer League for 27 Seasons but withdrew just prior to the 2003/2004 season. They now play in the South Australian Super League. City won the inaugural Super League...
, where ironically he was to fall out with coach Zoran Matic
Zoran Matic
Zoran Matić OAM is a former football coach.-Playing career:After arriving in Adelaide 1973 from Yugoslavia Matić played for Beograd Woodville before moving to Adelaide City...
a few months later.
In June 1998, Zelic travelled with the Australian National Team Socceroos to San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
for a friendly fixture against the USA.
Modeling career
Zelic started modeling at the age of 22, in AdelaideAdelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
for the Tanya Powell Modeling Agency, which was to become a sore point for his football career at the time. After finishing up his national football league career, he was to return to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, and at 26, signed with respected modelling agency Chadwick where he has since gone on to shoot several ads over the years including Carlton Draught
Carlton Draught
Carlton Draught is a 4.6% pale lager made in Australia by Carlton & United Beverages.-Description:Carlton Draught is a pale lager which is sold on tap in its home state of Victoria as well as in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia, and is one of Australia's most...
, Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
, Kumho
Kumho
Kumho Tire Co, Ltd. , formerly known as Samyang Tire, is a South Korean industrial conglomerate headquartered in Gwangju, South Korea. Kumho means "bright lake" in Korean. It is a subsidiary of the Kumho Asiana Group, as is Asiana Airlines, South Korea's second largest airline...
tyres and Powerade
Powerade
Powerade is a sports drink manufactured and marketed by The Coca-Cola Company. First introduced in 1988, its primary competitor is PepsiCo's Gatorade...
to name just a few, as well as numerous campaigns and print ads with the likes of Megan Gale
Megan Gale
Megan Kate Gale is an Australian model and actress.- Career :Born in Perth, Western Australia, Megan Gale's father is English and mother is part Maori and is the youngest of three children with two older brothers.-Modeling:...
for David Jones
David Jones Limited
David Jones Limited , colloquially known as DJs, is a high-end Australian department store chain.David Jones was founded in 1838 by David Jones, a Welsh immigrant, and is claimed to be the oldest continuously operating department store in the world still trading under its original name. It...
.
Acting career
In 2005, Zelic was sent to an audition by his modelling agency after they decided that he should give acting a go due to his animated nature. He went along and thrilled the casting agents at Maura Faye with his natural talent, and was recalled from the audition and flown to the US to screen test for Passions, a US soap. He didn't get the role, but was fascinated by acting and decided to compliment his natural ability by receiving training, subsequently graduating from Screenwise in Sydney under the tutelage of Denise Roberts, who he often compliments as a source of inspiration.He began to write and star in numerous short films which were directed by the accomplished Simon Watts.
Since then, Zelic has gone on to star in hit Australian shows such as All Saints
All Saints (TV series)
All Saints is an Australian medical drama which first screened on the Seven Network. The series debuted on 24 February 1998 and concluded its run on 27 October 2009...
, Home and Away
Home and Away
Home and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television...
and Packed To The Rafters
Packed to the Rafters
Packed to the Rafters is an Australian family-orientated television series which premiered on the Seven Network on Tuesday 26 August 2008 at 8:30 pm. The drama series features a mix of lighthearted comedy woven through the plot. It revolves around the Rafter family facing work pressures and...
.
He most recently shot a role on the channel 10 telemovie A Model Daughter: The Murder of Caroline Byrne.
In 2011, Zelic took the stage name Ivan Ford, to further remove himself from his and his brother's past footballing career, and as a homage to one of his favourite directors, John Ford, and one of his favourite actors, Harrison Ford.
Directing career
In 2008, Zelic wrote and directed his first short film, The Sin Bleeder, with accomplished cinematographer Marc WindonMarc Windon
Marc Windon is an Australian cinematographer. He has shot feature films for directors such as Dolph Lundgren, Rohan Michael Hoole and Ozploitation maestro Brian Trenchard-Smith. Notable credits include Icarus, Command Performance, The Gates of Hell and the G Brothers Mercedes-Benz Petronas action...
. Zelic's style in the The Sin Bleeder became known for its long takes and smooth camera movements, the short film eventually going on to play at numerous short film festivals, as well as appearing at the Bondi Short Film Festival
Bondi Short Film Festival
The Bondi Short Film Festival is an annual one-day competitive short film festival open to amateur filmmakers held in the Australian city of Sydney, at Bondi Beach...
.
His follow up, Ruthless Days, a gritty crime story, was shot in late 2008, and also went on to appear at several short film festivals across Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, one of them being the Melbourne Underground Film Festival
Melbourne Underground Film Festival
The Melbourne Underground Film Festival was formed out of disagreements over the content and running of the Melbourne International Film Festival...
.
External links
- OzFootball profile
- http://www.irn.worldfootball.net/spieler_profil/ivan-zelic/
- http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Olympics/1998.html
- http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-22239555.html
- http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_7235/is_199901/ai_n30719914/
- http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=118770800&blogId=453269928
- http://if.com.au/news/article/WHISXRIMXR.html
- http://www.badlit.com/?p=2688
- Ruthless Days at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...