Vahid Halilhodžic
Encyclopedia
Vahid "Vaha" Halilhodžić (born 15 October 1952) is a former Bosnian
football player and now a manager, currently managing the Algeria national football team
.
Regarded as one of the best Bosnian players in the 1970s and 1980s Halilhodžić had successful playing spells with Velež Mostar
, Nantes and Paris Saint-Germain before retiring in the mid-1980s. He also appeared for the national team and was part of the squad which won the 1978
European Under-21 Championship
before earning 15 full international caps for Yugoslavia
.
In the early 1990s he began managing and, after a short managing stint at his hometown club Velež, permanently moved to France in 1993. Since then he managed a number of teams in French-speaking countries and his achievements include winning the 1997 CAF Champions League with Moroccan side Raja Casablanca, leading the French side Lille OSC
from second level to third place in Ligue 1
in less than three years, winning the 2004 Coupe de France with Paris Saint-Germain and qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
with Côte d'Ivoire
.
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
, Halilhodžić started playing football in his early teens at the local minnows' ground Turbina Jablanica, as it was located some 100 meters from his family home. According to his admission, he did not consider becoming a professional footballer at the time and instead chose to continue his formal education, moving to the nearby city of Mostar
at the age of 14 to study at the local electrotechnical
high school, without ever appearing for Turbina in an official match. Nevertheless, it was in Mostar that he first started taking football seriously as he went on to join Yugoslav First League
side Velež Mostar
academy at the age of 16, in part on the insistence of his brother Salem, who at the time played for the club as a striker
. Halilhodžić then went on to play there at youth levels for the next two and a half years, and, upon signing a professional contract with the club, was sent on a six-month loan to second level side Neretva Metković
to gain some experience.
Upon his return from loan, he quickly broke into the first-team squad in the 1972–73 season, forming a successful attacking partnership with Dušan Bajević
and helping Velež finish the season as league runners-up behind powerhouse Red Star Belgrade
. Halilhodžić then went on to become one of the club's key players in the 1970s, appearing in a total of 376 matches and scoring 253 goals (including 207 appearances and 103 goals in the Yugoslav First League) before leaving the country in September 1981 to join French side Nantes Atlantique. Earlier that year he was instrumental in winning the club's first major silverware, scoring two goals in their 3–2 Yugoslav Cup
final win against Željezničar.
, appearing in a total of 163 league matches and scoring 92 goals for Nantes, also becoming league top scorer in the 1984–85 season with 28 goals.
In 1986 Halilhodžić decided to return to Mostar so he could spend more time with his father, who in the meantime fell seriously ill. While negotiating a new contract with Nantes, he intentionally asked for a salary bigger than anything the club could afford so that he could be released and return home. However, Francis Borelli, chairman of Paris Saint-Germain, stepped in and made him a "fantastic offer" to sign a one year contract, with the intention of bringing Halilhodžić to Parc des Princes
in order to strengthen the team for their upcoming 1986–87 European Cup campaign.
Halilhodžić accepted the offer and went on to appear for the club in the first 18 games of the 1986–87 season, scoring 8 goals. However, his mother died during the season, and it was then that Halilhodžić decided to finally retire from active football.
, scoring eight goals. After debuting as a full international in June 1976, he also appeared in a few matches for Yugoslavia under-21
in 1978, helping them win the 1978 European Under-21 Championship
where he claimed the Golden Player award for the best player in the tournament. Halilhodžić, who was 26 at the time, took advantage of the rule that allowed two players over the age of 21 to participate - hence him and Velimir Zajec
(who had also already debuted for Yugoslavia full squad in 1977) were the two senior players brought in to strengthen the under-21 squad.
Spanning nine years, Halilhodžić's time with the national team was marked by frequently alternating ups and downs, periods of automatic inclusion followed by years-long omissions and frustrating substitute stints.
He made his debut as a substitute at Euro 76 under head coach Biće Mladinić
during the third place match versus Holland that Yugoslavia lost 2-3 at Zagreb
's Maksimir Stadium
. The 23-year-old Halilhodžić came on for Slaviša Žungul.
Over the next couple of years he recorded two more substitute appearances - first in September 1976 in a friendly versus Italy in Rome and then in November 1977 at home versus Spain (the infamously violent qualifying
home loss at Belgrade
's Marakana that ended Yugoslavia's chances of going to the 1978 World Cup
).
clash versus Spain at home in Maksimir. With his first inclusion in the starting lineup by returning coach Mladinić also came his first goal: Yugoslavia was down 0-2 in the first half when Halilhodžić pulled one back in the 44th minute for 1-2, which ended up being the final score as Yugoslavia again lost at home to Spain. With his performance versus Spain, Halilhodžić's stock was somewhat raised and as a result he got to start the next qualifier away at Romania that Yugoslavia also lost 2-3. The second consecutive qualifier loss prompted the end of Biće Mladinić's time as head coach - he got replaced by interim coach Dražan Jerković. Halilhodžić played the next friendly match under Jerković, scoring a hat-trick versus Greece.
The respumtion of Euro 80 qualifying five months later in April 1979 saw the return of Miljan Miljanić
to the Yugoslav bench as the FA's permanent solution at the head coaching position. Miljanić made major changes to the team he inherited from Mladinić with Halilhodžić one of the many casualties. The changes worked as Yugoslavia won its remaining four qualifiers (including a win away at Spain) as well as its two friendlies versus Italy and Argentina (none of the six matches featured Halilhodžić), but the opening two losses still proved too much to overcome as Plavi finished a point behind Spain in the group and didn't progress to Euro 80.
. In his later interviews Halilhodžić often expressed dismay with head coach Miljanić for not giving him a more prominent role in the Yugoslav team at the 1982 World Cup.
On more than one occasion in the 2000s and 2010s Halilhodžić sarcastically cited "the fact that I have a surname that was too long for Belgrade scoreboards" as the reason why he didn't play a bigger part in the national team, thus insinuating that he feels the fact he's Muslim may have been the reason for his modest playing time in the national team.
, who was at that time struggling to survive in the French second league. During the season 1999-2000, Lille OSC
literally smashed the second league. Immediately during its first season in the French Ligue 1
, Lille OSC
arrived 3rd and thus qualified for the European Champions League. He became very famous in France because of his professionalism and tactical science. He also got the surname of "Coach Vahid". After finishing 4th (qualification for the UEFA Cup) during the 2001-2002 season, "Coach Vahid" decided to quit the club due to a lack of ambition of its directors.
), just behind the club of Olympique Lyonnais
. Unfortunately "Coach Vahid's" second season was not that successful and he got fired in February 2005 while its team was ranked 7th in the Championship.
From October 2005 to June 2006, he moved to Turkey in order to coach Trabzonspor
. The club finished in 4th place just behind the three big clubs from Istanbul; Besiktas, Galatasaray and Fenerbahce. Although the team qualified for the UEFA Cup
, he decided to quit Turkey.
and the World Cup
in South Africa. However, during the quarter finals in the African Cup of Nations
, Ivory Coast was eliminated during extra time in its match against Algeria
(2-3). The disappointment was huge among the people in Ivory Coast for whom the national team represent a central social role. In addition, the country was at that period facing an important political crisis. As a consequence to this instability, Vahid Halilhodžić was fired four months before the start of the World Cup.
, signing two and a half year long contract. He came in as replacement for Velimir Zajec
who just got fired after getting eliminated from the Champions League qualifying
after losing on penalties to Moldovan club Sheriff Tiraspol
.
Right away, club fans took to Halilhodžić as Dinamo
started playing attractive and a more attacking style of football. On September 16, exactly one month after signing his contract, Dinamo somewhat improbably won 2-0 against Villarreal
at the start of the Europa League
, all of which enhanced Halilhodžić's reputation in Zagreb. However, despite some encouraging results, Dinamo failed to qualify for the next stage in the European competition, losing the decidng match in December at home versus PAOK. Despite the setback, Halilhodžić stayed on due to support of both the fans and club management.
In the domestic league, the club was a runaway leader without any real competition. Towards the end of the season, issues arose over the renegotiation of terms of his contract and on 6 May 2011 he left the club following a vicious shouting incident with Dinamo's executive president Zdravko Mamić
in the team dressing room during halftime of the league match between Dinamo and Inter Zaprešić.
, signing a three-year contract.
in 1992, Halilhodžić was wounded in Mostar
, but recovered within a few months. The wound occurred when Halilhodžić accidentally shot himself in the backside with a Škorpion vz. 61 machine pistol
. He left Mostar in May 1993 due to threats received from the Croatian Defence Council
(HVO) as the armed conflict between Bosniaks and Croats escalated in Herzegovina. Following his departure his house was looted and burned down.
Halilhodžić is married and has two children. His primary residence is in Lille
where his family lives.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
football player and now a manager, currently managing the Algeria national football team
Algeria national football team
The Algeria national football team , nicknamed الأفنــاك, Les Fennecs , represents Algeria in association football and is controlled by the Fédération Algérienne de Football. Algeria's home ground is the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers and their head coach is Vahid Halilhodžić.Algeria has qualified...
.
Regarded as one of the best Bosnian players in the 1970s and 1980s Halilhodžić had successful playing spells with Velež Mostar
FK Velež Mostar
FK Velež , successor of RŠD Velež, is a football club from Bosnia and Herzegovina, from the city of Mostar, founded on June 22, 1922....
, Nantes and Paris Saint-Germain before retiring in the mid-1980s. He also appeared for the national team and was part of the squad which won the 1978
1978 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The UEFA U-21 Championship 1978, which spanned two years had 24 entrants. Yugoslavia U-21s won the competition.The 24 national teams were divided into eight groups. The group winners played off against each other on a two-legged home-and-away basis until the winner was decided...
European Under-21 Championship
UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The European Under-21 Football Championship is a football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. It is held every two years. The competition has existed in its current form since 1978. It was preceded by the Under 23 Challenge Cup which ran from 1967 to 1970...
before earning 15 full international caps for Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
.
In the early 1990s he began managing and, after a short managing stint at his hometown club Velež, permanently moved to France in 1993. Since then he managed a number of teams in French-speaking countries and his achievements include winning the 1997 CAF Champions League with Moroccan side Raja Casablanca, leading the French side Lille OSC
Lille OSC
LOSC Lille Métropole is a French association football club based in Lille. The club was founded in 1944 as a result of a merger and currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football. Lille plays its home matches at the Stade Lille-Metropole in nearby Villeneuve-d'Ascq. In 2012, the...
from second level to third place in Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
in less than three years, winning the 2004 Coupe de France with Paris Saint-Germain and qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
with Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire national football team
The Côte d'Ivoire National Football Team or Ivory Coast National Football Team, nicknamed Les Éléphants , represents Côte d'Ivoire in international football and is controlled by the Fédération Ivoirienne de Football...
.
Early years and Velež
Born in JablanicaJablanica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Jablanica is a town and municipality of the same name in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. The town is situated on the Neretva river and Jablanica lake. Jablanica is a part of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton.-Geography:...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, Halilhodžić started playing football in his early teens at the local minnows' ground Turbina Jablanica, as it was located some 100 meters from his family home. According to his admission, he did not consider becoming a professional footballer at the time and instead chose to continue his formal education, moving to the nearby city of Mostar
Mostar
Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...
at the age of 14 to study at the local electrotechnical
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
high school, without ever appearing for Turbina in an official match. Nevertheless, it was in Mostar that he first started taking football seriously as he went on to join Yugoslav First League
Yugoslav First League
The Yugoslav First League was the premier football league in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and socialist Yugoslavia...
side Velež Mostar
FK Velež Mostar
FK Velež , successor of RŠD Velež, is a football club from Bosnia and Herzegovina, from the city of Mostar, founded on June 22, 1922....
academy at the age of 16, in part on the insistence of his brother Salem, who at the time played for the club as a striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
. Halilhodžić then went on to play there at youth levels for the next two and a half years, and, upon signing a professional contract with the club, was sent on a six-month loan to second level side Neretva Metković
NK Neretva
NK Neretva is a Croatian football club based in the town of Metković, in the region of Dalmatia.Club's first name was NK "Narona".Today's name club has since 1994...
to gain some experience.
Upon his return from loan, he quickly broke into the first-team squad in the 1972–73 season, forming a successful attacking partnership with Dušan Bajević
Dušan Bajevic
Dušan Bajević is a Bosnian football manager and former Yugoslav international.-Playing career:...
and helping Velež finish the season as league runners-up behind powerhouse Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
. Halilhodžić then went on to become one of the club's key players in the 1970s, appearing in a total of 376 matches and scoring 253 goals (including 207 appearances and 103 goals in the Yugoslav First League) before leaving the country in September 1981 to join French side Nantes Atlantique. Earlier that year he was instrumental in winning the club's first major silverware, scoring two goals in their 3–2 Yugoslav Cup
Yugoslav Cup
The Yugoslav Cup, officially the Marshal Tito Cup, was one of two major football competitions in the former Yugoslavia, the other one being the Yugoslav League Championship. The Yugoslav Cup took place after the league championships when every competitive league in Yugoslavia had finished, in order...
final win against Željezničar.
Nantes and PSG
At Nantes Halilhodžić immediately became a first-team regular, scoring 7 goals in 28 appearances in the 1981–82 Division 1. The following season he helped Nantes win the French championship and was also the league's top scorer with 27 goals in 36 appearances. Halilhodžić went on to spend five years at La BeaujoireStade de la Beaujoire
The Stade de la Beaujoire - Louis Fonteneau, or "Stade de la Beaujoire", is a stadium in Nantes, France. It is the home of the FC Nantes football club....
, appearing in a total of 163 league matches and scoring 92 goals for Nantes, also becoming league top scorer in the 1984–85 season with 28 goals.
In 1986 Halilhodžić decided to return to Mostar so he could spend more time with his father, who in the meantime fell seriously ill. While negotiating a new contract with Nantes, he intentionally asked for a salary bigger than anything the club could afford so that he could be released and return home. However, Francis Borelli, chairman of Paris Saint-Germain, stepped in and made him a "fantastic offer" to sign a one year contract, with the intention of bringing Halilhodžić to Parc des Princes
Parc des Princes
The Parc des Princes is an all-seater football stadium located in the southwest of Paris, France. The venue, with a seating capacity of 48,712 spectators, has been the home of French football club Paris Saint-Germain since 1974. The current Parc des Princes was inaugurated on 4 June 1972, endowed...
in order to strengthen the team for their upcoming 1986–87 European Cup campaign.
Halilhodžić accepted the offer and went on to appear for the club in the first 18 games of the 1986–87 season, scoring 8 goals. However, his mother died during the season, and it was then that Halilhodžić decided to finally retire from active football.
International career
Halilhodžić was capped 15 times for the Yugoslav national teamYugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
, scoring eight goals. After debuting as a full international in June 1976, he also appeared in a few matches for Yugoslavia under-21
Yugoslavia national under-21 football team
The Yugoslavia national under-21 football team existed in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. After the state's dissolution in 1992, the following teams were formed:*Bosnia and Herzegovina national under-21 football team...
in 1978, helping them win the 1978 European Under-21 Championship
1978 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The UEFA U-21 Championship 1978, which spanned two years had 24 entrants. Yugoslavia U-21s won the competition.The 24 national teams were divided into eight groups. The group winners played off against each other on a two-legged home-and-away basis until the winner was decided...
where he claimed the Golden Player award for the best player in the tournament. Halilhodžić, who was 26 at the time, took advantage of the rule that allowed two players over the age of 21 to participate - hence him and Velimir Zajec
Velimir Zajec
Velimir Zajec is a former Croatian footballer and manager.-Career:Zajec began his career at Dinamo Zagreb in 1974, aged 18. During 10 years at the club, he helped them to two domestic cup wins, as well as the league title, their first title honour in 24 years...
(who had also already debuted for Yugoslavia full squad in 1977) were the two senior players brought in to strengthen the under-21 squad.
Spanning nine years, Halilhodžić's time with the national team was marked by frequently alternating ups and downs, periods of automatic inclusion followed by years-long omissions and frustrating substitute stints.
He made his debut as a substitute at Euro 76 under head coach Biće Mladinić
Ante Mladinic
Ante "Biće" Mladinić was a Croatian football manager.The Croat had a modest playing career turning out for Hajduk Split and Lokomotiva Zagreb. Later as coach he had spells at NK Zagreb, Hajduk, FK Partizan, and the Yugoslavia national football team in the mid-1970s...
during the third place match versus Holland that Yugoslavia lost 2-3 at Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
's Maksimir Stadium
Maksimir Stadium
Maksimir Stadium is a stadium in the Croatian capital of Zagreb. It takes its name from the neighbourhood of Maksimir. It is primarily the home of Dinamo Zagreb, the top football team in the country. It is also home to Dinamo Zagreb's farm team NK Lokomotiva....
. The 23-year-old Halilhodžić came on for Slaviša Žungul.
Over the next couple of years he recorded two more substitute appearances - first in September 1976 in a friendly versus Italy in Rome and then in November 1977 at home versus Spain (the infamously violent qualifying
1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)
Listed below are the dates and results for the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the European zone . For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification....
home loss at Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
's Marakana that ended Yugoslavia's chances of going to the 1978 World Cup
1978 FIFA World Cup
The 1978 FIFA World Cup, the 11th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Argentina between 1 June and 25 June. The 1978 World Cup was won by Argentina who beat the Netherlands 3–1 after extra time in the final. This win was the first World Cup title for Argentina, who became the fifth...
).
Euro 80 qualifying
It wasn't until October 1978 that now 26-year-old Halilhodžić (riding high from his under-21 European championship win) got his first start: the opening Euro 80 qualifyingUEFA Euro 1980 qualifying Group 3
Standings and results for Group 3 of the 1980 UEFA European Football Championship qualifying tournament.Group 3 consisted of Cyprus, Romania, Spain and Yugoslavia...
clash versus Spain at home in Maksimir. With his first inclusion in the starting lineup by returning coach Mladinić also came his first goal: Yugoslavia was down 0-2 in the first half when Halilhodžić pulled one back in the 44th minute for 1-2, which ended up being the final score as Yugoslavia again lost at home to Spain. With his performance versus Spain, Halilhodžić's stock was somewhat raised and as a result he got to start the next qualifier away at Romania that Yugoslavia also lost 2-3. The second consecutive qualifier loss prompted the end of Biće Mladinić's time as head coach - he got replaced by interim coach Dražan Jerković. Halilhodžić played the next friendly match under Jerković, scoring a hat-trick versus Greece.
The respumtion of Euro 80 qualifying five months later in April 1979 saw the return of Miljan Miljanić
Miljan Miljanic
Miljan Miljanić is a retired Yugoslav football player, coach and administrator....
to the Yugoslav bench as the FA's permanent solution at the head coaching position. Miljanić made major changes to the team he inherited from Mladinić with Halilhodžić one of the many casualties. The changes worked as Yugoslavia won its remaining four qualifiers (including a win away at Spain) as well as its two friendlies versus Italy and Argentina (none of the six matches featured Halilhodžić), but the opening two losses still proved too much to overcome as Plavi finished a point behind Spain in the group and didn't progress to Euro 80.
1982 World Cup
Halilhodžić made two substitute appearances at the 1982 World Cup: playing the last 15 minutes of the controversial group match versus Spain as well as the entire second half versus Honduras. For the position of forward at the tournament Miljanić preferred Safet SušićSafet Sušic
Safet "Pape" Sušić is a Bosnian former footballer and current manager of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team. In his playing days, he operated as playmaking attacking midfielder...
. In his later interviews Halilhodžić often expressed dismay with head coach Miljanić for not giving him a more prominent role in the Yugoslav team at the 1982 World Cup.
On more than one occasion in the 2000s and 2010s Halilhodžić sarcastically cited "the fact that I have a surname that was too long for Belgrade scoreboards" as the reason why he didn't play a bigger part in the national team, thus insinuating that he feels the fact he's Muslim may have been the reason for his modest playing time in the national team.
International goals
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 October 1978 | Maksimir Stadium Maksimir Stadium Maksimir Stadium is a stadium in the Croatian capital of Zagreb. It takes its name from the neighbourhood of Maksimir. It is primarily the home of Dinamo Zagreb, the top football team in the country. It is also home to Dinamo Zagreb's farm team NK Lokomotiva.... , Zagreb Zagreb Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city... , Yugoslavia |
1–1 | 1–2 | Euro 1980 qualifying | |
| 2 | 15 November 1978 | Gradski Stadium, Skopje Skopje Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre... , Yugoslavia |
1–1 | 4–1 | Balkan Cup Balkan Cup The Balkan Cup was an international football tournament played on and off between 1929 and 1980 between countries from the Balkan region. The first tournament was played between Romania, Greece, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria over 3 years from 1929 to 1931.... |
|
| 3 | 3–1 | |||||
| 4 | 4–1 | |||||
| 5 | 25 March 1981 | Spartak Stadium Subotica City Stadium Subotica City Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Subotica, Serbia. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of FK Spartak Zlatibor Voda from 1945. The stadium holds 13,000 people. There is a football pitch and a registered track for athletics suitable for... , Subotica Subotica Subotica is a city and municipality in northern Serbia, in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina... , Yugoslavia |
1–0 | 2–1 | Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
|
| 6 | 29 April 1981 | Poljud Stadium, Split, Yugoslavia |  Greece |
2–0 | 5–1 | 1982 World Cup qualifying 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA) Listed below are the dates and results for the 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the European zone . For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification.... |
| 7 | 21 November 1981 | Vojvodina Stadium, Novi Sad Novi Sad Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river.... , Yugoslavia |
1–0 | 5–0 | 1982 World Cup qualifying | |
| 8 | 2–0 | |||||
Raja Casablanca
In 1997 he started to train Raja Casablanca, the biggest Moroccan club. In two years, he won the African Champions League and the Moroccan Championship. These success brought him a new caliber.Lille OSC
In October 1998 he began to coach Lille OSCLille OSC
LOSC Lille Métropole is a French association football club based in Lille. The club was founded in 1944 as a result of a merger and currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football. Lille plays its home matches at the Stade Lille-Metropole in nearby Villeneuve-d'Ascq. In 2012, the...
, who was at that time struggling to survive in the French second league. During the season 1999-2000, Lille OSC
Lille OSC
LOSC Lille Métropole is a French association football club based in Lille. The club was founded in 1944 as a result of a merger and currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football. Lille plays its home matches at the Stade Lille-Metropole in nearby Villeneuve-d'Ascq. In 2012, the...
literally smashed the second league. Immediately during its first season in the French Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
, Lille OSC
Lille OSC
LOSC Lille Métropole is a French association football club based in Lille. The club was founded in 1944 as a result of a merger and currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football. Lille plays its home matches at the Stade Lille-Metropole in nearby Villeneuve-d'Ascq. In 2012, the...
arrived 3rd and thus qualified for the European Champions League. He became very famous in France because of his professionalism and tactical science. He also got the surname of "Coach Vahid". After finishing 4th (qualification for the UEFA Cup) during the 2001-2002 season, "Coach Vahid" decided to quit the club due to a lack of ambition of its directors.
Stade Rennais
In November 2002, he was recruited in order to rescue the French club Stade Rennais, what he did. He started to become one of the most sought after coach in Europe and thus joined the club of Paris Saint Germain in summer 2003, although some German and Spanish clubs were seeking him.Paris Saint Germain
During his first season at the helm of Paris Saint Germain, the club realised one of the greatest and most unexpected season in its history by winning the French Cup and arriving second in the Championship (qualificationHalilhodžić for the Champions LeagueUEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
), just behind the club of Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
. Unfortunately "Coach Vahid's" second season was not that successful and he got fired in February 2005 while its team was ranked 7th in the Championship.
From October 2005 to June 2006, he moved to Turkey in order to coach Trabzonspor
Trabzonspor
Trabzonspor is a professional Turkish football club located in the city of Trabzon, Turkey. Formed in 1967 through a merger of several local clubs, Trabzonspor won six championships in Turkish Super League. The Club won their first Championship title in 1975 which is also the Club's initiation year...
. The club finished in 4th place just behind the three big clubs from Istanbul; Besiktas, Galatasaray and Fenerbahce. Although the team qualified for the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
, he decided to quit Turkey.
Côte d'Ivoire national team
In May 2008 he was recruited to train the very ambitious Ivory Coast national team. In two years without any defeat, he qualified the national team for the African Cup of NationsAfrican Cup of Nations
The Africa Cup of Nations, also referred to as the African Cup of Nations or African Nations Cup, officially CAN , is the main international association football competition in Africa. It is sanctioned by the Confederation of African Football , and was first held in 1957. Since 1968, it has been...
and the World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
in South Africa. However, during the quarter finals in the African Cup of Nations
African Cup of Nations
The Africa Cup of Nations, also referred to as the African Cup of Nations or African Nations Cup, officially CAN , is the main international association football competition in Africa. It is sanctioned by the Confederation of African Football , and was first held in 1957. Since 1968, it has been...
, Ivory Coast was eliminated during extra time in its match against Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
(2-3). The disappointment was huge among the people in Ivory Coast for whom the national team represent a central social role. In addition, the country was at that period facing an important political crisis. As a consequence to this instability, Vahid Halilhodžić was fired four months before the start of the World Cup.
Dinamo Zagreb
On 16 August 2010 he was announced as the new coach of Dinamo ZagrebDinamo Zagreb
GNK Dinamo Zagreb, commonly referred to as Dinamo Zagreb , or by their nickname Modri are a Croatian football club based in Zagreb. They play their home matches at Stadion Maksimir. They are the most successful club in Croatian football, having won thirteen Croatian championship titles, ten...
, signing two and a half year long contract. He came in as replacement for Velimir Zajec
Velimir Zajec
Velimir Zajec is a former Croatian footballer and manager.-Career:Zajec began his career at Dinamo Zagreb in 1974, aged 18. During 10 years at the club, he helped them to two domestic cup wins, as well as the league title, their first title honour in 24 years...
who just got fired after getting eliminated from the Champions League qualifying
2010–11 UEFA Champions League qualifying phase and play-off round
This article details the 2010–11 UEFA Champions League qualifying phase and play-off round.There were two paths:*Champions Path, which included all domestic champions which did not automatically qualified for the group stage....
after losing on penalties to Moldovan club Sheriff Tiraspol
FC Sheriff Tiraspol
FC Sheriff Tiraspol is a football club based in Tiraspol, Moldova. They play in the Divizia Naţională, the top division in Moldovan football. The team is sometimes referred to as simply FC Sheriff and should not be confused with FC Tiraspol, a rival team based in the same city.-History:The club...
.
Right away, club fans took to Halilhodžić as Dinamo
Dinamo Zagreb
GNK Dinamo Zagreb, commonly referred to as Dinamo Zagreb , or by their nickname Modri are a Croatian football club based in Zagreb. They play their home matches at Stadion Maksimir. They are the most successful club in Croatian football, having won thirteen Croatian championship titles, ten...
started playing attractive and a more attacking style of football. On September 16, exactly one month after signing his contract, Dinamo somewhat improbably won 2-0 against Villarreal
Villarreal CF
Villarreal Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. , usually abbreviated to Villarreal CF or just Villarreal, is a Spanish Primera División football club based in Vila-real, a city in the province of Castellón within the Valencian Community...
at the start of the Europa League
2010–11 UEFA Europa League group stage
This article details the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League group stage.The group stage featured 48 teams: the title holders, Atlético Madrid, the 37 winners of the play-off round, and the 10 losing teams from the Champions League play-off round...
, all of which enhanced Halilhodžić's reputation in Zagreb. However, despite some encouraging results, Dinamo failed to qualify for the next stage in the European competition, losing the decidng match in December at home versus PAOK. Despite the setback, Halilhodžić stayed on due to support of both the fans and club management.
In the domestic league, the club was a runaway leader without any real competition. Towards the end of the season, issues arose over the renegotiation of terms of his contract and on 6 May 2011 he left the club following a vicious shouting incident with Dinamo's executive president Zdravko Mamić
Zdravko Mamic
Zdravko Mamić is a Croatian football administrator and football manager. Since 2003 he is the executive manager of Dinamo Zagreb, the most successful football club in Croatia....
in the team dressing room during halftime of the league match between Dinamo and Inter Zaprešić.
Algeria National Team
On 22 June 2011 he was named as the new coach of the Algeria national teamAlgeria national football team
The Algeria national football team , nicknamed الأفنــاك, Les Fennecs , represents Algeria in association football and is controlled by the Fédération Algérienne de Football. Algeria's home ground is the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers and their head coach is Vahid Halilhodžić.Algeria has qualified...
, signing a three-year contract.
Personal life
During the Bosnian WarBosnian War
The Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...
in 1992, Halilhodžić was wounded in Mostar
Mostar
Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...
, but recovered within a few months. The wound occurred when Halilhodžić accidentally shot himself in the backside with a Škorpion vz. 61 machine pistol
Machine pistol
A machine pistol is a handgun-style, often magazine-fed and self-loading firearm, capable of fully automatic or burst fire, and normally chambered for pistol cartridges. The term is a literal translation of Maschinenpistole, the German term for a hand-held automatic weapon...
. He left Mostar in May 1993 due to threats received from the Croatian Defence Council
Croatian Defence Council
The Croatian Defence Council was a military formation of the self-proclaimed Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia during the Bosnian War.-History:...
(HVO) as the armed conflict between Bosniaks and Croats escalated in Herzegovina. Following his departure his house was looted and burned down.
Halilhodžić is married and has two children. His primary residence is in Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
where his family lives.
External links
- Vahid Halilhodžić at Reprezentacija.rs
- Interview with Halilhodžić published by the BH DaniBH DaniBH Dani stands for Bosanskohercegovački Dani is a Bosnian language weekly magazine published in Bosnia and Herzegovina.-Editorial:...
weekly in May 2002