Ante Milicic

Ante Miličić
Personal information
Full name Ante Miličić
Date of birth 4 April 1974 (1974-04-04) (age 37)
Place of birth Sydney, Australia
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 12 in)
Playing position Striker (Reitired)
Club information
Current club Melbourne Heart
Youth career
Sydney Croatia FC
Hurstville Zagreb
1990-1991 AIS
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1993 Sydney United 6 (1)
1993 Canberra Deakin 13 (6)
1993–1997 Sydney United 114 (39)
1997–1999 NAC Breda 47 (10)
1999–2001 NK Rijeka 51 (15)
2001–2002 Sydney United 14 (8)
2002–2003 Sydney Olympic 39 (30)
2003–2004 Parramatta Power 26 (20)
2004 Pahang FA 1 (0)
2004–2005 Sydney United
2005–2006 Newcastle Jets 20 (7)
2006–2008 Queensland Roar 44 (11)
2008 Shahzan Muda FC
2009 Sydney United FC
National team
Australia U-20
Australia U-23
2002–2005 Australia 6 (5)
Teams managed
2009 Sydney United FC
2010– Present Melbourne Heart (Ass. Manager)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 2 December 2007.
† Appearances (Goals).

Ante Milicic (from Croatian Miličić; born 4 April 1974 in Sydney, New South Wales) is an Australian former football (soccer) player. He is currently one of the assistant managers of A-League club Melbourne Heart.[1] He is of Croatian Australian origin.

Contents

Club career

He played for a variety of sides in two stints in the National Soccer League. The first stint was played almost entirely for Sydney United, for whom he played as a junior, and which culminated in playing in their runner-up 1996/97 side. After that season he moved to NAC Breda in the Netherlands, and after 2 seasons there went to Croatia's Rijeka. On his return to the NSL in season 2001/02, he rejoined Sydney United for a brief stay, before moving to city rival Sydney Olympic during the same season. He would spend the rest of the season and the next playing there, including scoring the only goal of the 2001/02 Grand Final against Perth Glory. In the final he was awarded the Joe Marston Medal, delivering Sydney Olympic their second NSL title, as well as playing in the runner up side the following season against Perth Glory.

In season 2003/04, the NSL's last, Miličić moved once again, this time to Parramatta Power, where he would once again taste Grand Final defeat against the Perth Glory. After the NSL was disbanded, Miličić played in the Malaysian League for Pahang. It was widely felt that with the $1.5 million salary caps imposed on all Hyundai A-League clubs, Miličić would not be able to be brought back to Australia. However, he joined the Newcastle United Jets, who finished 4th on the Hyundai A-League ladder in 2005/2006, also joining close friends Labinot Haliti, Ned Zelic and Harry Hezbolla.

Ante Miličić was the first player in the A-League to score a Hat-Trick in the game Newcastle Jets vs New Zealand Knights on 4 November 2005 in round 11. He was also the first player to do a rabona in the a-league.

In May 2006 Ante signed to transfer to rival A-League team Queensland Roar, where he played in 44 matches scoring 11 goals.

On 8 December 2007, Miličić had his contract terminated by mutual consent and joining Malaysian Premier League Shahzan Muda FC, citing that "It wasn't quite happening for me at Queensland Roar."[2]

National team statistics

[3]

Australia national team
Year Apps Goals
2002 2 1
2003 0 0
2004 3 2
2005 1 2
Total 6 5

Coaching

Miličić returned home to his club, Sydney United as Player/Coach for season 2009 and 2010 in the NSW Premier League. It is his first venture as coach and currently boasts a record of 9 wins (8 in Premier League 1 Tiger Turf Cup), 2 Draws and 1 Loss.

He was also called up as an Assistant Coach to the Under 20's Young Socceroos team for the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt and Assistant in Under 20s World Cup in Colombia 2011.

On the 18th November 2009 it was announced that he would be joining Jesper Olsen as an assistant coach at new A-League franchise Melbourne Heart.

Honours

With Australia:

With Sydney Olympic:

With Trinity Grammar 4th XI:

Personal Honours:

References

External links

Awards
Preceded by
Matthew Horsley
Joe Marston Medalist
2001/02
Succeeded by
Simon Colosimo
Preceded by
Damian Mori
NSL Golden Boot
2003/04
Succeeded by
Alex Brosque, Bobby Despotovski,
Archie Thompson, Stewart Petrie
Preceded by
Damian Mori
Johnny Warren Medallist
2003/04
Succeeded by
Bobby Despotovski