Igor Štimac

Igor Štimac
Personal information
Date of birth 6 September 1967 (1967-09-06) (age 44)
Place of birth Metković, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position Defender
Youth career
Neretva Metković
1984–1985 Hajduk Split
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1985–1992 Hajduk Split 64 (3)
1986–1987 → Dinamo Vinkovci (loan) 31 (2)
1992–1994 Cádiz 62 (4)
1994–1995 Hajduk Split 27 (2)
1995–1999 Derby County 84 (3)
1999–2001 West Ham United 43 (1)
2001–2002 Hajduk Split 11 (2)
Total 291 (15)
National team
1987 Yugoslavia U20 4 (2)
1990–2002 Croatia 53 (2)
Teams managed
2005 Hajduk Split
2006 Cibalia
2009–2010 NK Zagreb
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Igor Štimac (born 6 September 1967 in Metković, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia) is a retired Croatian football player. He is now a football agent and a manager. He has been unattached since his managing stint with NK Zagreb ended in May 2010.

He played for the Croatia national football team (53 matches/2 goals)[1] and was a participant at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, where Croatia won the bronze medals, and at club level he played for Hajduk Split and, most notably, Derby County.

Štimac arrived at the Baseball Ground on 31 October 1995 for a fee of £1.5million from Croatian club Hajduk Split. He scored a goal on his debut for the Rams away at Tranmere, but the Rams fell to a heavy 5-1 defeat. The rest of the season was more successful: Derby gained promotion and remained unbeaten in 20 consecutive matches.

Igor Štimac had nearly four years with the Rams but the end of his Derby County career came as he was criticised from certain quarters in the club for not playing enough games. He was sold on 29 August 1999 to West Ham United for £600,000, where he scored once against Newcastle United.[2]

In all, Štimac made 84 league appearances for the Rams, in addition to 7 FA Cup appearances and 2 League Cup appearances. In 2009 he was voted into a fans' greatest ever Derby County team, by readers of the Derby Evening Telegraph.

Štimac returned to his native Croatia and took over as manager of Hajduk Split. In the spring of 2006, he also spent two months coaching Croatian first division side Cibalia. He is currently also working as a co-commentator at the Croatian Radiotelevision during their broadcasts of the Croatian national team's matches.

Following his career in football he had a short spell as a popstar releasing a song called Mare i Kate.

International goals

Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 3 September 1995 Maksimir, Zagreb  Estonia
6 – 1
7 – 1
 Euro 1996 Qualifying
2 26 March 1996 Stadion Varteksa, Varaždin  Israel
1 – 0
2 – 0
 Friendly

References

  1. ^ Mamrud, Roberto (16 July 2009). "Croatia - Record International Players". RSSSF. http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/kroa-recintlp.html. Retrieved 2009-10-15. 
  2. ^ "Newcastle 2 West Ham 2". Sporting Life. 3 January 2000. http://www.sportinglife.com/football/premiership/westham/reports/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/00/01/03/SOCCER_Newcastle_Nightlead.html&TEAMHD=westham&DIV=prem&TEAM=WEST--HAM&RH=West--Ham&PREV_SEASON=1998. Retrieved 31 December 2009. 

External links