HNK Gorica

Gorica

Full name	Hrvatski Nogometni Klub Gorica
Founded	2009 (as merger of NK Radnik and NK Polet Buševec)
Ground	Stadion Radnik
Ground Capacity	8,000
Chairman	Nenad Črnko
Manager	Ilija Lončarević
League	2. HNL
2012–13	2. HNL, 10th
Website	Club home page
Home colours Away colours

HNK Gorica is a Croatian football club based in the town of Velika Gorica, located just south of the Croatian capital Zagreb. They play their home matches at the Stadion Radnik, which has a capacity of 8,000.^[1] They won the 2010–11 Druga HNL title and were initially promoted to Prva HNL, but their top license was revoked. The club regard themselves as the spiritual continuation of the former Prva HNL members NK Radnik, who went bankrupt and was dissolved in 2009. However, legally HNK Gorica is a distinct and separate club, and is not entitled to claim the history of the old NK Radnik.

History

There is a long lasting tradition of football in Velika Gorica and region of Turopolje. First organized clubs were founded during the 1930s but the most prominent football club, NK Radnik, was created in 1945, just after the end of World War II.

Radnik enjoyed average success during Yugoslavia, and its most impressive results came with a birth of free Croatia. With a newly built stadium for 1987 Summer Universiade Radnik was included into premier season of highest level Croatian league. It competed there for two seasons, 1992–93 and 1993–94. After being relegated in 1995, Radnik started with his downfall and mediocre results, even playing in the fourth tier of Croatian league football for four seasons (from 2002 till 2006).

During 2009 Radnik got into serious financial troubles and only solution for preserving Velika Gorica's top and most popular football team was a merger with one of financially stable local football clubs. A perfect partner was found in NK Polet from nearby village Buševec. NK Polet had a long lasting football tradition and was a competitive member of Treća HNL. In summer of 2009, merging between Radnik and Polet was agreed and HNK Gorica was formed. As a primal mission club stated winning the league title and reaching Druga HNL after many years of absence. The goal was reached during the first season, Gorica won the Treća HNL West and achieved promotion to the Druga HNL for the 2010–11 season.

Before 2010–11 season it was stated that club's ambitions are not high and that everybody would be satisfied with top half finish. But as the season progressed, Gorica proved to be the best club in the league, this culminating with securing the title two rounds before the end of the season. As 2. HNL champion, Gorica earned a place in Croatia's first division, which was later denied after getting their top level license revoked.

Honours

Druga HNL:

• Winners (1): 2010–11

Treća HNL - West:

• Winners (1): 2009–10

Recent seasons

Current squad

As of 5 February 2014

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Miroslav Koprić 2 DF Saša Sabljak (captain) 3 DF Hrvoje Jančetić 4 DF Dado Žutić 6 FW Ivan Antolek 8 MF Kristijan Mandić 9 MF Ivan Budimir 10 FW Robert Peričić 14 MF Luka Hadžić 15 MF Jurica Kovačić 19 DF Matija Mihalj 20 FW Dalibor Mandarić 21 DF Perica Šare DF Ivan Tokić

No. Position Player 22 MF Nikola Lovrić 23 DF Denis Cerovec 24 GK Toni Šušković GK Ante Peko DF Filip Petanjek MF Zvonimir Milić MF Josip Majić MF Marijo Pejak MF Marijan Jurac DF Marin Romić MF Roko Strika FW Omar Abuselyani MF Vedran Jerković MF Filip Cvrk MF Ilyas Zeytulaev (on loan from Torino)

Notable players

• Andrej Panadić
• Dubravko Pavličić
• Željko Župetić
• Mario Cvitanović
• Igor Mostarlić
• Domagoj Abramović
• Lek Kcira

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to HNK Gorica.

• Official website (Croatian)
• HNK Gorica at Nogometni magazin (Croatian)
• Transfermarkt profile