Bojan Hodak

Croatian football manager (born 1971)

Bojan Hodak
Personal information
Full name Bojan Hodak
Date of birth (1971-05-04) 4 May 1971 (age 52)[1]
Place of birth Zagreb, Croatia
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
Persib Bandung (Head coach)
Youth career
1984–1990 Trnje
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–1994 Vrapče
1995 Hrvatski Dragovoljac
1996 Ponikve
1997 Balestier Central
1998–1999 Jurong
1999 Hong Kong Rangers
2000–2001 Jurong
2002 Trnje
Managerial career
2006–2009 UPB-MyTeam
2010–2011 Phnom Penh Crown
2011–2012 Shandong Taishan (assistant coach)
2012–2013 Kelantan
2014–2015 Johor Darul Ta'zim
2016 Penang (CEO)
2017–2019 Malaysia U19
2020 PSM Makassar
2021–2023 Kuala Lumpur City
2023– Persib Bandung
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Bojan Hodak (born 4 May 1971) is a Croatian professional football coach and former player. He is the coach of Liga 1 club Persib Bandung.[2]

Early life

Hodak was born and raised in Zagreb, Croatia, as the second child in a family with a strong military background. His father and brother were both army officers there. In his early years he spent most time playing basketball and football, not preferring one from the other as he excelled in both. There was neither a prominent figure that encouraged him, nor was there any history of sportsmen in his family, but Hodak carried on for fun, joining his friends. However at the age of 16, his local club NK Trnje began paying him for his services and he duly gave up basketball to focus his time and energy in football.[3]

Managerial career

UPB-MyTeam

Hodak's coaching career began in Malaysia in 2006 with the now-defunct UPB-MyTeam, where he guided them to promotion into the Malaysian Super League. There he was responsible for the development of UPB-MyTeam's very young squad, which produced many Malaysian national players, including Norshahrul Idlan Talaha, Shakir Shaari, Bunyamin Umar, Syed Adney Syed Hussein, Stanley Samuel, Azmi Muslim, Nazrin Nawi and Azamuddin Akil.

Phnom Penh Crown

With Phnom Penh Crown, he won the Cambodian League and qualified for the AFC President's Cup Final Round for the first time in Cambodian football history.

Shandong Taishan

With Shandong Taishan, he won the Reserve CSL and he was assistant coach in the First team that lost the Chinese FA Cup final 2–1 to Tianjin Teda.

Kelantan

Hodak was appointed manager and head coach of Kelantan in February 2012.[4][5] He made Kelantan history during his debut season, guiding them to a historic treble of the Malaysian FA Cup, Malaysian Super League and Malaysia Cup. The team also qualified for the 2012 AFC Cup quarter-finals where they lost to Arbil FC of Iraq, 3–6 on aggregate.[6] In his second season with Kelantan, despite losing six key players, the team managed to retain the FA Cup, but lost the league championship to LionsXII and Malaysia Cup final to Sri Pahang. He left the team after the conclusion of the 2013 season.[7]

Johor Darul Takzim

With Johor Darul Ta'zim, he won the 2014 Malaysia Super League and qualified for the AFC Cup. The team collected 44 points from 22 matches and beat Sarawak 1–0 at Stadium Negeri Sarawak, Kuching. In January 2015, he guided JDT to the Charity Shield after JDT beat Pahang 2-0.

Penang

Hodak was appointed CEO of Penang in May 2016 with the target to save Penang from relegation. Penang were bottom of the Malaysian Super League with only 6 points from 11 matches. He signed Nenad Baćina as head coach, changed three players and the team started improving. In the second half of the season, Penang was one of the best teams, winning 16 points, with only Johor Darul Ta'zim and Kedah Darul Aman winning more points in these 11 matches.

The team managed to stay in Malaysian Super League in 2016. After Hodak left at the end of the 2016 season, Penang was relegated the next season, after collecting only 12 points From 22 matches.

Malaysia U19 National Team

With Malaysia U-19, Hodak achieved best results in the history by winning AFF U-19 Championship in 2018. Before that, in 2017 he was runner Up in same age group and manage to qualify for AFC U-19 Championship 2017.

PSM Makassar

On the last day of 2019 (31 December 2019), PSM Makassar officially announced Bojan Hodak as their new coach for the upcoming 2020 season.[8]

Kuala Lumpur City

Bojan helped the City Boys reached their first cup final after 22 years (since 1999 Malaysia FA Cup).

On top of that, Kuala Lumpur City put an end to the 32-year drought of Malaysia Cup (last won in 1989) by winning the 2021 Malaysia Cup final by beating the overwhelming favourites JDT 2–0 at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium.

As title holders of the Malaysia Cup, Kuala Lumpur City qualified to play in the 2022 AFC cup campaign via cup competition after Malaysia FA Cup was abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Honours

Manager

UPB MyTeam

Phnom Penh Crown

Kelantan

Johor Darul Ta'zim

Malaysia U19

Kuala Lumpur City

Individual

  • Liga 1 Coach of the Month: October 2023

Managerial stats

As of match played 28 March 2024
Team Nat From To Record
G W D L Win%
UPB-MyTeam Malaysia 1 November 2006 21 June 2009 81 37 15 29 045.68
Phnom Penh Crown Cambodia 1 October 2010 31 May 2011 14 10 3 1 071.43
Kelantan Malaysia 27 February 2012 31 December 2013 90 53 21 16 058.89
Johor Darul Ta'zim Malaysia 26 February 2014[9] 1 May 2015[10] 38 23 9 6 060.53
Malaysia U19 Malaysia 1 August 2017[11] 31 July 2019[12] 17 11 4 2 064.71
PSM Makassar Indonesia 1 January 2020[13] 1 April 2020[14] 8 4 3 1 050.00
Kuala Lumpur City Malaysia 7 January 2021[15] 26 July 2023 90 37 29 24 041.11
Persib Bandung Indonesia 26 July 2023[16] Present 26 14 10 2 053.85
Total 364 189 94 81 051.92

References

  1. ^ "Croatia – B. Hodak – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway". my.soccerway.com. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  2. ^ "Behind the Scenes Reveals Bojan Hodak's Impactful Team Talk Before Persik Clash". Persib World. 30 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  3. ^ Mugonopak (29 February 2012). "Kenali Bojan Hodak, jurulatih baru Kelantan". Mugonopak (in Malay). Archived from the original on 13 October 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  4. ^ "Bojan sah jurulatih baru Kelantan". The Red Warriors Club (in Malay). DARUL MULTIMEDIA. 4 March 2012. Archived from the original on 6 November 2014.
  5. ^ Rizal Abdullah (25 October 2012). "Hodak wants better contract". Sports 247. SPORTS247.MY. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ^ Keeshaanan Sundaresan (8 February 2013). "Five outstanding South-east Asian clubs: Kelantan". Goal. Goal.com. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  7. ^ Ajitpal Singh (27 October 2013). "Hodak to bid farewell". New Straits Times. The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  8. ^ Robert. "Mantan Pelatih Malaysia Resmi Tangani PSM Makassar". Bolalob – Situsnya Anak Futsal!. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  9. ^ "Bojan Hodak appointed as JDT team manager | Goal.com".
  10. ^ "Stop blaming poor results on coaches – Bojan Hodak | Goal.com".
  11. ^ "NFDP boys in Hodak's long term plans". www.sportingnews.com. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  12. ^ "FAM to pick bones with Bojan Hodak over irresponsible statement | Goal.com".
  13. ^ "Bojan Hodak Appointed Coach of PSM Makassar". 31 December 2019.
  14. ^ "Covid-19: Small football clubs face grim future | New Straits Times". 2 April 2020.
  15. ^ "Hodak signs with Kuala Lumpur United". 10 January 2021.
  16. ^ "PERSIB Football Club". www.persib.co.id. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
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Kelantan F.C.Head coaches
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Kuala Lumpur City F.C.Head coaches
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(c) = caretaker