Ante Vitaić Explained

Ante Vitaić
Birth Date:1982 6, df=y
Birth Place:Split, Yugoslavia
Height:1.84 m
Position:Midfielder
Currentclub:Hajduk Split U-11 (Manager)
Youthyears2:–2001
Youthclubs1:Orkan Dugi Rat
Youthclubs2:Hajduk Split
Years1:2001–2005
Years2:2001–2004
Years3:2005–2008
Years4:2008
Years5:2009–2014
Years6:2014–2015
Clubs1:Hajduk Split
Clubs2:Mosor (loan)
Clubs3:Osijek
Clubs4:HamKam
Clubs5:RNK Split
Clubs6:Dugopolje
Caps1:0
Caps3:59
Caps4:10
Caps5:100
Caps6:23
Goals1:0
Goals3:6
Goals4:4
Goals5:23
Goals6:7
Manageryears1:2016
Managerclubs1:Orkan Dugi Rat
Manageryears2:2017
Managerclubs2:Uskok Klis
Manageryears3:2017
Managerclubs3:Zmaj Makarska
Manageryears4:2019–2020
Managerclubs4:Omiš
Manageryears5:2020–2021
Managerclubs5:Solin U-11
Manageryears6:2021–2022
Managerclubs6:Primorac U-17
Manageryears7:2023–
Managerclubs7:Hajduk Split U-11

Ante Vitaić (born 7 June 1982) is a Croatian coach and former player and current youth coach at HNK Hajduk Split.

Playing career

Hailing from Dugi Rat Ante, along with his identical twin brother Frane went through the ranks of HNK Hajduk Split before being sent out on loan to NK Mosor where they would remain for the following four years. A good start of the 2004/2005 season in the Druga HNL side, when he scored 7 goals in 16 matches got him a new contract with Hajduk and he rejoined the first team. Vitaić made his debut in the 1–0 away cup loss against NK Zagreb,[1] which would prove to be his only cap for the club. Not wishing to be loaned back to Druga HNL, the brothers annulled their contracts and joined NK Osijek.

Vitaić spent the following three years in Osijek, the highlight of his career being his goal from distance in the last, 95th minute of the 1–0 win against his former club in 2006.[2]

In 2008 Vitaić joined the Norwegian side HamKam, but returned to Croatia after the club was relegated. He joined RNK Split, then in Treća HNL, achieving back to back promotions with them, first to Druga HNL, and then, in 2010 to Prva HNL, remaining a fixture in the club in the following seasons as well. He scored Split's second ever goal in European competition against Slovenian side Domžale in the 2011–12 Europa League.[3]

Managerial career

Vitaić was manager of Orkan Dugi Rat in the second half of the 2015–16 season[4] and took charge of Zmaj Makarska in summer 2017.[5] He became coach of Omiš in 2019.[6]

In August 2020, Vitaić was appointed Head of Youth Academy at NK Solin.[7] In addition to that, he would also act as the youth academy coach for the U-15 squad.[8] He left the position a year later.[9] In August 2021, he took charge of the Primorac Stobreč U17s.[10]

In the summer of 2023, he was appointed U-11 coach at Hajduk Split.[11]

Notes and References

  1. http://arhiv.slobodnadalmacija.hr/20050309/sport01.asp Pjesnici kliću
  2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xemSUshevF4 Video of the goal
  3. https://www.index.hr/sport/clanak/live-split-kod-domzala-igra-prvu-europsku-utakmicu-u-povijesti/561417.aspx Čop i Vitaić upisali su se u povijest: Split u Domžalama ostvario prvu pobjedu u Europi
  4. https://www.dalmacijanews.hr/clanak/qr7p-ante-vitaic-zamijenio-pekasa-na-klupi-orkana#/clanak/qr7p-ante-vitaic-zamijenio-pekasa-na-klupi-orkana Ante Vitaić zamijenio Pekasa na klupi Orkana
  5. https://slobodnadalmacija.hr/sport/ostalo/vitaic-umjesto-marenzija-na-klupi-zmaja-498315 Vitaić umjesto Marenzija na klupi Zmaja
  6. https://slobodnadalmacija.hr/sport/domaci-nogomet/trener-omisa-ante-vitaic-naredio-igracima-nema-zestokih-faula-moraju-se-paziti-nasi-reprezentativci-606387 Trener Omiša Ante Vitaić naredio igračima: Nema žestokih faula, moraju se paziti naši reprezentativci
  7. https://slobodnadalmacija.hr/sport/domaci-nogomet/vitaic-zelim-da-solin-postane-nositelj-kvalitete-u-dalmaciji-1040789 Vitaić: Želim da Solin postane nositelj kvalitete u Dalmaciji
  8. https://dalmatinskiportal.hr/sport/promjena-pored-jadra--solin-ima-novog-voditelja-skole-nogometa/71834 PROMJENA PORED JADRA: Solin ima novog voditelja Škole nogometa
  9. https://www.facebook.com/skola.nk.solin/posts/2218599254940762 SLUŽBENO!...
  10. https://www.dugirat.com/sport/58-nogomet/29240-ante-vitaic-preuzima-vodenje-kadeta-primorca-iz-stobreca Ante Vitaić preuzima vođenje kadeta Primorca iz Stobreča
  11. https://dalmatinskinogomet.hr/nova-trenerska-struktura-akademije-hnk-hajduk/ Nova trenerska struktura Akademije HNK Hajduk