Ned Zelic

Nedjeljko Zelic (Croatian pronunciation: [zeːlitɕ], born 4 July 1971), commonly known as Ned Zelic, is an Australian former footballer who played as a centre-back or defensive midfielder.

Ned Zelic
Personal information
Full name Nedjeljko Zelic
Date of birth (1971-07-04) 4 July 1971
Place of birth Sydney, Australia
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Centre-back, defensive midfielder
Youth career
1981–1987 Canberra FC
1988 AIS
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1989–1991 Sydney Croatia 36 (0)
1991–1992 Sydney Olympic 16 (1)
1992–1995 Borussia Dortmund 72 (1)
1995-1996 Queens Park Rangers 4 (0)
1996 Eintracht Frankfurt 20 (4)
1996–1997 Auxerre 18 (4)
1997–2001 1860 Munich 102 (3)
2002 Kyoto Purple Sanga 1 (0)
2002–2003 Urawa Reds 23 (2)
2004–2005 Wacker Tirol 22 (0)
2005–2006 Newcastle Jets 21 (1)
2006 Helmond Sport 7 (0)
2007–2008 Dinamo Tbilisi 34 (0)
Total 372 (16)
National team
1989 Australia U-20 8 (2)
1990–1992 Australia U-23 16 (4)
1991–1997 Australia 34 (3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Zelic started his career in the old Australian National Soccer League, where he played with clubs Sydney Croatia and Sydney Olympic. In his junior years he played for Croatia Deakin.

Zelic spent most of the 1990s playing in Europe, most notably for Borussia Dortmund where he reached the UEFA Cup Final in his first season with the club, losing to Juventus Turin of Italy and won the German Bundesliga title in 1995. He had a brief stint in the Premier League for QPR, moving for a club record £1.25 million,[1] which was beset by injury and discontent. After just 4 Premier League games for the West London club, he departed to Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany.[2]

After only a few months he signed for AJ Auxerre of France. At Auxerre, he replaced Laurent Blanc who moved to FC Barcelona, and participated in the UEFA Champions League. In July 1996, Zelic was selected to play for a World All Star team vs. Brazil at Giants Stadium, New York City. The All Star team was coached by Euro 92 winner with Denmark, Richard Moller Nielsen and consisted of such players as Jürgen Klinsmann, George Weah, Marcel Desailly, Lothar Matthäus, David Ginola and Fernando Redondo. In 1998, Zelic decided to move back to Germany and went on to make 102 appearances for 1860 Munich in the Bundesliga.

In 2002, he moved to Japan to play in the J1 League where he stayed for two years and played under Dutch coaches Hans Ooft and Wim Jansen, winning the Japanese Cup with his club Urawa Red Diamonds. Zelic signed for FC Wacker Tirol of Austria in July 2004 and stayed there for one season.

A-League

In 2005, Ned Zelic agreed terms to a two-year deal as a marquee to captain the Newcastle Jets in the A-League,[3] where he played out the whole season from central defence. The Jets finished fourth on the league table and lost to the Central Coast Mariners 2–1 on aggregate over two legs in the Minor Semi-final.

Zelic underwent arthroscopic surgery on his knee after the semi-finals. Several months later he decided to move back overseas and it was not certain if he would continue his career.[4]

Europe

After being granted a work permit, he signed a one-year deal with Dutch side Helmond Sport in August 2006, working again with his former 1860 Munich teammate Gerald Vanenburg, who was coach there. However, he left Helmond after only two months due to knee problems and considered retirement.

In January 2007, Zelic joined Georgian club FC Dinamo Tbilisi on a free transfer, where he played under former Czech National Team coach Dusan Uhrin. He announced his retirement from football in May 2008, after winning the Georgian Championship with Dinamo Tbilisi.[5]

He was selected in Four Four Two magazine's Top 25 Australian Footballers of All-Time.

International career

He has played for the Australia youth, Olympic and senior teams, but made himself unavailable in November 1999 after disagreements with coach Frank Farina. Zelic was captain of the Australian team that competed and finished 4th at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

Personal life

Zelic is the older brother of former footballer turned actor Ivan Zelic and presenter Lucy Zelic.[6]

Career statistics

Club
Source:[7]
Club Season League Cup League Cup Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Sydney Croatia 1989 National Soccer League 8080
1989–90 2020
1990–91 260260
Total 360360
Sydney Olympic 1991–92 National Soccer League 161161
Borussia Dortmund 1992–93 Bundesliga 190190
1993–94 181181
1994–95 4040
Total 411411
Queens Park Rangers 1995–96 Premier League 4040
Eintracht Frankfurt 1995–96 Bundesliga 171171
Auxerre 1996–97 Division 1 120120
1860 Munich 1997–98 Bundesliga 130130
1998–99 331331
1999–2000 232232
2000–01 270270
2001–02 6060
Total 10231023
Kyoto Purple Sanga 2002 J1 League 10000010
Urawa Reds 2002 J1 League 10100020
2003 2221070302
Total 2322070322
Wacker Tirol 2004–05 Austrian Bundesliga 220220
Newcastle United Jets 2005–06 A-League 211211
Helmond Sport 2006–07 Eerste Divisie 7070
Dinamo Tbilisi 2006–07 Umaglesi Liga 110110
Career total 313920703229

International
Source:[7]
Australia national team
YearAppsGoals
199130
199250
199351
199420
199530
199600
1997142
Total323

Honours

Australia

Dinamo Tbilisi

Urawa Reds

Borussia Dortmund

References
  1. "QPR break club record for Zelic". The Independent. 27 July 1995. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  2. "Shearer's strain 'not a problem'". Independent. 28 March 1996. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  3. "Ned Zelic signs with Newcastle Jets". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 April 2005.
  4. Roach, Stewart (7 June 2006). "Easy come, easy go: Okon signs for Jets as captain Zelic quits". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  5. Aussie great Zelic announces retirement
  6. http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/lucy-zelic/blog/1166575/There-is-room-for-us-all-in-this-beautiful-game
  7. "Ned Zelic". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman.
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