Zdravko Logarušić

Zdravko Logarušić

Personal information
Date of birth	(1965-10-21) 21 October 1965 (age 59)
Place of birth	Slavonski Brod, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia
Managerial career
Years	Team
1988–1989	Croatia Malmö[1]
1990–1991	FC 08 Villingen[1]
1992–1995	Western Knights[1]
	Marsonia
	Vukovar '91
2009–2010	King Faisal Babes[2][3]
2010–2011	Ashanti Gold
2012–2013	Gor Mahia
2013–2014	Simba SC[4]
2015–2016	AFC Leopards
2016	Interclube
2017	Asante Kotoko
2017–2019	Sudan[5]
2020–2021	Zimbabwe
2023	Al-Batin
2023–2024	Police F.C.
2024	Eswatini

Zdravko Logarušić (born 21 October 1965) is a Croatian football manager/head coach. Overall, he has coached in four continents, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and North America.^[6] In 2001, Logarušić took coaching courses to get a UEFA Pro Licence.^[1]

Career

Gor Mahia

Chosen as Gor Mahia boss in 2012, he vowed to end the clubs 18-year wait to win the Premier League trophy.^[7][8] In winter 2012, Logarušić was expected to be back for the pre-season training before the new season.^[9][10] He was relieved of duties in June 2013.^[11] In his defense, Logarušić demurred that he did not have a work permit and lived in Nairobi on a tourist visa. Secondly, he raised issue about evident lack of formal contract with the Nairobi-based team.^[12] Female fans criticized the board for his dismissal.^[13]

Simba

After leaving Kenya, Logarušić was offered a relatively high salary from Simba SC to coach them and took the offer. When he got Simba SC good results, the Tanzanian outfit bought him a house overlooking the beachfront.^[14] Unfortunately, he could not speak Swahili which hindered him from communicating fluently with the Tanzanian press.^[14] Half a year later, his contract was cancelled.^[15] Logarušić demanded TSh 3.6 million from Simba SC as requital for the club unprocedurally cancelling his contract. Still, the club refused to pay him as they said the amount charged was too exorbitant and that he had made a wrongful claim.^[16]

AFC Leopards

Back in 2015, the well-traveled coach was selected as coach for AFC Leopards of the Kenyan Premier League.^[17] Afterward, he parted ways with them when he sent a text message to them stating that he quit the club as 'he was forced to go back to Croatia because no one was taking care of his rent' and that he was evicted from his apartment.^[18]

Asante Kotoko

A year later, ahead of the 2017 Ghanaian Premier League, he was appointed boss of Asante Kotoko which was the third time he managed in Ghana.^[19] To incentivize him, the Ghanaian side bestowed a new car on him a month into the new season.^[20] As Asante Kotoko's manager, he invariably used the 3-5-2 formation which exasperated the fans.^[21] Using that formation, he got them ten points in four games and temporarily placed them second in the table.^[22] Fired by Asante Kotoko in April 2017^[23][24] after winning five out of eleven games, Logarušić labelled the Asante Kotoko management as 'liars'.^[25]

Sudan

Logarušić became manager of the Sudan national team in December 2017.^[26] He was removed from the position on 30 November 2019.^[27]

Zimbabwe

On 29 January 2020, Logarušić was appointed coach of the Zimbabwe national team.^[28] In March 2021, Logarušić guided the Warriors to their fifth Africa Cup of Nations qualification.^[29]

On 12 September 2021 Logarušić was dismissed by the Zimbabwean FA following a poor string of results. A loss to Ethiopia and a goalless draw against South Africa in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers saw pressure mounting on the local football body to take action after getting just one win out of his 14 games with the national team.^[30]

Al-Batin

On 19 February 2023, Logarušić was appointed as manager of Saudi Arabian club Al-Batin following the sacking of Alen Horvat.^[31]

References

1. "Zlcoach.com". www.zlcoach.com.
2. "Voices Of the Diaspora: Meet Cross Continental Football Manager, Zdravko Logarušić!". total-croatia-news.com.
3. "Zdravko Logarušić: Svaki klub u ganskoj ligi ima svog vrača". 24sata.hr.
4. "Logarusic signs Simba deal".
5. "Kralj Afrike iz Hrvatske! 'Kad u svijetu spomeneš Hrvatsku, prva asocijacija je nogomet'". vecernji.hr.
6. "Zlcoach.com". www.zlcoach.com.
7. "Logarusic eager for first title".
8. "Gor Mahia Coach Zdravko Logarusic vows to end club's 18-year wait for premiership trophy - Goal.com". 17 April 2013.
9. "Coach Zdravko Logarusic will be back".
10. "Logarusic set to return June 18 - Gor Mahia News". gormahia.net. 5 June 2013.
11. "Gor Mahia part ways with coach Zdravko Logarusic - Goal.com". 25 June 2013.
12. "Dark cloud surrounds the return of Gor Mahia coach Logarusic - Goal.com". 19 June 2013.
13. LAWRENCE, - JOHN. "Female fans furious at Gor Mahia's head coach Zdravko Logarusic sacking".
14. Lawrence, John. "'Luogarusic' is Simba in Tanzania". Standard Digital News.
15. "Simba part ways with Head Coach Zdrako Logarusic - Goal.com". 10 August 2014.
16. "Tanzania: Simba - We Won't Pay Logarusic". 17 September 2014 – via AllAfrica.
17. "AFC Leopards appoints Logarusic as head coach - Goal.com". 13 February 2015.
18. "www.mediamaxnetwork.co.ke/people-daily/176314/logarusic-part-ways-with-afc-leopards/". mediamaxnetwork.co.ke. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
19. "OFFICIAL: Zdravko Logarusic Is New Asante Kotoko Head Coach - SportsObama.com". 10 January 2017.
20. "Ghanaian club pampers ex-Gor/Leopards coach Logarusic with brand new ride - Nairobi News". 16 February 2017.
21. "Official Website of Asante Kotoko Sporting Club". www.asantekotokosc.com.
22. "Coach Zdravko Logarusic's performance is splendid". www.ghanaweb.com. 3 March 2017.
23. "BREAKING: Zdravko Logarusic sacked by Kotoko - Starr Sports". starrsportsgh.com.
24. "Kotoko sack Zdravko Logarusic".
25. "Kotoko Management Are Liars – Zdravko Logarusic – SportsNetGhana.com". www.sportsnetghana.com.
26. "Sudan appoint Croatian Zdravko Logarusic as coach". 11 December 2017 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
27. "Eswatini and Sudan looking for new coaches". 2 December 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
28. "ZIFA names Croatian Zdravko Logarušić as new warriors coach". ZBC NEWS. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
29. "Zimbabwe: Warriors Qualify for Afcon Finals - allAfrica.com".
30. "BREAKING: Warriors Coach Logarusic Fired". NewZimbabwe.com. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
31. "تكليف الكرواتي زدرافكو لوغاروسيتش لقيادة الفريق الأول".