Branko Culina
Encyclopedia
Branko Čulina (ˈtʃulina; born 1 October 1957 in Zadar
, Socialist Republic of Croatia
, FPR Yugoslavia) is a football (soccer)
coach and former player. He is currently without a club after being sacked by Newcastle Jets.
, Socialist Republic of Croatia
, FPR Yugoslavia and emigrated to Australia
with his mother in 1968, at the age of 10, settling in Melbourne
's Croatian community. His senior playing career began with St. Albans Saints where he captained the senior team at the age of 15. In 1974 he transferred to Essendon Croatia
, he had seven successful years at the club which included winning the Victorian State Championship in 1978 and the Victorian treble (State Champions, Dockerty Cup
and the State League Cup) in 1979.
In 1980 he joined sister club Sydney Croatia
before moving to National Soccer League
club Blacktown City Demons
. After a season at each he returned to Melbourne with St Albans Saints, where he remained until retiring 1988.
for the 1989 season before taking up a role at North Geelong
. In 1992, he returned to the NSL at Melbourne Knights
, although it was an unfortunate year.
Melbourne had finished first in the 1991-92 season (losing the Grand Final on penalties), but with Čulina they finished a disappointing 10th and he was sacked (ironically, the Knights again finished top and lost the grand final in 1993-94 after he left).
and a return to St Albans, Čulina returned to the NSL at Sydney United
for the 1994-95 season. His three seasons at United would be his most successful to date, winning the minor premiership and reaching the competition Grand Final in the 1996-97 season, as well as winning the Waratah Cup in 1995 and 1996. Overall he coached 133 games for Sydney United, with 62 wins, 32 draws, and 39 losses, including an Australian record of 8 consecutive victories.
During this time he was also coach to his teenage son Jason
who was breaking into the Sydney United first team. While some accusations of nepotism
floated around Branko has said he 'didn't have to do [Jason] any favours because he didn't need any', perhaps evidenced best by Jason's later success as a Socceroo.
After his successful 1996-97 season, he was signed with great promise to take over at Canberra Cosmos
. A frustrating 1997-98 season saw Cosmos finish bottom of the table (for the third consecutive year) and Čulina was sacked. He was able to retain a job in the NSL, moving to Sydney Olympic
. Over three seasons, he would become Olympic's longest serving coach, narrowly missing out on a finals place in his first year before pushing the team into the finals in both 1999-00 and 2000-01 NSL seasons.
In 2001, he returned to Sydney United, however the club was now less of a force in the national league. He spent the final three seasons of the competition with Sydney, the club finishing in the bottom half of the league each year. Following the demise of the NSL, Čulina had been working as Technical Director
for the state governing body Soccer NSW, which included a coaching role in 2005 for the NSW State Representative Team.
club Sydney FC
. Sydney had accepted the resignation of former coach Terry Butcher
at the close of a disappointing 2006-07 season
, and on 13 February 2007 appointed Čulina in an interim role, for initially six months, to guide the club in its first Asian Champions League
campaign. Culina then led Sydney FC to five wins in eight games, including a historic 2-1 away win against Shanghai Shenhua
- the first-ever victory recorded by an Australian club in the AFC Champions League. On 23 April 2007 he was confirmed as Sydney's permanent coach with a two-year contract.
Despite the initial success with his new club, Culina found the A-Leagues 2007-08 season
tough going. Highly inconsistent performance and an inability to win against teams both at the top and bottom end of the league table meant that Culina's Sydney found itself halfway through the competition in Round 9 with only two victories. Sydney FC's managing board grew increasingly frustrated with the poor football played by its team, and after a 0-1 loss at home to Adelaide United, Culina was dismissed from his position with the club.
During a Round 7 clash between Sydney FC vs Melbourne Victory, he made controversial remarks about referee Mark Shield
, claiming that: "If the police need to escort you, it's not a good sign." "Don't ask me about the referee, I can't afford the fine … however, if the referee needs to be escorted by police after the game, you make your own mind up whether he's had a good game or bad game."
. Despite initial poor results, Branko played an attractive brand of football.
The signing of Michael Bridges
helped turn around Newcastle's poor start to the 2009-10 season. Newcastle made it the finals series, losing to Wellington Phoenix. Branko was fined $3000, for using the word "shit
" in a post-match press conference. After the takeover of the club by Nathan Tinkler
, Culina signed with the club until 2015.
On 4th October, 2011 - just four days out from the season opener - was announced that Culina had been sacked as coach of the Newcastle Jets.
Dean Čulina and current Socceroo Jason Čulina
. Branko is a football analyst for SBS
and Fox Sports. UK media reports that Branko is speaking to clubs in the UK as an assistant coach in UK Second Division League.
:
Personal Honours
: NSL Championship: 1996-1997
With North Geelong Warriors
:
Personal Honours
Zadar
Zadar is a city in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. It is the centre of Zadar county and the wider northern Dalmatian region. Population of the city is 75,082 citizens...
, Socialist Republic of Croatia
Socialist Republic of Croatia
Socialist Republic of Croatia was a sovereign constituent country of the second Yugoslavia. It came to existence during World War II, becoming a socialist state after the war, and was also renamed four times in its existence . It was the second largest republic in Yugoslavia by territory and...
, FPR Yugoslavia) is a football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
coach and former player. He is currently without a club after being sacked by Newcastle Jets.
Club career
Čulina was born in ZadarZadar
Zadar is a city in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. It is the centre of Zadar county and the wider northern Dalmatian region. Population of the city is 75,082 citizens...
, Socialist Republic of Croatia
Socialist Republic of Croatia
Socialist Republic of Croatia was a sovereign constituent country of the second Yugoslavia. It came to existence during World War II, becoming a socialist state after the war, and was also renamed four times in its existence . It was the second largest republic in Yugoslavia by territory and...
, FPR Yugoslavia and emigrated to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
with his mother in 1968, at the age of 10, settling in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
's Croatian community. His senior playing career began with St. Albans Saints where he captained the senior team at the age of 15. In 1974 he transferred to Essendon Croatia
Melbourne Knights
Melbourne Knights Football Club is a football club representing Melbourne, Australia in the Victorian Premier League . The club is one of the most successful football clubs in Australia, being a two-time championship and four-time premiership winner in the now defunct National Soccer League...
, he had seven successful years at the club which included winning the Victorian State Championship in 1978 and the Victorian treble (State Champions, Dockerty Cup
Dockerty Cup
The Dockerty Cup is a football competition held between clubs in Victoria, Australia. It is named after Harry Dockerty, a former president of the Victorian Soccer Federation. It has been in recess since 1996, except for the year 2004...
and the State League Cup) in 1979.
In 1980 he joined sister club Sydney Croatia
Sydney United
Sydney United Football Club are an Australian football club from Sydney, Australia, established in 1957 by Croatian Australians in the area...
before moving to National Soccer League
National Soccer League
The National Soccer League is the former national association football competition in Australasia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004...
club Blacktown City Demons
Blacktown City Demons
Blacktown City FC, formerly The Demons, are an Australian football club based in Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia. The club was formed in 1953 as Toongabbie Soccer Club and changed their name to Blacktown City in 1979...
. After a season at each he returned to Melbourne with St Albans Saints, where he remained until retiring 1988.
Managerial career
After retiring as a player he stayed with St Albans as a coach in the Victorian Premier LeagueVictorian Premier League
The Victorian Premier League is the highest State level association football competition in Victoria, Australia, and second highest nationally after the A-League...
for the 1989 season before taking up a role at North Geelong
North Geelong Warriors
The North Geelong Warriors Football Club, , is a Croatian backed football club from the regional Victorian city of Geelong. The club continues to have strong links to and support from the city’s large Croatian community. The club is a regular participant in the Australian-Croatian Soccer...
. In 1992, he returned to the NSL at Melbourne Knights
Melbourne Knights
Melbourne Knights Football Club is a football club representing Melbourne, Australia in the Victorian Premier League . The club is one of the most successful football clubs in Australia, being a two-time championship and four-time premiership winner in the now defunct National Soccer League...
, although it was an unfortunate year.
Melbourne had finished first in the 1991-92 season (losing the Grand Final on penalties), but with Čulina they finished a disappointing 10th and he was sacked (ironically, the Knights again finished top and lost the grand final in 1993-94 after he left).
Sydney United
After a short stint at Fawkner BluesFawkner Blues
Fawkner Blues is an Australian association football club from Fawkner, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria. The club was formed in 1965 by local Italian Australians...
and a return to St Albans, Čulina returned to the NSL at Sydney United
Sydney United
Sydney United Football Club are an Australian football club from Sydney, Australia, established in 1957 by Croatian Australians in the area...
for the 1994-95 season. His three seasons at United would be his most successful to date, winning the minor premiership and reaching the competition Grand Final in the 1996-97 season, as well as winning the Waratah Cup in 1995 and 1996. Overall he coached 133 games for Sydney United, with 62 wins, 32 draws, and 39 losses, including an Australian record of 8 consecutive victories.
During this time he was also coach to his teenage son Jason
Jason Culina
Jason Culina is an Australian footballer who plays for the Australia national football team.- Club career :Culina started off with Sydney United under his father, Branko, before moving on to Ajax where he struggled in the reserves. Only after moving to FC Twente did Culina begin to shine at the...
who was breaking into the Sydney United first team. While some accusations of nepotism
Nepotism
Nepotism is favoritism granted to relatives regardless of merit. The word nepotism is from the Latin word nepos, nepotis , from which modern Romanian nepot and Italian nipote, "nephew" or "grandchild" are also descended....
floated around Branko has said he 'didn't have to do [Jason] any favours because he didn't need any', perhaps evidenced best by Jason's later success as a Socceroo.
After his successful 1996-97 season, he was signed with great promise to take over at Canberra Cosmos
Canberra Cosmos
Canberra Cosmos FC is a defunct Australian association football club based in Canberra in the ACT. It participated in the National Soccer League from the 1995/96 season until the end of the 2000/01 season, after which it folded, primarily due to financial difficulties...
. A frustrating 1997-98 season saw Cosmos finish bottom of the table (for the third consecutive year) and Čulina was sacked. He was able to retain a job in the NSL, moving to Sydney Olympic
Sydney Olympic FC
Sydney Olympic Football Club is an Australian football club that plays in the NSW Premier League. It competed in the National Soccer League from 1977 until the league's demise in 2004, having won the championship in 1989–90, 2001–02, the League Cup in 1980, the minor premiership in 2002–03 and the...
. Over three seasons, he would become Olympic's longest serving coach, narrowly missing out on a finals place in his first year before pushing the team into the finals in both 1999-00 and 2000-01 NSL seasons.
In 2001, he returned to Sydney United, however the club was now less of a force in the national league. He spent the final three seasons of the competition with Sydney, the club finishing in the bottom half of the league each year. Following the demise of the NSL, Čulina had been working as Technical Director
Technical director
The Technical Director or Technical Manager is usually a senior technical person within a software company, film studio, theatrical company or television studio...
for the state governing body Soccer NSW, which included a coaching role in 2005 for the NSW State Representative Team.
Sydney FC
In 2007 he returned to coaching at A-LeagueA-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
club Sydney FC
Sydney FC
Sydney FC is a professional football club based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and competes in the country's premier football competition, the A-League...
. Sydney had accepted the resignation of former coach Terry Butcher
Terry Butcher
Terence Ian "Terry" Butcher is an English football manager and former player. He was a highly successful football player and made his name as an uncompromising defender with Ipswich Town and Rangers in the 1980s. He was also a captain of England and won 77 caps in a ten-year international career...
at the close of a disappointing 2006-07 season
A-League 2006-07
The 2006–07 A-League season was the second season of the Australian football competition, the A-League. Football Federation Australia hoped to build on the success of the first season and on the interest generated by the Socceroos competing in the 2006 FIFA World Cup...
, and on 13 February 2007 appointed Čulina in an interim role, for initially six months, to guide the club in its first Asian Champions League
AFC Champions League 2007
The 2007 AFC Champions League was the 26th edition of the top-level Asian club football tournament and the 5th edition under the current AFC Champions League title....
campaign. Culina then led Sydney FC to five wins in eight games, including a historic 2-1 away win against Shanghai Shenhua
Shanghai Shenhua
Shanghai Shenhua is a professional Chinese football club currently playing in Chinese Super League. The club is currently owned by Zhu Jun , Shanghai SVA Group, SMEG and Huangpu Investment Ltd. . The current head coach is Dražen Besek...
- the first-ever victory recorded by an Australian club in the AFC Champions League. On 23 April 2007 he was confirmed as Sydney's permanent coach with a two-year contract.
Despite the initial success with his new club, Culina found the A-Leagues 2007-08 season
A-League 2007-08
The A-League 2007-08 season was the third season of the Australian A-League football competition, won by the Newcastle Jets. Football Federation Australia hoped to build on the success of the previous two seasons and on the interest generated by and playing in the 2007 AFC Champions League, and...
tough going. Highly inconsistent performance and an inability to win against teams both at the top and bottom end of the league table meant that Culina's Sydney found itself halfway through the competition in Round 9 with only two victories. Sydney FC's managing board grew increasingly frustrated with the poor football played by its team, and after a 0-1 loss at home to Adelaide United, Culina was dismissed from his position with the club.
During a Round 7 clash between Sydney FC vs Melbourne Victory, he made controversial remarks about referee Mark Shield
Mark Shield
Mark Shield is a former Australian Football referee. He most recently refereed in Australia's A-League. He first played soccer for the Innisfail Tigers at the age of six. Not showing much promise as a player, he began refereeing at age 12, and by 16 was officiating adult matches in Townsville...
, claiming that: "If the police need to escort you, it's not a good sign." "Don't ask me about the referee, I can't afford the fine … however, if the referee needs to be escorted by police after the game, you make your own mind up whether he's had a good game or bad game."
Newcastle United Jets
Culina was named as the manager of Newcastle United Jets FC from the start of the A-League 2009-10 season and given a two year contract. He was previously working for the Jets as the Technical DirectorTechnical director
The Technical Director or Technical Manager is usually a senior technical person within a software company, film studio, theatrical company or television studio...
. Despite initial poor results, Branko played an attractive brand of football.
The signing of Michael Bridges
Michael Bridges
Michael Bridges is an English football striker who currently plays for A-League club, Newcastle Jets. Bridge has previously played over 200 Premier League games.-Sunderland:...
helped turn around Newcastle's poor start to the 2009-10 season. Newcastle made it the finals series, losing to Wellington Phoenix. Branko was fined $3000, for using the word "shit
Shit
Shit is usually considered vulgar and profane in Modern English. As a noun it refers to fecal matter and as a verb it means to defecate or defecate in; in the plural it means diarrhea...
" in a post-match press conference. After the takeover of the club by Nathan Tinkler
Nathan Tinkler
Nathan Tinkler is a mining magnate and businessman from the Hunter Region, New South Wales, Australia.-Biography:Tinkler was an electrician in a coal mine before starting his own business. His big break came in 2006 when he borrowed $500,000 to buy a mine. He sold his company to Macarthur Coal...
, Culina signed with the club until 2015.
On 4th October, 2011 - just four days out from the season opener - was announced that Culina had been sacked as coach of the Newcastle Jets.
Personal life
Branko and his wife Nada have two sons, former OlyrooAustralia national under-23 football team
The Australia Olympic football team, more commonly known as the Olyroos, is controlled by Football Federation Australia and represents Australia at association football in the Olympic Games...
Dean Čulina and current Socceroo Jason Čulina
Jason Culina
Jason Culina is an Australian footballer who plays for the Australia national football team.- Club career :Culina started off with Sydney United under his father, Branko, before moving on to Ajax where he struggled in the reserves. Only after moving to FC Twente did Culina begin to shine at the...
. Branko is a football analyst for SBS
The World Game
The World Game is a Monday night television show on SBS in Australia dedicated to association football. It is currently hosted by David Basheer, former Socceroo Craig Foster, and Les Murray, the show analytically reviews and previews soccer and soccer issues from around the globe, albeit with an...
and Fox Sports. UK media reports that Branko is speaking to clubs in the UK as an assistant coach in UK Second Division League.
Player
With Melbourne KnightsMelbourne Knights
Melbourne Knights Football Club is a football club representing Melbourne, Australia in the Victorian Premier League . The club is one of the most successful football clubs in Australia, being a two-time championship and four-time premiership winner in the now defunct National Soccer League...
:
- Victorian State ChampionshipVictorian Premier LeagueThe Victorian Premier League is the highest State level association football competition in Victoria, Australia, and second highest nationally after the A-League...
: 1978, 1979 - Victorian State League Cup: 1979
- Dockerty CupDockerty CupThe Dockerty Cup is a football competition held between clubs in Victoria, Australia. It is named after Harry Dockerty, a former president of the Victorian Soccer Federation. It has been in recess since 1996, except for the year 2004...
: 1979
Personal Honours
- Victorian Premier LeagueVictorian Premier LeagueThe Victorian Premier League is the highest State level association football competition in Victoria, Australia, and second highest nationally after the A-League...
Player of the Year: 1985 with St Albans Saints
Manager
With Sydney UnitedSydney United
Sydney United Football Club are an Australian football club from Sydney, Australia, established in 1957 by Croatian Australians in the area...
: NSL Championship: 1996-1997
- Waratah Cup: 1995, 1996
With North Geelong Warriors
North Geelong Warriors
The North Geelong Warriors Football Club, , is a Croatian backed football club from the regional Victorian city of Geelong. The club continues to have strong links to and support from the city’s large Croatian community. The club is a regular participant in the Australian-Croatian Soccer...
:
- Victorian Division 1Victorian State League Division 1The Victorian State League Division 1 is the second tier association football competition in Victoria, Australia, and the third nationally, including the A-League...
: 1991 - Victorian Premier LeagueVictorian Premier LeagueThe Victorian Premier League is the highest State level association football competition in Victoria, Australia, and second highest nationally after the A-League...
: 1992
Personal Honours
- NSLNational Soccer LeagueThe National Soccer League is the former national association football competition in Australasia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004...
Coach of the Year: 1996-1997 with Sydney UnitedSydney UnitedSydney United Football Club are an Australian football club from Sydney, Australia, established in 1957 by Croatian Australians in the area...