Ljubomir Kokeza
Encyclopedia
Ljubomir "Ljubo" Kokeza was Croatia
n football player that played for both Hajduk Split and Yugoslavia in the 40s and 50s.
Ljubomir Kokeza was not only a talented player, but also a true fan of his club Hajduk Split, and always remained loyal to the club for which played for so many years. Born in Split
, Kokeza began to play football in his neighbourhood quarters and joined NK Split in 1935 where he stayed for two years. In the summer of 1937, he transferred to Hajduk Split, and played two seasons for the club's youth team.
From 1939 he began to play for the seniors and remained a regular until he retired in 1957. For a brief period during the 1942-1943 season Kokeza played for HAŠK Zagreb.
The right back played 625 matches for Hajduk Split scoring 8 goals, and had great success at his beloved Hajduk, the first coming in the 1940-1941 season when the club won the Croatian Championship, and qualified for the Yugoslavian National Championship for the first time in the club's history. He won a further Croatian Championship with the club in 1946, and followed it up with three Yugoslav league titles in 1950, 1952 and 1955.
Despite playing twice for Yugoslavia
, against Czechoslovakia
in 1946 and against Egypt in 1952, Kokeza did not have much luck at international level as his abilities deserved.
After retiring in 1957, he managed several club sides in the lower divisions, NK Dalmatinac Split, NK Split, NK Jadran Kaštel Sućurac and NK Solin
. While he spent several years coaching abroad in the 60s and 70s in Egypt, Iraq and Libya.
Having had a successful coaching spell in Egypt in the early to mid 60s, he became the Iraq national team
's first ever foreign coach in 1968. However after four defeats in four matches at the 1969 Jaam-e-Doosti Friendship Cup in Tehran, the coach was relieved of his duties, and spent the remainder of his contract with the Iraq Football Association
coaching the Iraqi military team.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n football player that played for both Hajduk Split and Yugoslavia in the 40s and 50s.
Ljubomir Kokeza was not only a talented player, but also a true fan of his club Hajduk Split, and always remained loyal to the club for which played for so many years. Born in Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
, Kokeza began to play football in his neighbourhood quarters and joined NK Split in 1935 where he stayed for two years. In the summer of 1937, he transferred to Hajduk Split, and played two seasons for the club's youth team.
From 1939 he began to play for the seniors and remained a regular until he retired in 1957. For a brief period during the 1942-1943 season Kokeza played for HAŠK Zagreb.
The right back played 625 matches for Hajduk Split scoring 8 goals, and had great success at his beloved Hajduk, the first coming in the 1940-1941 season when the club won the Croatian Championship, and qualified for the Yugoslavian National Championship for the first time in the club's history. He won a further Croatian Championship with the club in 1946, and followed it up with three Yugoslav league titles in 1950, 1952 and 1955.
Despite playing twice for Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
, against Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia national football team
The Czechoslovakia national football team was the national association football team of Czechoslovakia from 1922 to 1993. At the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the team was participating in UEFA qualifying Group 4 for the 1994 World Cup; it completed this campaign under the name...
in 1946 and against Egypt in 1952, Kokeza did not have much luck at international level as his abilities deserved.
After retiring in 1957, he managed several club sides in the lower divisions, NK Dalmatinac Split, NK Split, NK Jadran Kaštel Sućurac and NK Solin
NK Solin
NK Solin is a Croatian football club based in the town of Solin, near Split.-League and Cup results:-External links:* at Nogometni magazin...
. While he spent several years coaching abroad in the 60s and 70s in Egypt, Iraq and Libya.
Having had a successful coaching spell in Egypt in the early to mid 60s, he became the Iraq national team
Iraq national football team
The Iraqi national football team represents Iraq in international football and is controlled by the Iraq Football Association. They won the 2007 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup tournament.-The Golden Generation:...
's first ever foreign coach in 1968. However after four defeats in four matches at the 1969 Jaam-e-Doosti Friendship Cup in Tehran, the coach was relieved of his duties, and spent the remainder of his contract with the Iraq Football Association
Iraq Football Association
The Iraqi Football Association is the governing body of football in Iraq, controlling the Iraqi national team and the Iraq Super League. It was founded in 1948, and has been a member of FIFA since 1950 and the Asian Football Confederation since 1971....
coaching the Iraqi military team.