Blaà ¾ "Baka" Slià ¡kovià(; born 30 May 1959) is a Bosnian professional football manager and former player who played as a midfielder. Nicknamed the "Balkan Maradona", he was admired for his composure and flair on the ball.
Slià ¡koviàis most known for his time playing at hometown club Veleà ¾ Mostar, Hajduk Split, Marseille and Pescara. He was capped 26 times for Yugoslavia in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Regarded as one of the most successful Bosnian football managers, Slià ¡koviÃÂ's most memorable moments were narrowly missing out on qualifying Bosnia and Herzegovina for UEFA Euro 2004, as well as guiding Zrinjski Mostar to back-to-back Bosnian Premier League titles in 2017 and 2018.
During his playing days, Slià ¡koviàwas considered one of the most technically gifted players of his generation. In 1985, he was named the Yugoslav Footballer of the Year. He had the most success while playing for hometown club Veleà ¾ Mostar and Croatian club Hajduk Split. With Veleà ¾, Slià ¡koviàwon the 1980âÂÂ81 Yugoslav Cup and the 1980âÂÂ81 Balkans Cup, while with Hajduk he won the 1983âÂÂ84 Yugoslav Cup and was also part of the Hajduk team that made it all the way to the semi-finals of the 1983âÂÂ84 UEFA Cup.
Slià ¡koviàwas most famous while playing for French Ligue 1 club Marseille. After Marseille, Slià ¡koviàplayed in Italy with Pescara, before returning to France and playing for Lens, Mulhouse and Rennes. In 1992, he returned to Italy and came back to Pescara. In 1993, Slià ¡koviàleft Italy and joined Croatian club Hrvatski Dragovoljac, where he stayed until 1995. Finally, in 1996 he joined Bosnian club Zrinjski Mostar, where he eventually finished his career in 1997 at the age of 38.
In 2011, for the 100th anniversary of Hajduk Split, Slià ¡koviàwas chosen in the "Hajduk Split Best 11 of all-time".
Although most experts expected Slià ¡koviàto make a great international career, he was only capped 26 times for Yugoslavia. He scored three goals in the process. Slià ¡koviàwas prevented from playing in the 1982 FIFA World Cup due to an injury, sustained in the second half during a 1981âÂÂ82 Yugoslav First League match between OFK Beograd and Hajduk Split. He then lost his place in the UEFA Euro 1984 Yugoslav squad after, allegedly, a Yugoslav-printed newspaper journalist quoted Slià ¡koviàincorrectly after an interview after a friendly game between Yugoslavia and Switzerland (0âÂÂ2) and caused the national team head coach, Todor VeselinoviÃÂ, to drop him from the squad. His final international was a November 1986 European Championship qualification match away against England.
Slià ¡koviàbegan to play for the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team after the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. He played three unofficial friendly games for Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1993 as the captain in all three games.
Right after ending his playing career, Slià ¡koviàbecame the new manager of Hrvatski Dragovoljac in 1997. He managed Dragovoljac until 1998, after which he joined Zrinjski Mostar. In January 1999, Slià ¡koviàjoined Brotnjo and won the Herzeg-Bosnia Cup with the club in May of that same year.
In the winter of 2000, he left Brotnjo and became an assistant manager to Mià ¡o Smajloviàin the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team. Slià ¡koviàbecame the head coach of the national team in March 2002, after Smajloviàleft the team because of his contract expiring. Slià ¡koviàstayed as the head coach until 2006. In 2004, he won the award "Best Bosnia and Herzegovina Coach" by Dnevni avaz and the "Bosnia and Herzegovina Man of the Year" also in 2004. While Bosnia and Herzegovina head coach, on 24 August 2004, Slià ¡koviàreplaced Ivan Kataliniàand simultaneously became the new Hajduk Split manager. On 10 April 2005, he got sacked at Hajduk.
From 2005 until 2007, Slià ¡koviàonce again managed Zrinjski Mostar, making decent results. By the summer of 2008, he was appointed manager of Albanian Superliga club Tirana, but shortly after left the club in December of that year. In March 2010, Romanian club Unirea Alba Iulia hired Slià ¡koviàuntil the end of the season, replacing Adrian Falub. In April 2011, he again came back to Bosnia and Herzegovina taking the manager position at Bosnian Premier League club à  iroki Brijeg, reaching the fourth position in the 2010âÂÂ11 Bosnian Premier League season and qualifying for the 2011âÂÂ12 UEFA Europa League first qualifying round.
On 19 January 2012, Chinese Super League side Qingdao Jonoon announced that they signed a contract with Slià ¡koviàto replace South Korean manager Chang Woe-ryong. From April to June 2015, he once again managed à  iroki Brijeg.
In March 2017, Slià ¡koviàagain took the manager position at Zrinjski Mostar for the third time in his career, eventually leading the team to win the Bosnian Premier League in the 2016âÂÂ17 season. In the 2017âÂÂ18 season, he won his second league title in a row with Zrinjski. After winning two league trophies, Slià ¡koviàleft Zrinjski in June 2018. However, after the sacking of new manager Ante Mià ¡e, the club asked Slià ¡koviàto return, which he agreed to on 13 August 2018. After the end of the 2018âÂÂ19 Bosnian Premier League season, it was announced on 7 June 2019 that Slià ¡koviàdid not come to an agreement with the board of directors of Zrinjski on a contract extension and that he was leaving the club.
Shortly after leaving Zrinjski, on 3 July 2019, Slià ¡koviàbecame the new manager of Hong Kong Premier League club Kitchee, signing a two-year contract. On 23 March 2020, he stepped down and transitioned to a consultancy role with the club.
After Amar Osim got sacked as manager by Bosnian Premier League club à ½eljezniÃÂar on 11 April 2021 due to poor results, three days later, on 14 April, Slià ¡koviàwas named as its new manager. In his first game as manager, à ½eljezniÃÂar drew against Radnik Bijeljina on 18 April 2021. Slià ¡koviàoversaw his first loss as à ½eljezniÃÂar manager on 25 April 2021, in a league game against Olimpik. In his first ever Sarajevo derby, Slià ¡koviÃÂ's à ½eljezniÃÂar lost against FK Sarajevo away in a league match on 1 May 2021. Slià ¡koviàleft à ½eljezniÃÂar after his contract with the club expired in June 2021.
In July 2011, French football manager and former player, Zinedine Zidane, named Slià ¡koviàas one of his idols while growing up and included him in his "All Time Best 11" of Marseille. Additionally, Gianluigi Buffon, widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, also revealed Slià ¡koviàas his first idol during the latter's first stint at Pescara.
Slià ¡koviàwas born in Mostar, FPR Yugoslavia, present day Bosnia and Herzegovina, on 30 May 1959 to Bosnian Croat parents. He was married to Bosnian Serb handball player Svetlana KitiÃÂ. Slià ¡koviÃÂ's father Vladko played for Veleà ¾ Mostar for 15 years. Slià ¡koviÃÂ's son Vladimir is also a professional football manager.
Veleà ¾ Mostar
Hajduk Split
Yugoslavia U21
Yugoslavia
Individual
Brotnjo
à  iroki Brijeg
Zrinjski Mostar
Individual