Robert Rubcic, the new Croatian coach of Bangladesh national football team, will arrive on Wednesday to join his job. Rubcic will be the third foreign coach for the national side in two years since the present committee of the Bangladesh Football Federation took the helm in April, 2008.
Rubecic is the 14th foreign national coach after Warner Beckelhauft (Germany), Gerherd Schmit (Germany), Nasser Hejaji (Iran), Oldrich Swab (Switzerland), Man Young-kang ( South Korea), Otto Pfister (Germany), Samir Shakir (Iraq), Mark Harrison (England), George Kottan (Austria), Naeemuddin (India), Andres Cruciani (Argentina), Edson Silva Dido and Zoran Djordevic (Serbia).
The 47-year-old Croatian, who represented Yugoslavia youth team, will not only work with the national team, he will also work with the age-level teams to groom up the future stars. The BFF will pay him $50,000 per annum plus local transport and accommodation.
Rubcic started his playing career with FC Rijeka in 1982 and after spending two years at the Croatian club he signed for FC Jedinstvo Bihac of Bosnia-Herzegovina. He returned to his old club in 1995 and stayed there for the eleven years. He hung up his boots in 1996-97 when playing for NK Gorcia of Slovenia.
After finishing his playing days Rubcic earned an UEFA Pro Licence and started his coaching career in 2000. In the first four years he was the coach of NK Crikvenia, a third division team of Croatia. He joined his favourite club FC Rijeka as the sports director in 2005 and after successfully completing the job he took over the coaching responsibilities of club in 2008. He led Rajeka to third-place finish in the Croatia League and guided the club to the UEFA Cup in 2008.
Badal Roy, chairman of the National Team Management Committee, was hopeful about Rubcic’s success. ‘We have appointed Rubcic after a lot of scrutiny and think he will be able to revive the lost glory of our football, we will support him for the development of the game in the country,’ said Badal.
