Nikica Jelavić
| File:Nikica Jelavic-Rangers 2.jpg | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nikica Jelavić | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Glasgow Rangers | ||
| Number | 18 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1999–2001 | GOŠK Gabela | ||
| 2001–2002 | Neretva | ||
| 2002–2005 | Hajduk Split | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2002–2007 | Hajduk Split | 34 | (8) |
| 2007–2008 | Zulte Waregem | 23 | (3) |
| 2008–2010 | Rapid Vienna | 70 | (25) |
| 2010– | Rangers | 2 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2006–07 | Croatia U21 | 9 | (2) |
| 2009– | Croatia | 8 | (2) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:07, 3 September 2010 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21:07, 3 September 2010 (UTC) | |||
Nikica Jelavić (born 27 August 1985) is a Croatian football player who currently plays for Scottish Premier League side Rangers. He plays in the Croatian national team as a striker.
Club career
Early career
Jelavić, who was born Čapljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, started his youth career at local side GOŠK Gabela, which plays in the Bosnian and Herzegovinian league system. His career took a more serious turn when he moved to the nearby cross-border club in Croatia, NK Neretva from the town of Metković, managed by Branko Gutić. At the encouragement of Ante Prco, Ivan Gudelj, Dražen Mužinić and Vilson Džoni he was brought to Hajduk Split's junior side at the age of 15.
He played his first match for Hajduk's senior side in the Prva HNL at the age of 17 and signed after two years in 2007 for S.V. Zulte Waregem.[2]
Rapid Vienna
For the season 2008-09 Jelavić played for the Austrian champions Rapid Vienna. In 2008-09, in the Austrian Bundesliga he played 24 games (as first squad in 9 and as substitute in 15) and scored 7 goals without any yellow or red cards. In 2009-10, in the Austrian Bundesliga he played in 33 games (as first squad in 31 and as substitute in 2) and scored 17 goals with 5 yellow cards and 1 red card. In 2009-10, in the UEFA Europa League, he played 6 games and scored 4 goals with 1 assist.
In the summer of 2010 Jelavić was linked with a transfer to Rangers. A fee was originally agreed between the two clubs on 26 July,[3] but the transfer was delayed by a dispute between the player and Rapid Vienna over a payment Jelavic claimed the club owed him.[4] On 19 August, Rapid announced that Jelavic would be signing for Rangers, after the player announced he would not play in Rapid's Europa League qualifying match against Aston Villa.[5][6]
Rangers
On 20 August 2010, it was announced that Jelavić had completed a £4m move to Rangers FC on a four-year-deal.[7] He made his debut in a home match against St. Johnstone on 28 August 2010.[8] Due to his former club Rapid Vienna eliminating Aston Villa from the Europa League, Jelavić is ineligible to participate in Rangers' Champions League campaign, after becoming cup tied after appearing for the Austrian side in the earlier rounds.[9] On 11 September 2010, Jelavić scored his first Rangers goal against Hamilton at New Douglas Park after he headed in a Kyle Lafferty cross. [10]
International career
He was formerly a member of the Croatian under-21 national team, earning eight international caps and scoring two goals.[11] In 2007, it was reported that Croatian national team coach Slaven Bilić had called up Jelavić for the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifiers, although he did not feature in any of the qualifying matches for the competition.[12]
Jelavić eventually made his full international debut in a friendly match against Qatar on 8 October 2009 in Rijeka, coming on as a substitute for Ivan Klasnić in the 64th minute. In the final moments of the match, he netted his first international goal to secure his team a 3-2 win. On 14 October 2009, he made his first competitive international appearance for Croatia, in the team's final 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan in Astana, again coming on as a substitute for Klasnić, in the 77th minute. Croatia won the match 2-1, but failed to reach the play-offs after finishing third in their group.
In 2010, he made three international appearances in friendly matches, scoring the equaliser in a 1-1 draw against Slovakia in Bratislava on 11 August.
International goals
- Scores and results list Croatia's goal tally first.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 8, 2009 | Stadion Kantrida, Rijeka |  Qatar |
3–2 | 3-2 | Friendly |
| 2 | August 11, 2010 | Štadión Pasienky, Bratislava |  Slovakia |
1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly |
Career statistics
- As of 28 August 2010
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Hajduk Split | 2002–03 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2003–04 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2004–05 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2005–06 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | |
| 2006–07 | 22 | 5 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 23 | 5 | |
| Total | 35 | 8 | 6 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 41 | 8 | |
| Zulte Waregem | 2007–08 | 23 | 3 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 25 | 3 |
| Total | 23 | 3 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 25 | 3 | |
| Rapid Vienna | 2008–09 | 34 | 7 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 2 | 0 | 38 | 7 |
| 2009–10 | 33 | 17 | 3 | 2 | - | - | 12 | 9 | 48 | 28 | |
| 2010–11 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 4 | 4 | 7 | 5 | |
| Total | 70 | 25 | 5 | 2 | - | - | 18 | 13 | 93 | 38 | |
| Rangers | 2010–11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Total | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |
| Career total | 130 | 37 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 13 | 161 | 52 | |
References
- ^ "16 Nikica Jelavic". SK Rapid Wien. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
- ^ "Zulte-Waregem attire un international Croate!" FOOTGOAL
- ^ "Follow the Jelavic road" STV Sport. 21 August 2010.
- ^ "Rangers fury over Rapid Vienna u-turn after agreeing £4m Nikica Jelavic deal" Daily Record. 17 August 2010.
- ^ "Rapid kick out Jelavic after ´shock´ statement" Croatian Times. 19 August 2010.
- ^ "Jelavic set for Gers move" Sky Sports. 19 August 2010.
- ^ "Rangers sign Rapid Vienna's Nikica Jelavic for £4m". BBC Sport. 20 August 2010.
- ^ "Rangers 2 - 1 St Johnstone". BBC Sport. 28 August 2010. Retrieved 28 August 2010.
- ^ "Rangers striker Nikica Jelavic to miss Champions League". BBC Sport. 26 August 2010. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
- ^ "Hamilton 1 - 2 Rangers". BBC Sport. 11 September 2010.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|acess date=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Jelavic-Transfer geplatzt" Sturm12.at
- ^ Nikica Jelavić at National-Football-Teams.com
External links
Nikica Jelavić at National-Football-Teams.com