Dušan Bajević

Bajević by the head in the game against Scotland (WM 1974)

Dušan Bajević ( born December 10, 1948 in Mostar ) is a Bosnian football coach and former football player from what is now Bosnia and Herzegovina (formerly SFR Yugoslavia). He is one of the most successful club coach in Greece and the Greek citizenship accepted.

Playing career

Dušan Bajević began his career at FK Velež Mostar. There he played for over ten years and was able to achieve 144 goals in 277 league games. For the 1969-70 season he shared the title of the Yugoslav scorer with Slobodan Santrač from OFK Belgrade in each 20 goals. He was first elected Footballer of the Year in Yugoslavia in 1972. He is still regarded as the most successful player who has ever played for Mostar. After this time, in 1977 he joined to Greece for AEK Athens, where he also played football very successful. Bajević became the absolute darling of the public and was able to win many titles with Athens. In addition to the two-time Greek Cup (1978 and 1979 ) and the Cup victory (1978 ), he was also with 25 goals scorer in the season 1979 /80. In the summer of 1981 he returned to Velež Mostar and let finish his career in the next two years there.

National

Dušan Bajević completed 1970-1977 37 games for Yugoslavia, scoring 29 goals. In 1972, Yugoslavia participated in the Taça Independencia. Bajević was 13-goal scorer of the tournament and his team came third. Amongst others he belonged to the Yugoslav squad for the World Cup 1974 in Germany.

Coaching career

After his football career at Velez Mostar, he took over the following year (1984 ) as coach of the team. Under his leadership, the club experienced successes, such as the Yugoslav National Cup (1986) and follow the equitable participation for the next season ( 1986-87 ) in the European Cup Winners' Cup, furthermore, the qualification for the UEFA Cup the following two seasons ( 1987-88, 1988 - 89) - in the history of mediocre provincial association this over 3 years consecutive international presence was a record performance.

In 1988 Dušan Bajević as coach at his former club AEK Athens. Quite surprisingly, the association was the same in the first season under his leadership the Greek champions. In the last championship of the club ten years before he was even still in the squad. This was followed by three additional championships (1992, 1993 and 1994 ), a Cup victory (1996 ), a League Cup victory (1990 ), and the Greek Super Cup (1996). In summer 1996 Bajević moved with his move to rivals Olympiakos Piraeus throughout the displeasure of AEK fans up. Under his leadership, Olympiakos in 1997, also after ten years of absence, again Greek masters. It was followed by two more championships in the following years as well as winning the cup in 1999.

Despite a little to be braked success team Dušan Bajević decided for a change to PAOK Thessaloniki. There, too, he managed once in the first season to win a title. In the cup final in 2001 suggested Bajević PAOK 's last club Olympiacos 4-2 and demonstrated excellent football. In 2002 he moved back to the dugout AEK Athens, where he caused mixed feelings among the spirited fans. But the majority still hated him for his move to rivals Olympiakos in 1996. During a league match against Iraklis Thessaloniki he left without notice or during the first half, the bank and resigned as manager of Athens. This was followed by another transfer to Olympiakos Piraeus, where he immediately took the double in 2005. Despite the good performances he was criticized by the fans who were unhappy with the play of the team and announced at Piraeus.

After almost a year off, he was 2006 coach of FK Red Star Belgrade in May. The fans had pinned high hopes because of his experience and success, but were bitterly disappointed by the international retirement in the Champions League qualifiers and then also in the UEFA Cup. In the league, however, the team worked until the winter break a lead of 14 points. However, the second half began with a dip in form and took his low point when the car was destroyed by Dušan Bajević in February 2007, because the team against arch-rivals Partizan Belgrade had lost the first time in 11 years. Just a few days later at the League against FK Vojvodina Novi Sad, Belgrade than 0:2 was already behind, he left in the 70th minute the bench and announced similar to Athens in 2004.

In September 2007, he moved back to Greece again and was manager of Aris Thessaloniki. During his tenure, the team in the 2007/ 08 season could defend his fourth place from the previous season and had to admit defeat in the Greek Cup until the final Bajević 's former team Olympiacos Piraeus. In November 2008, he was the third time coach of AEK Athens. At this time the club had already failed in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Cup in 2008/ 09 to Omonia Nicosia. Bajević could focus his team on the league and the cup. AEK Athens reached the fourth place in the Greek Super League and the final of the national cup. There, the team lost in a thrilling final game with 14:15 in the penalty shootout against Olympiakos Piraeus. The following season he reached with his team also fourth place in the trophy would retire in the fourth round against second division club Thrasyvoulos Fylis and in the UEFA Europa League 2009/10 failed to Athens as a bottom of Group I in the group stage. On August 7, 2010 Dušan Bajević was physically assaulted by fans of AEK Athens during impending 1-2 defeat in a friendly against the Kallithea FC. The game had to be stopped. One and a half months later Bajević resigned from his post and was replaced by Manuel Jiménez Jiménez.

In October 2010 he signed a contract with the Cypriot first division team and reigning champions Omonia Nicosia. After a 2-0 defeat in a direct duel against rivals APOEL Nicosia he was released in April 2011. After more than a year's break Bajević took over in June 2012 as coach at the Cup finalists Atromitos Athens and succeeds by Georgios Donis. On December 24, 2012, he resigned from his post. In August 2013 he was appointed by the new AEK Athens president Melissanidis football department head of the rebuilt this team and declared the end of his coaching career.

Achievements

As a player

• Scorer of the first Yugoslav Football League: 1970
• Scorer in the Taça Independencia: 1972
• Yugoslavia Footballer of the Year: 1972
• Greek Champion: 1978 and 1979
• Greek Cup winner: 1978
• Scorer in the Greek League: 1980

As coach

• Yugoslav Cup winner: 1986
• Greek champion: 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2005
• Greek Super Cup winners: 1989 and 1996
• Greek League Cup Winners: 1990
• Cup Winners of the Greek pre-middle SEA Games football tournament: 1991
• Greek Cup winner: 1996, 1999, 2001 and 2005