Matjaž Kek

Matjaž Kek ( born September 9, 1961 in Maribor) is a Slovenian football coach and former football player. From 2007 to 2011 he was the coach of the Slovenian national football team.

Playing career

Kek began his professional career in 1979 as a midfielder in the native NK Maribor in the former Yugoslav league. In 1984 the change in the second Austrian power level for SV Spittal and on the Libero position. Before the spring season 1989, he was obliged by the first division side Grazer AK. With the Athletikern came 1990, the descent into the second division, Kek nevertheless remained until 1994 in Graz and became the " bellwether " of a young and ambitious team. Then we went for him back to NK Maribor, by this time in the independent Slovenian League a fixed size. From 1995 to 1999, he won three championships with the " Violet ". Kek was known for his hard and accurate shot and its clear style of play.

Coaching career

After retiring as a player he was once an assistant coach at his hometown club before in 2000 he was promoted to head coach. Under his leadership, the NK Maribor won the Slovenian Cup in 2001 and 2003. Later he began as a youth coach for various youth teams at the Slovenian Football Association to work. On January 3, 2007 Matjaž Kek has been appointed as the new head coach of the Slovenian national team.

After the failure of Slovenia in qualifying for the 2012 European Football Championship, Kek was 24 October 2011 his immediate resignation as coach Slovenian National team known; his successor was Slaviša Stojanovič. Since February 2013 he trained the Croatian first division club HNK Rijeka.

Achievements

• Slovenian Champion 1997, 1998 and 1999

• Slovenian Champion 2001 and 2003