Robert KovaÄ
Robert Kovač 2007 jersey Borussia Dortmund
Robert Kovač [ rɔbɛrt kɔʋa ː tʃ ] ( born April 6, 1974 in Berlin ) is a former Croatian footballer and current coach.
Career
Clubs
Kovač grew up as the son of Croatian parents with brother Niko in Berlin and started the club football at SC Rapide Wedding. It was followed by seven years for Hertha Zehlendorf, 1988/89 in the B- youth, from 1992 to 1994 in the Oberliga West and in the following season in the relay center of the Northeast Regional.
For the season 1995/96 he received a license contract player at second division 1 FC Nuremberg, for which he in his first season 33 games completed and scored a goal. His first game he played here on 9 August 1995 (2nd Round ) a 0-0 draw at home against VfL Wolfsburg; his first goal he succeeded on 6 April 1996 ( 24th Round ) for temporary equalizer in the 1-2 home defeat against 1 FSV Mainz 05 in the relegation season of Nuremberg Kovač was one of the few prominent players, so in the summer he In 1996, Bayer 04 Leverkusen. There he came in his first Bundesliga season on 13 missions. In the following season 1997/98 he was a regular in the defense. Kovač played until 2001 for Bayer, but he scored his only Bundesliga goal in the penultimate season on March 4, 2000 ( 23 Matchday) the deficit to 3-1 win at the 1 FC Kaiserslautern.
From 2001 to 2005 he was active 94 times for Bayern Munich in the league game operation. In four seasons, he twice won the DFB Cup, twice German champion, won the League Cup and the Intercontinental Cup.
For the 2005/06 season Kovač joined free transfer to the Italian first division club Juventus, for whom he was used regularly, but with Fabio Cannavaro and Lilian Thuram had strong competition at his position in central defense. When the club in the summer of 2006 as a result of the manipulation the scandal forced relegation to Serie B and many players left the club to Kovač decided to stay and was under Didier Deschamps in the first round key players in defense. After the winter break, but was only used once due to a lengthy foot injury; yet he had his share of the direct re-emergence of Juventus.
For the season 2007/ 08 Kovač returned to the Bundesliga and signed with Borussia Dortmund. Due to the termination of the contract at Juventus no fee was payable. With Borussia Dortmund he reached on 19 April 2008, the final of the DFB-Pokal, which however has been lost 1:2 in extra time against Bayern Munich. On 29 January 2009 he moved to Dinamo Zagreb, where he was captain and defensive leader and at the end of the season won two titles.
On 2 June 2010 Kovač ended his active career.
National
For the Croatian national team, he played a long time at his brother's side and took over after he leaves the office of the team captain. Kovač played 84 matches and took part with Croatia at the World Championships in 2002 and 2006 and at the European Championships in 2004 and 2008 and played in these tournaments 11 of 13 matches.
Coaching career
In January 2013 he was introduced as a co- coach of the Croatian U -21 national team. As a head coach, his brother Niko was presented.
On October 16, 2013, was presented as an assistant coach of the senior national team. As a head coach, his brother Niko was presented.
Achievements
- World Cup Winners 2001 ( with Bayern Munich)
- German Champion 2003, 2005 ( with Bayern Munich)
- DFB Cup winner in 2003, 2005 ( with Bayern Munich)
- League Cup Winners 2004 ( FC Bayern München)
- Italian Champion 2006 * ( with Juventus )
- Italian Serie B Champion 2007 ( with Juventus )
- Croatian Champion 2009, 2010
- Croatian Cup Winner 2009
* Disallowed under the Italian football scandal in 2005/ 06
Private
He is in his second marriage born with Anica Kovač Martinovic, Miss Croatia 1995, married, and has three children with her.