Vedran Runje
Vedran Runje ( born February 10, 1976 in Sinj ) is a Croatian football goalkeeper who is currently without a club.
Career
Runje began his career in 1996 at Hajduk Split, but was unable to pick up the situation, a regular place as the Croatian national team goalkeeper Tonči Gabrić and the younger Stipe Pletikosa were preferred to him. He therefore left Hajduk Split and moved to Belgian club Standard Liege.
Until 2001, he played for Standard Liege. He was also twice " Goalkeeper of the year in the Belgian Jupiler League," and that in the years 1999 and 2001. Afterwards he moved to France to Marseille. There he was employed as a goalkeeper and first received a two and a half year contract. He contributed a large part to the fact that Marseille had qualified for the 2003/ 04 season for the Champions League. During the group stage, he played in 5 of 6 games. He was until December 2003 the first choice in Marseille until moved to Olympique Marseille in January Fabien Barthez. Since then, he made neither games in the league, still in a European competition.
In the summer of 2004 Runje returned to Standard Liege. During his second time at standard 2006, he received again the title of " Keeper of the year in the Belgian Jupiler League " awarded. In the summer of 2006 he moved to the Turkish top club Beşiktaş Istanbul. When he was Beşiktaş goalkeeper, where he made 32 games in the Süper Lig and, moreover, 6 games in the UEFA Cup.
In summer 2007, he left Beşiktaş Istanbul and moved back to France, but this time for RC Lens. Although he made all 38 games in Ligue 1 and 6 games in the UEFA Cup, but could not prevent the RC Lens relegation in 18th place in the Ligue 2 at the end of the season.
Despite the rumors that Runje RC Lens would leave in the event of a Down, he decided to stay at Lens. Finally, at the end of the season celebrated the resurgence in the Ligue 1 and contributed a significant part in ensuring that the RC Lens played only one year in Ligue 2.
National
As a national coach Slaven Bilic the Croatian national football team began its service, was Vedran Runje the second goalkeeper behind his former teammate Stipe Pletikosa. He made his first national team to qualify for the 2008 European Championship in November 2006 against Israel, which Croatia won 4-3. During his second international match in qualifying Croatia struck in September 2007, the National Team of Andorra 7-0. He played two friendly matches in the same year, namely against Bosnia- Herzegovina and Slovakia.
He was also nominated as a second goalkeeper for the 2008 European football championships in Austria and Switzerland through good games in goal. There he played the third and final group match of the Croats against Poland, which Croatia won 1-0. But Runje played only because Croatia had already qualified after they had defeated the teams of Austria and Germany. During the year 2008 he had otherwise only one international match performance in a friendly against Slovenia, where he came on after 45 minutes for Stipe Pletikosa.
In June 2009 he became first-choice goalkeeper after Stipe Pletikosa lost his place at his club Spartak Moscow. His first game as a goalkeeper he made in qualifying for the Football World Cup 2010 in the home match against Ukraine, which ended in a 2-2 draw. On September 5, 2009 at qualifier against Belarus, he showed several good saves and was named man of the match. A few days later, against England, he also showed some good saves, but could not prevent the crushing 5-1 defeat of the English. On the 5th goal of the English, he was involved after he did not clear a back pass properly and thereby Wayne Rooney was free in front of his goal.
Achievements
- Goalkeeper of the year in the Belgian Jupiler League: 1999, 2001, 2006
- Turkish Cup winners 2006/ 07
- Turkish Super Cup Winner 2006