Robert Špehar

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Robert Špehar
Personal information
Date of birth (1970-05-13) 13 May 1970 (age 53)
Place of birth Osijek, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
1981–1983 Osijek
1983–1985 Olimpija Osijek
1985–1988 Osijek
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1988–1992 Osijek 54 (14)
1992–1994 NK Zagreb 46 (27)
1994–1995 Osijek 26 (23)
1995–1997 Club Brugge 50 (39)
1997–1999 AS Monaco 27 (6)
1999–2000
Verona
 3 (0)
2000–2001
Sporting CP
 11 (5)
2001–2002 Galatasaray 1 (0)
2002 Standard Liège 10 (3)
2002–2004 Osijek 39 (23)
2004–2005 Omonia 7 (3)
Total 274 (143)
International career
1992–1996 Croatia 8 (0)
Managerial career
2013–2014 NK Višnjevac
2017-2018 Marsonia
2022 Marsonia
Medal record
Representing  Croatia
Hassan II Trophy
Winner 1996 King Hassan II International Cup Tournament Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Robert Špehar (born 13 May 1970) is a Croatian

Treća HNL
division East.

Club career

Monaco

Špehar was born in

strikers, Henry and Trezeguet, who were 19 years old and a few years older Victor Ikpeba, so they completed transfer of Belgian side Club Brugge top scorer Robert Špehar together with another striker from Division 1 club FC Nantes, Chadian Japhet N'Doram who came to Monaco as first division top scorer runner-up the season before. Špehar was very honored to be at the club, sharing a dressing room with such a class of teammates. A 1996–97 French Division 1 titleholder at the time, Monaco, went on with their successful spell and won the 1997 Trophée des Champions, played in the semi-finals of the 1997–98 UEFA Champions League with Špehar scoring a goal against Juventus, finishing third in 1997–98 Division 1 season qualifying so for 1998–99 UEFA Cup competition. Following the 1998–99 season, Špehar and Monaco achieved similar result in domestic league ending up in fourth place at the end qualifying again once more for an upcoming 1999–2000 UEFA Cup season.[2]

The greatest moment in Špehar career happened in the semi-final second leg of the

Stadio delle Alpi, Turin, Italy.[5]

International career

Špehar made his debut for

Australia, coming on as a 78th-minute substitute for Goran Vučević, and earned a total of eight caps, scoring no goals. Most of them in friendlies.[6] His final international was a December 1996 King Hassan II Tournament match against the Czech Republic.[7]

Managerial career

NK Osijek – presidency

Inauguration

On 25 August 2010 in

Gradski vrt venue. This time as a president of Osijek football club. The club assemblies confirmed decision a few days later. With Špehar as president, club confirmed Gordan Matković, a former mayor of city of Osijek from HSP party as the new general director.[8]

His last episode at club was successful as he was, for a second time, top goalscorer of

Prva HNL, in 2003–04 season, six years ago. Since then, NK Osijek fell in financial and administrative problems followed by poor sports results in years to come. At the expense of his fearless will to help NK Osijek he left a comfortable life and a lucrative management job accepting the offered position of presidency from the club. From day one of his professional football career retirement, Špehar placed himself at the club's disposal and it was an opportunity given after five years of waiting. At first, his name was mentioned in the context of the sports director, but after the repeated refusal of presidency from local city businessmen and sponsors, this difficult assignment was eventually offered to Špehar. The job of sports director would be a natural follow-up for a successful former football
player such as Špehar, but with no one willing to accept the presidency Špehar felt the obligation and duty to respond to appeal call from the club. As a politically neutral person with no ties to political parties, Špehar was seen as someone capable to attract new people, new ideas and new investments of those who have been avoiding the club so far.

His plan of presidency was focused on three main issues. First, the rise in home attendance, increasing the numbers of club supporters and spectators at home ground played matches. Second, achieve sports results needed for European competition qualification at the end of

Prva HNL season. Third, to compete equally alongside Dinamo and Hajduk as a club of great tradition as NK Osijek deserves. First move Špehar made as a president of NK Osijek was a call addressed to all club legends and former football players including Davor Šuker, Nenad Bjelica and Marko Babić for a help in administering the club. He announced his office and club wide open to anybody of good will and love for the club, especially to current and former sports and working community of NK Osijek. He was determined to change the ingrained way of football club presidency in Croatia with an every day active role in the club throughout daily conversation with both football players and football coaches while taking care of sports management section as well. Špehar was endured by promise from both city of Osijek and club sponsors in desire to carry on with support towards the Osijek football club.[9]

The official handover ceremony of presidential office to Robert Špehar took place on 29 August 2010. With Robert Špehar as president and Gordan Matković as general director, for a position of sport director Goran Popović was named, another

Gradski vrt
publicly pointing out that there is no place for politics in the club, stating his role to be only as one of a sportsman and athlete with no interest of politics.

Gathering money funds for the club proper functioning was not a simple assignment, but Špehar did not allow himself to be discouraged by knocking on every door in the city asking for help from anyone who likes Osijek. The club financial situation at the moment of takeover was briefly consolidated due to previous Domagoj Vida transfer to Bayer Leverkusen worth HRK17,000,000. All annual active debts to players, coaches, working community and suppliers were settled with some money left for basic club maintenance. However, like his predecessors, Špehar inherited a formidable burden, a debt of as much as HRK97,000,000 that has been dragging since club bank account blockade in 1996.[10]

Dino Špehar case

As a president, in October 2010 Špehar signed a professional contract with his son, a 16.5-year-old

striker, he was soon transferred to NK Osijek
first team.

Špehar as president with the function of sport director was responsible for managing the football squad players. In his line of work, he was the one who proposed and signed the contracts with potential new players or renewing the old ones, but in this case, as he was a players father, he made an exception allowing

Gradski vrt under which Dino will play, so Špehar decided to guide his son through physical and psychical progress by individually working with him at private training sessions advancing so in Dino's football and field skills to prepare him for upcoming challenges. After all, when Robert was starting his career at NK Osijek, he found himself in similar situation, due to be on account of his father, a former NK Osijek
goalkeeper at the time being.

Špehar smoothly turned down the official

Gradski vrt stadium. However, Špehar did allowed package transfer deal of two brothers, 17-year-old Hrvoje and 19-year-old Ivan Plum worth €230,000. Dinamo's Zdravko Mamić offer for Plum brothers was considered more than correct as younger Plum was running out of contract in the summer 2011. It was a sign of a good gesture for future good relations between the two clubs, especially with a financial problems NK Osijek was struggling, were every income was a crucial one.[11]

Late CFF candidacy

In February 2011 after the tangle and mess up with Croatian Football Federation presidential election 41-year-old Špehar proclaimed his will in new elections partaking as potential new candidate for an office of CFF president. Špehar placed his candidacy assuming that presidential elections are resumed and that unverified elected president Vlatko Marković is no longer a candidate. It was no secret that Špehar initially gave his vote to Vlatko Marković at the elections as someone who was already managing CFF well. At that point Marković by Špehar own opinion was a legally elected president of CFF. At first, Špehar was not pleased with his candidacy openly reaching public as it was spoken in private company of his friends. However, Špehar felt comfortable enough to lead CFF due to his achievements and lifetime spent in football which enriched his football knowledge. One of requirements for becoming a candidate was to be submitted by just one (out of 21) football county committees, thus showing support from all its corresponding football clubs and its working community. Špehar was counting on support from its local, Osijek-Baranja county and city of Osijek football community submitting vote. Unfortunately for Špehar, another well-known and already pre-arranged candidate for CFF presidential office, Davor Šuker, who was backed up by Croatian most powerful element in football, Dinamo's Zdravko Mamić and by 75-year-old Vlatko Marković own made promise of promotion by the end of year given to Šuker who was also Osijek born footballer and NK Osijek football legend Špehar was from the beginning in a difficult situation.[12]

Coaching beginnings

After

Prva HNL clubs.[2]

Špehar was dismissed by Marsonia in September 2022[13] after being appointed in January that year.[14] He had left Marsonia in September 2018 for the first time[15] after taking the helm in October 2017.[16]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League
Division Apps Goals
Osijek 1988–89 Yugoslav First League 2 0
1989–90 Yugoslav First League 8 0
1990–91 Yugoslav First League 14 1
1992
Prva HNL
 19 9
1992–93 Prva HNL 11 4
Total 54 14
NK Zagreb 1992–93 Prva HNL 14 9
1993–94 Prva HNL 32 18
Total 46 27
Osijek 1994–95 Prva HNL 26 23
Club Brugge 1995–96[17]
Belgian First Division
 22 12
1996–97[17] Belgian First Division 27 26
1997–98[17] Belgian First Division 1 3
Total 50 39
Monaco 1997–98[17] Ligue 1 13 3
1998–99[17] Ligue 1 14 3
Total 27 6
Verona
 1999–2000[17] Serie A 3 0
Sporting CP
 2000–01[17] Primeira Liga 9 5
2001–02[17] Primeira Liga 2 0
Total 11 5
Galatasaray 2001–02[17] Süper Lig 1 0
Standard Liège 2001–02[17] Belgian First Division 10 3
Osijek 2002–03[17] Prva HNL 12 5
2003–04[17] Prva HNL 27 18
Total 39 23
Omonia Nicosia 2004–05 Cypriot First Division 7 3
Career total 274 143

Honours

  • Belgian First Division
    : 1
1995–96
1996
2005

Individual

  • Prva HNL
    top scorer: 2
1994–95, 2003–04
  • top scorer
    : 1
1996–97
1995

References

  1. ^ a b Gradimir Đukarić (6 October 2010). "Neka Bayern doda jednu nulu!" [Bayern should add another zero!] (in Croatian). Večernji list. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  2. ^ a b Gradimir Đukarić (26 December 2014). "Robert Špehar o Henryju" [Robert Špehar referring on Henry] (in Croatian). Večernji list. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  3. ^ a b "UEFA Champions League 1997/98 Semi-finals, Second leg, Monaco – Juventus". UEFA. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  4. ^ "UEFA Champions League 1997/98 Semi-finals, First leg, Juventus – Monaco". UEFA. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  5. ^ Dubravko Miličić (3 May 2017). "Zabio sam za Monaco Juveu baš u polufinalu LP-a" [I scored for Monaco against Juve in semi-finals of Champions League] (in Croatian). 24 sata. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  6. ^ "Hrvatski nogometni savez – Statistika" [Croatian Football Federation – Statistics] (in Croatian). Croatian Football Federation. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  7. ^ "Player Database". EU-football. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  8. ^ Gradimir Đukarić (25 August 2010). "Robert Špehar bit će novi predsjednik Osijeka" [Robert Špehar will be the new president of Osijek] (in Croatian). Večernji list. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  9. ^ Gradimir Đukarić (27 August 2010). "Pozvat ću u klub legende, pa i Davora Šukera" [I'll invite the club legends, including Davor Šuker] (in Croatian). Večernji list. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  10. ^ Gradimir Đukarić (29 August 2010). "Špehar i službeno predsjednik Osijeka" [Špehar is officially a president of Osijek] (in Croatian). Večernji list. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  11. ^ Gradimir Đukarić (29 January 2011). "Mamić za Špehara nudio milijun eura" [Mamić offered one million euros for Špehar] (in Croatian). Večernji list. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  12. ^ Tomislav Dasović (25 February 2011). "Kandidirat ću se za predsjednika HNS-a" [I'll run for CFF president] (in Croatian). Večernji list. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
  13. ^ Smjena u Brodu: Robert Špehar više nije trener Marsonije - Sportalo (in Croatian)
  14. ^ Robert Špehar novi je stari trener Marsonije! - 035Portal (in Croatian)
  15. ^ Robert Špehar više nije trener Marsonije: Oprostio se otvorenim pismom - Radio Slavonija (in Croatian)
  16. ^ Legenda Osijeka, Bruggea i Monaca Robert Špehar preuzeo Marsoniju - 035Portal (in Croatian)
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Robert Špehar » Club matches". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 3 November 2022.

External links

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