Željko Babić (handballer)

Željko Babić (born 19 May 1972) is a Croatian retired handball player and current coach of Olympiacos.

Željko Babić
Personal information
Born	(1972-05-19) 19 May 1972 (age 51) Metković, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia
Nationality	Croatian
Playing position	Right wing
Club information
Current club	Olympiacos (manager)
Youth career
Years	Team
1982–1988	RK PIK Neretva Opuzen
1988–1989	Badel 1862 Zagreb
Senior clubs
Years	Team
1988–1994	Badel 1862 Zagreb
1994–1998	RK Metković Razvitak
1998–2001	ALPI Pallamano Prato
2001–2003	RK Metković Jambo
2003–2004	Gammadue Secchia
2004–2005	A.S. Pallamano Secchia
2005–2006	RK Jelsa
Teams managed
2007–2008	RA Balić-Metličić
2008–2009	RK Metković
2009	RK Krško
2009–2011	RK EMC Split
2010–2013	Croatia (assistant)
2013–2015	HC Meshkov Brest
2015–2017	Croatia
2017–2018	RK Gorenje Velenje
2020–2022	RK Eurofarm Pelister
2022–2023	RK Podravka Koprivnica
2024–	Olympiacos
Medal record Head Coach for  Croatia 2016 Poland

Playing career

Babić had played for the following clubs: RK PIK Neretva Opuzen, Badel 1862 Zagreb, Razvitak Metković, Secchia and Pallamano Prato, and RK Jelsa. He retired from playing professional handball in 2006.

Coaching career

Babić worked as an assistant coach under the coaching staff of Slavko Goluža in the Croatian national team, winning bronze medals at the 2012 European Championship, 2012 Summer Olympics and at the 2013 World Championship, and the silver medal at the 2013 Mediterranean Games.

On 27 February 2015, he was appointed as the head coach of the Croatian national team, leading the team at the 2016 European Championship, 2016 Summer Olympics and at the 2017 World Championship.^[1] On 30 January 2017, it was reported that Babić was sacked as the head coach of the national team of Croatia due to a poor run of results and finishing fourth in the World Championship finals held in January in France.

Following the 2017–18 season, Babić was named the head coach of Slovenian club RK Gorenje Velenje. He parted ways with the club in May 2018.

On 9 January 2020, he was appointed as the head coach of RK Eurofarm Pelister in North Macedonia.^[2]

Personal life

Babić was born in Metković in the family of mother Nedjeljka and father Ante Babić. He has brother Ivica who is a priest, and a sister. He married his wife Katarina Vukoja, with whom he has three children: twins Greta and Ivan, and a daughter Anđa.^[3]

Honours

Player

Badel 1862 Zagreb

• Croatian First League: 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94
• Croatian Cup: 1992, 1993, 1994
• Yugoslav First League: 1988–89, 1990–91
• Yugoslav Cup: 1991
• European Champions Cup: 1991–92, 1992–93
• European Super Cup: 1993

RK Metković

• Croatian Cup: 2002

Pallamano Prato

• Serie A: 1998–99

Head coach

Meshkov Brest

• Belarusian First League: 2013–14, 2014–15
• Belarusian Cup: 2014, 2015
• SEHA League runner-up: 2013–14, 2014–15

Croatia

• European Championship third place: 2016

Macedonia

• Macedonian Super Cup First Place: 2021-22

References

1. "Men's EHF Euro 2016 Poland. Croatia". European Handball Federation. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
2. "Željko Babić novi trener Eurofarma". www.balkan-handball.com. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
3. Radoš, Ivica (7 February 2016). "Kao dječak bježao je kroz prozor na treninge, a na zalasku karijere prodavao je automobile". Večernji list (in Croatian). Retrieved 19 December 2020.

External links

• Željko Babić at Olympedia