View source for Ratomir Dujković

{{short description|Serbian footballer and manager}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=April 2015}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Ratomir Dujković<br/><small>Ратомир Дујковић</small>
| image = 
| fullname = Ratomir Dujković
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1946|2|24|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Borovo, Croatia|Borovo]], [[Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia|FPR Yugoslavia]]
| currentclub = 
| position = [[Goalkeeper (association football)|Goalkeeper]]
| youthyears1 = 
| youthyears2 = {{0|0000}}–1962
| youthyears3 = 1962–1964
| youthclubs1 = [[NK Borovo|Borovo]]
| youthclubs2 = [[NK Osijek|Osijek]]
| youthclubs3 = [[Red Star Belgrade]]
| years1 = 1964–1974
| years2 = 1974–1977
| years3 = 1977–1980
| years4 = 1980–1983
| clubs1 = [[Red Star Belgrade]]
| clubs2 = [[Real Oviedo]]
| clubs3 = [[NK Osijek|Osijek]]
| clubs4 = [[FK Zemun|Galenika Zemun]]
| caps1 = 201
| caps2 = 100
| caps3 = 84
| caps4 = 62
| goals1 = 0
| goals2 = 0
| goals3 = 0
| goals4 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 1971
| nationalteam1 = [[Yugoslavia national football team|SFR Yugoslavia]]
| nationalcaps1 = 4
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| manageryears1 = 1984–1985
| manageryears2 = 1987–1992
| manageryears3 = 1992–1995
| manageryears4 = 1996–1997
| manageryears5 = 1997–1998
| manageryears6 = 1998–1999
| manageryears7 = 2001
| manageryears8 = 2001–2004
| manageryears9 = 2004–2006
| manageryears10 = 2006–2008
| manageryears11 = 2009–2010
| manageryears12 = 2010
| managerclubs1 = [[FK Zemun|Galenika Zemun]]
| managerclubs2 = [[Red Star Belgrade]] (goalkeeping coach)
| managerclubs3 = [[Venezuela national football team|Venezuela]]
| managerclubs4 = [[Myanmar national football team|Myanmar]]
| managerclubs5 = [[Atlético Zulia]]
| managerclubs6 = [[Unión Local Andina F.C.|Universidad de Los Andes]]
| managerclubs7 = [[Estudiantes de Mérida Fútbol Club|Estudiantes de Mérida]]
| managerclubs8 = [[Rwanda national football team|Rwanda]]
| managerclubs9 = [[Ghana national football team|Ghana]]
| managerclubs10 = [[China national under-23 football team|China U23]]
| managerclubs11 = [[Serbia national under-21 football team|Serbia U21]]
| managerclubs12 = [[Syria national football team|Syria]]
| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's [[Association football|Football]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{YUG}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[UEFA European Championship|European Championship]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[UEFA Euro 1968|1968 Italy]]|Team}}
}}

'''Ratomir Dujković''' ([[Serbian Cyrillic]]: Ратомир Дујковић; born 24 February 1946) is a [[Serbia]]n [[Football (soccer)|football]] manager and a former player.

==Playing career==
Born and raised in [[Borovo Naselje]] to an [[Serbia|ethnic Serb]] family, Dujković attended [[Ivan Goran Kovačić]] primary school, where he was initially active as a [[team handball|handball]] goalkeeper. He was spotted there by Josip Kezdi, at that point an ex-goalkeeper for NK Borovo, who suggested he try football. He took his advice and soon became a [[Goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeeper]] in NK Borovo, before earning a move to [[NK Osijek]]. On 29 November 1962, NK Osijek juniors took part in the Yugoslav Republic Day tournament in [[Belgrade]] where 16-year-old Dujković impressed so much that powerhouse [[Red Star Belgrade]] immediately offered a move to their youth system. He accepted right away and only went home to pick up personal belongings.

At Red Star he became part of a new batch of up-and-coming players along with [[Jovan Aćimović]], [[Stanislav Karasi]], [[Dragan Džajić]], [[Trifke Mihajlović]] under coach [[Miljan Miljanić]]. Dujković made his first team debut on 4 June 1964 in a last week tie of the 1963/64 season versus [[OFK Beograd]]. While at Red Star he played in the [[European Cup 1970-71|1971]] [[UEFA Champions League|European Champions Cup]] semi-final and earned four appearances in [[Yugoslavia national football team]]. In 1974, Dujković moved to [[Real Oviedo]], spending three seasons with the Spanish outfit. He returned to [[Yugoslav First League]] in 1977, joining newly promoted [[NK Osijek]] and staying with the club for three seasons. Following the conclusion to 1979/80 campaign, at the end of which NK Osijek got relegated, Dujković made the switch to [[Galenika Zemun]], another second league side, and helped it gain promotion in 1981/82 season. He would not play top flight football again, though, as he promptly retired in the summer of 1982.

==Managing career==
Dujković's foray into coaching started with the same club he ended his playing days in: Galenika. He was part of their coaching staff during 1982/83 season, which the team finished dead last and got relegated again.{{citation needed|date=April 2015}}

===Galenika===
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=April 2015}}
Dujković's first head coaching job came in 1983 at [[FK Zemun|Galenika Zemun]]. He led the team to some respectable results in Yugoslav Second League for a couple of seasons, but never gained promotion. In 1987, he accepted an offer from [[Red Star Belgrade]] to become the goalkeepers' coach on their staff. For the next 5 years Dujković worked under various head coaches, with the exception of one season that he spent assisting [[Gojko Zec]] in [[United Arab Emirates]]. Dujković was on the Red Star coaching staff when the team won the [[UEFA Champions League|European Cup]] in 1991.

===Venezuela===
Dujković would wait until 1992 for his next head coaching job. He was recommended to the Venezuelan Football Federation by [[Vladica Popović]] and [[Dušan Marović]] both of whom had playing stints in the country. That, coupled with his knowledge of [[Spanish language|Spanish]] made Dujković the head coach of [[Venezuela national football team]] where he spent three years. Taking over the team of modest expectations, his biggest claims to success might be that under his guidance Venezuela avoided last place in [[Copa América]] for the first time in a very long period or that they jumped 29 places on [[FIFA World Rankings|the FIFA list]].{{citation needed|date=April 2015}}

===Myanmar and a return to Venezuela===
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=April 2015}}
Next came the head coaching role at [[Myanmar national football team|Myanmar]]'s national football team. Dujković qualified them for [[Asian Games]], but eventually quit due to Myanmar's turbulent relationship with [[FIFA]]. He returned to Venezuela to recently established [[Atlético Zulia]] club side from [[Maracaibo]] and got the coach of the year honours.

Afterwards, Dujković coached [[Universidad de Los Andes Fútbol Club|Universidad de Los Andes]] from [[Mérida, Mérida|Mérida]] and later their cross-town rivals [[Estudiantes de Mérida|Estudiantes]]. In 2000, he was included on the [[Serbia national football team|FR Yugoslavia]]'s coaching staff for [[Euro 2000]] under head coach [[Vujadin Boškov]].

===Rwanda===
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=April 2015}}
Dujković became the coach of the [[Rwanda national football team|Rwandan football team]] in late 2001. Rwandan Football Federation sought assistance in their search for a coach from Serbia-Montenegro FA, which in turn recommended Dujković. Emerging from the horrors of genocide, football provided a welcome distraction for the people of [[Rwanda]]. The team won 7 of its first 18 matches under Dujković's guidance. He soon gained international acclaim when he led Rwanda into the [[African Cup of Nations]] for the first time. Ironically, Rwanda qualified at the expense of Ghana – a nation whose national team he would soon take over and lead to [[2006 FIFA World Cup|2006 World Cup]] – in a memorable qualifier in [[Kigali]] on 6 July 2003.

At the final [[2004 African Cup of Nations|tournament]] in [[Tunisia]] in January 2004, [[Rwanda national football team|Rwanda]], among the smallest ever to qualify, came within minutes of progressing from the group and entering quarterfinals. Dujković's contract with Rwanda expired in mid-2004 and he left after failing to agree to a new contract with the Rwandan FA.

===Ghana===
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=April 2015}}
In September 2004, the [[Portugal|Portuguese]]-born [[Mariano Barreto]] quit the [[Ghana national football team]] to manage [[CS Marítimo]] in his native country. A long 3-month search for his replacement followed and it included various candidates ([[Philippe Troussier]] among many others). Finally by late November, the job was offered to Dujković who accepted it in mid-December. He thus took over the helm of the squad featuring a much greater depth of talent than Rwanda – not to mention the few established stars playing in top European clubs like [[Sammy Kuffour]], [[Stephen Appiah]] and [[Michael Essien]]. Naturally, the expectations were also sizable and he was entrusted with the task of qualifying for the [[2006 FIFA World Cup|2006 World Cup]] in Germany. He successfully achieved it, leading the [[Sports team|side]] to their first ever [[FIFA World Cup]] appearance. The same qualifying tournament was also the qualification for the [[2006 African Cup of Nations]] in [[Egypt]].{{citation needed|date=April 2015}}

Dujković faced a lot of opposition throughout his tenure in Ghana. Many wanted to see a domestic coach lead the national team. Calls for his sacking particularly intensified in January 2006 after an indifferent display at the [[2006 African Cup of Nations]] where Ghana got drawn in a fairly difficult group with [[Nigeria national football team|Nigeria]], [[Senegal national football team|Senegal]] and [[Zimbabwe national football team|Zimbabwe]].<ref>[http://www.modernghana.com/sports/94000/2/dujkovic-lost-the-plot.html Dujković lost the plot], modernghana.com, 25 January 2006.</ref>

After losing to Nigeria and defeating Senegal, Ghana faced a deciding match against the seeming minnows of the group Zimbabwe who up to that point failed to collect a single point from first two matches. A win would assure progression for Ghana, but they lost 1-2 and failed to move to the second round. On 12 June 2006 at [[AWD-Arena]] in [[Hanover]], Dujković led Ghana in its first ever World Cup match. Unfortunately, it ended unhappily for his team as [[Italy national football team|Italy]] beat them easily 2-0.{{citation needed|date=April 2015}}

The ''Black Stars'' went into their next match versus [[Czech Republic national football team|Czech Republic]] knowing a loss would probably mean elimination. In a very entertaining match, Ghana managed a famous 2-0 win despite missing several clear-cut scoring chances as well as failing to convert a penalty shot. Third game pitted Dujković's team against the [[United States men's national soccer team|United States]] and they delivered once more, beating the Americans 2-1 and qualifying for the Round of 16 where Brazil awaited.{{citation needed|date=April 2015}}

Although powerhouse [[Brazil national football team|Brazil]] seemingly dispatched of them easily (3-0), Ghana put in a feisty display. The match contained some controversy too, as crucial second Brazilian goal right before halftime came from an offside that was not given. Dujković took his protest to the referee [[Ľuboš Micheľ]] and reportedly told him sarcastically that he should put on a Brazilian jersey. Micheľ responded by issuing a red card, meaning that Dujković was not on the sideline for the remainder of the game. Though his contract with Ghana had him committed until December 2006, Dujković resigned his post on 16 July 2006 citing health problems. Dujković was heavily criticised by the [[Media of Ghana|Ghanaian media]], who believed that he had ulterior motives for resigning before the expiration of his contract. Dujković in turn, blamed the media for putting unmerited stress and pressure on him, a move that didn't go down well with the Ghanaian public. Not long after he left the Ghanaian team, it was reported that he had signed up with China to coach the Chinese Olympic Soccer Team.{{citation needed|date=April 2015}}

===China Olympic team===
On October 10, 2006, Dujković was appointed coach of [[China national under-23 football team]] also known as China's Olympic team.<ref>[http://en.beijing2008.com/51/08/article212050851.shtml Dujković new coach for China's Olympic soccer team] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929083607/http://en.beijing2008.com/51/08/article212050851.shtml |date=2007-09-29 }}</ref> His main task was preparing the team for the [[2008 Summer Olympics|2008 Olympic Games]] on home soil for which the Chinese FA set the ambitious goal of reaching the semifinals. In late 2006, Dujković led the team in [[Football at the 2006 Asian Games|2006 Asian Games]] where they progressed out of the group on top before losing a quarterfinal thriller to [[Iran national under-23 football team|Iran u-23]] on penalties.

In June 2007, following a string of bad results for China's senior national team led by [[Zhu Guanghu]], Chinese media started calling for Dujković to take over the coaching duties of the top national side. For his part, Dujković expressed interest, but not before 2008 Olympics. He also ruled out coaching two sides at the same time.<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_kmafp/is_200706/ai_n19209301 Dujković coy about top China job]</ref> Still, he did get involved with the senior team in lesser capacity as the 'general coach' after his countryman [[Vladimir Petrović]] took over as head coach in September 2007.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080709222426/http://www.fifa.com/mensolympic/news/newsid=823689.html Dujković: A medal is the aim]; FIFA.com, 9 July 2008.</ref>

After reiterating that Olympic medal is the goal in early July 2008,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080709222426/http://www.fifa.com/mensolympic/news/newsid=823689.html Dujkovic: A medal is the aim]; FIFA.com, 9 July 2008.</ref> Dujković got sacked a week later (and only three weeks before the start of the Olympics) by the Chinese FA.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080718205425/http://www.fifa.com/mensolympic/news/newsid=826474.html China axe Dujković], fifa.com, 17 July 2008.</ref> The shocking development came as the culmination of the behind the scenes clashes between two parties. Dujković's assistant [[Yin Tiesheng]] took over on short notice and led the team in the Olympics.<ref>[http://www2.china-sd.com/News/2008-7/18_1729.html Dujkovic sacked 3 weeks before Games, Shandong on Internet, July 18, 2008] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120163150/http://www2.china-sd.com/News/2008-7/18_1729.html |date=November 20, 2008 }}</ref> The team drew its first group match of the [[Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|competition]], and lost the remaining two, failing to progress out of the group.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2008-07-17|title=Olympics-Soccer-Dujkovic stripped of control of China team|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/olympics-soccer-china-idUSSP1492420080717|access-date=2021-01-17}}</ref>

===Serbia under-21 team===
On 15 July 2009, Dujković was named as the head coach of [[Serbia national under-21 football team]].<ref>[http://www.b92.net/sport/fudbal/vesti.php?yyyy=2009&mm=07&dd=15&nav_id=371447 Dujković selektor mlade selekcije], b92.net, 15 July 2009.</ref> He took over the team that has had plenty of success in the years prior to his arrival and was now looking to continue down the same path. His immediate goal was [[2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualification Group 7|qualifying]] for the [[2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship|2011 European Under-21 Championship]] in Denmark.{{citation needed|date=April 2015}}

His competitive debut took place on September 5, 2009 at home versus Slovakia, and it ended with Serbia losing 1-2 on a goal in injury time. Though two wins followed (away at [[Norway national under-21 football team|Norway]] and home versus minnows [[Cyprus national under-21 football team|Cyprus]]), many criticized the overall play of Dujković's team. After the away 3-1 loss to traditional rivals [[Croatia national under-21 football team|Croatia]] many criticized his player selection as well. As the long qualifying break commenced in November 2009, Dujković's team was in third spot with 9 points, behind Croatia (12) and Slovakia (10).

In early February 2010, [[Nigeria Football Association]] reportedly made preliminary contact with Dujković about taking over the head coaching duties at their [[Nigeria national football team|national team]]. According to what Dujković told Serbian press, the potential deal included coaching Nigeria for four months conclusive with the [[2010 World Cup]].<ref>[http://www.mondo.rs/s160287/Sport/Fudbal/Dujkovic_za_MONDO-_Da_zvala_me_je_Nigerija.html Dujković za MONDO: Da, zvala me je Nigerija!], mondo.rs, 8 February 2010.</ref> Furthermore, he publicly expressed interest in the job despite being under contract with Serbian FA (FSS), hoping to be allowed to perform two jobs simultaneously since Serbia u-21 didn't resume playing competitive matches again until August 2010. FSS president [[Tomislav Karadžić]] said Dujković would be released from his contract without penalties should he request so, but ruled out allowing him to perform two jobs at the same time.<ref>[http://www.b92.net/sport/vesti.php?yyyy=2010&mm=02&dd=09&nav_id=410002 FSS: "Dujković mora da se odluči"], b92.net; 10 February 2010.</ref> The Nigerian job eventually went to [[Lars Lagerbäck]].

On 11 August 2010, qualifying resumed for Serbia with a match away at Slovakia, the first of three must-wins if qualification was to be secured. Playing without [[Ivan Obradović]] and [[Radosav Petrović|Raća Petrović]] who were made available to [[Radomir Antić]]'s full squad that played a friendly match versus Greece the same day, and without [[Adem Ljajić]] and [[Danijel Aleksić]], neither of whom Dujković called up, reasoning he needed players who "had more playing time in the recent period and had more experience". His team had a very poor outing, losing 1-2 and thus relinquishing any chance of qualifying for the 2011 European u-21 Championship.<ref>[http://www.mondo.rs/s179336/Sport/Ocajni_orlici_zasluzeno_ne_idu_u_Dansku.html Očajni "orlići" zasluženo ne idu u Dansku], mondo.rs, 11 August 2010.</ref>

One day after losing to Slovakia, Dujković handed in his resignation and did not lead the team in the remaining two matches of the qualifying. The job went to [[Tomislav Sivić]] who finished out the two meaningless qualifiers.<ref>[http://sport.blic.rs/Fudbal/Domaci-fudbal/182968/Dujkovic-Logicno-je-da-podnesem-ostavku Dujković: Logično je da podnesem ostavku], Blic.rs, 12 August 2010.</ref>

===Syria===
In mid-October 2010, Dujković was named the new head coach of the [[Syria national football team|Syrian national team]],<ref>[http://sport.blic.rs/Fudbal/Svetski-fudbal/186045/Ratomir-Dujkovic-na-klupi-Sirije Ratomir Dujković na klupi Sirije], Blic.rs, 11 October 2010.</ref> thus becoming the fourth Serb, after Dragoslav Popović, Dragoslav Srijović and Miloslav Radivojević, to lead the Syrian football squad.

On 19 December 2010, two months after getting hired, Dujković was fired by the Syrian FA for "not returning from vacation on the agreed upon date".<ref>[http://sport.blic.rs/Fudbal/Svetski-fudbal/189903/Fudbalski-savez-Sirije-otpustio-Ratomira-Dujkovica Fudbalski savez Sirije otpustio Ratomira Dujkovića], Blic.rs, 19 December 2010.</ref> Dujković claimed to the Serbian press that he was not fired, but rather that he quit over Syrian FA's decision not to allow him to bring his own assistant coaches.<ref>[http://sport.blic.rs/Fudbal/Svetski-fudbal/190019/Dujkovic-Nisam-smenjen-u-Siriji-ja-sam-njima-dao-otkaz Dujković: Nisam smenjen u Siriji, ja sam njima dao otkaz], Blic.rs; 21 December 2010.</ref>

In April 2014 it was announced that Dujković was part of an 8-man shortlist to replace [[Eric Nshimiyimana]] as Rwanda manager.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27158313|title=Ratomir Dujkovic on shortlist for Rwanda coach position|date=25 April 2014|access-date=27 April 2014|author=Andrew Jackson Oryada|publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Reprezentacija|dujkovic-ratomir}}
* {{sports links}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080801235246/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/news/newsid=109620.html Interview with Ratomir Dujković] at FIFA.com

{{Navboxes
|title= Ratomir Dujković international tournaments
|list1=
{{Yugoslavia Squad 1968 UEFA Euro}}
{{Venezuela Squad Copa América 1993}}
{{Rwanda Squad 2004 African Cup of Nations}}
{{Ghana Squad 2006 Africa Cup of Nations}}
{{Ghana Squad 2006 World Cup}}
}}
{{Navboxes
|title= Ratomir Dujković managerial positions
|list1=
{{FK Zemun managers}}
{{Venezuela national football team managers}}
{{Burma national football team managers}}
{{Estudiantes de Mérida F.C. managers}}
{{Rwanda national football team managers}}
{{Ghana national football team managers}}
{{Serbia national under-21 football team managers}}
{{Syria national football team managers}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dujkovic, Ratomir}}
[[Category:1946 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Vukovar]]
[[Category:Serbs of Croatia]]
[[Category:Men's association football goalkeepers]]
[[Category:Yugoslav men's footballers]]
[[Category:Yugoslavia men's international footballers]]
[[Category:UEFA Euro 1968 players]]
[[Category:Red Star Belgrade footballers]]
[[Category:Real Oviedo players]]
[[Category:NK Osijek players]]
[[Category:FK Zemun players]]
[[Category:Yugoslav First League players]]
[[Category:La Liga players]]
[[Category:Segunda División players]]
[[Category:Yugoslav Second League players]]
[[Category:Yugoslav expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Spain]]
[[Category:Yugoslav expatriate sportspeople in Spain]]
[[Category:Yugoslav football managers]]
[[Category:FK Zemun managers]]
[[Category:Serbia and Montenegro football managers]]
[[Category:Venezuela national football team managers]]
[[Category:Myanmar national football team managers]]
[[Category:Estudiantes de Mérida managers]]
[[Category:Rwanda national football team managers]]
[[Category:Ghana national football team managers]]
[[Category:Serbian football managers]]
[[Category:Serbia national under-21 football team managers]]
[[Category:Syria national football team managers]]
[[Category:1993 Copa América managers]]
[[Category:2006 FIFA World Cup managers]]
[[Category:2004 African Cup of Nations managers]]
[[Category:2006 Africa Cup of Nations managers]]
[[Category:Serbia and Montenegro expatriate football managers]]
[[Category:Expatriate football managers in Venezuela]]
[[Category:Serbia and Montenegro expatriate sportspeople in Venezuela]]
[[Category:Expatriate football managers in Myanmar]]
[[Category:Serbia and Montenegro expatriate sportspeople in Myanmar]]
[[Category:Expatriate football managers in Rwanda]]
[[Category:Serbia and Montenegro expatriate sportspeople in Rwanda]]
[[Category:Expatriate football managers in Ghana]]
[[Category:Serbia and Montenegro expatriate sportspeople in Ghana]]
[[Category:Serbian expatriate football managers]]
[[Category:Expatriate football managers in China]]
[[Category:Serbian expatriate sportspeople in China]]
[[Category:Expatriate football managers in Syria]]
[[Category:Serbian expatriate sportspeople in Syria]]
[[Category:Red Star Belgrade non-playing staff]]