Boris Smiljanic
Encyclopedia
Boris Smiljanić is a Swiss
football
player of Croatian
descent who currently plays in defence
for Grasshopper
in the Swiss Super League
.
in 1993 where he made his debut in 1993–94 season. He was a fringe player for his first few seasons but his leadership qualities and winning mentality soon got him noticed by the manager, Christian Gross
, who started to include him among the substitutes before eventually including him in the first-team after injuries in the squad. He played well on his debut and kept his place in the team. He was eventually made captain of Grasshopper
and made over 200 appearances for the club before the lure of European football was too much for him when he signed for FC Basel
in January 2003. His old manager Christian Gross
had remembered his no-nonsense defending techniques and bought him strengthen his Basel
defence. He went straight in to the first-team at Basel
where he went on to play 106 games. Smiljanić returned to Grasshopper
at the beginning of the 2007/08 season after the arrival of defenders François Marque from FC Baulmes
and Patrik Baumann
through the youth system threatened his place in the Basel team. He inherited his old number, 6, and became team captain regular again.
or Serbia
, the countries of his parents, he chose to play for Switzerland
, the country of his birth. He made his international debut in a 3–0 friendly defeat against the Czech Republic
on 18 August 1999. He played two more games for Switzerland under Gilbert Gress, but when Enzo Trossero
took over he was forced out of the squad. He made a shock return to the Switzerland
squad in 2006.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player of Croatian
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
descent who currently plays in defence
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
for Grasshopper
Grasshopper-Club Zürich
Grasshopper Club Zürich commonly referred to as simply GC, GCZ, or Grasshopper is a Swiss multisports club based in Zürich. The oldest and best known section of Grasshopper Club Zürich is its football team...
in the Swiss Super League
Swiss Super League
The Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
.
Club career
Smiljanić started his career with local club Grasshopper-Club ZürichGrasshopper-Club Zürich
Grasshopper Club Zürich commonly referred to as simply GC, GCZ, or Grasshopper is a Swiss multisports club based in Zürich. The oldest and best known section of Grasshopper Club Zürich is its football team...
in 1993 where he made his debut in 1993–94 season. He was a fringe player for his first few seasons but his leadership qualities and winning mentality soon got him noticed by the manager, Christian Gross
Christian Gross
Christian Gross is a professional football coach and former player who currently manages Young Boys Bern. Before that he managed VfB Stuttgart until his dismissal in October 2010. He was manager of FC Basel from 1 July 1999 to 27 May 2009.-Playing career:Gross began his playing career at...
, who started to include him among the substitutes before eventually including him in the first-team after injuries in the squad. He played well on his debut and kept his place in the team. He was eventually made captain of Grasshopper
Grasshopper-Club Zürich
Grasshopper Club Zürich commonly referred to as simply GC, GCZ, or Grasshopper is a Swiss multisports club based in Zürich. The oldest and best known section of Grasshopper Club Zürich is its football team...
and made over 200 appearances for the club before the lure of European football was too much for him when he signed for FC Basel
FC Basel
Fussball Club Basel 1893, widely known as FC Basel is a Swiss football club based in Basel. They are one of the most successful clubs in Swiss football, having won the Swiss Super League 14 times, the third most for any Swiss club. They were most successful in the late 1960s and 1970s, winning the...
in January 2003. His old manager Christian Gross
Christian Gross
Christian Gross is a professional football coach and former player who currently manages Young Boys Bern. Before that he managed VfB Stuttgart until his dismissal in October 2010. He was manager of FC Basel from 1 July 1999 to 27 May 2009.-Playing career:Gross began his playing career at...
had remembered his no-nonsense defending techniques and bought him strengthen his Basel
FC Basel
Fussball Club Basel 1893, widely known as FC Basel is a Swiss football club based in Basel. They are one of the most successful clubs in Swiss football, having won the Swiss Super League 14 times, the third most for any Swiss club. They were most successful in the late 1960s and 1970s, winning the...
defence. He went straight in to the first-team at Basel
FC Basel
Fussball Club Basel 1893, widely known as FC Basel is a Swiss football club based in Basel. They are one of the most successful clubs in Swiss football, having won the Swiss Super League 14 times, the third most for any Swiss club. They were most successful in the late 1960s and 1970s, winning the...
where he went on to play 106 games. Smiljanić returned to Grasshopper
Grasshopper-Club Zürich
Grasshopper Club Zürich commonly referred to as simply GC, GCZ, or Grasshopper is a Swiss multisports club based in Zürich. The oldest and best known section of Grasshopper Club Zürich is its football team...
at the beginning of the 2007/08 season after the arrival of defenders François Marque from FC Baulmes
FC Baulmes
FC Baulmes is a Swiss football club based in Baulmes in canton Vaud. The club currently plays in the 1. Liga.-External links:*...
and Patrik Baumann
Patrik Baumann
Patrik Baumann is a Swiss footballer who currently plays as a defender for Servette FC in the Swiss Challenge League.-Football career:...
through the youth system threatened his place in the Basel team. He inherited his old number, 6, and became team captain regular again.
International career
Although he was eligible to play for CroatiaCroatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
or Serbia
Serbia national football team
The Serbia national football team represents Serbia in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia, the governing body for football in Serbia. Serbia's home ground is Stadion Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade and their last head coach was Vladimir Petrović...
, the countries of his parents, he chose to play for Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
, the country of his birth. He made his international debut in a 3–0 friendly defeat against the Czech Republic
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
on 18 August 1999. He played two more games for Switzerland under Gilbert Gress, but when Enzo Trossero
Enzo Trossero
Enzo Héctor Trossero , nicknamed El Vikingo , is an Argentine footballer and coach, who was last the manager of Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia.-Career:...
took over he was forced out of the squad. He made a shock return to the Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
squad in 2006.