FC Koper
Encyclopedia
FC Koper is a Slovenian football club, playing in the town of Koper. The club is one of only three football clubs in the country, the others being Maribor
and former Olimpija
, that won all three domestic competitions (League, Cup, Supercup). The team plays its matches on Bonifika
stadium that was built in 2010 and has a capacity of 4,010 seats. Currently the club competes under the name FC Luka Koper due to sponsorship deal with the Port of Koper, Luka Koper
.
. Two years of mid-table anonymity and significant financial difficulties followed, in part because the former owner, Georg Suban, left substantial debts to the club and took half the team with him when he moved to the other 1.SNL team NK Mura
.
The fans took control of the club and tried to improve its finances to save it from going bankrupt and disappearing like three other major Slovenian clubs (NK Olimpija
, NK Mura
and NK Ljubljana
), with reasonable success. In the 2005–2006 season, Mladen Rudonja
returned to the club and brought with him the Serbian-American businessman Milan Mandarić
, who paid off all the remaining debts. After the first half of the season, before the arrival of the new patron, Koper was battling against relegation, but in the second part of the season, with a new coach, Milivoj Braćun, the club started an unbeaten run that led them to reach the 3rd place in the 1.SNL and to win the Slovenian Cup for the first time, FC Koper's first trophy since the Slovenian independence from Yugoslavia. This also qualified the team to play in the UEFA Cup
qualifying rounds in the 2006–2007 season. The following seasons were more difficult, with the club narrowly avoiding relegation in 2009. In the 2009/2010 season, the team was expanded and, under the leadership of veteran playmaker/director-of-football Miran Pavlin
eventually won the Slovenian league championship for the first time, winning a place in the UEFA Champions League
qualifiers where they succumbed to a spirited 5–4 agg. defeat by NK Dinamo Zagreb (5–1, 0–3). In the aftermath, Pavlin left the club.
The Bonifika is the team's home stadium, which is named after the area where it is situated in the town of Koper. It has a capacity of 4,010 spectators.
League
Cup
Score results denote: "Home, Away".
NK Maribor
Nogometni Klub Maribor , commonly referred to as NK Maribor or simply Maribor, is a professional association football club based in the city of Maribor, Slovenia. Founded on 12 December, 1960, Maribor is one of only three football clubs in the country who have never been relegated from...
and former Olimpija
NK Olimpija Ljubljana (1911)
NK Olimpija Ljubljana was a Slovenian association football club based in Ljubljana. The club had traced its origin back to 1911 when it was originally founded as SK Ilirija. It had gone through a series of mergers in the first half of the 20th century before adopting the name Olimpija in 1962...
, that won all three domestic competitions (League, Cup, Supercup). The team plays its matches on Bonifika
SRC Bonifika Stadion
Bonifika Stadium is a stadium in Koper, Slovenia. It is used for football matches and is the home ground of FC Koper. The stadium is part of Bonifika sports complex, together with a smaller athletics stadium, indoor hall and a indoor swimming pool. The stadium was built in 1962 and got its name...
stadium that was built in 2010 and has a capacity of 4,010 seats. Currently the club competes under the name FC Luka Koper due to sponsorship deal with the Port of Koper, Luka Koper
Port of Koper
Port of Koper is a public limited company, which provides port and logistics services in the only Slovenian port, in Koper. It is situated in the northern part of the Adriatic Sea, connecting mainly markets of Central and Southeast Europe with the Mediterranean Sea...
.
History
From the records, it appears that football in Koper was played as early as in the 1920s, but officially, the club took the name NK Koper in the year 1955, when it was formed by the merger of two football teams: Aurora and Meduza. The club played under this name in different Yugoslavian leagues until 1991 and was one of the most successful Slovenian clubs. After Slovenia became independent, the club started to play in the 1.SNL and 2.SNL. At the beginning of the 1990s, the club was achieving mid-table success. By the end of the 1990s, the club had been relegated to the second division twice, had serious financial problems and renamed itself to FC Koper, thereby avoiding the necessity of paying off its debts. With the advent of the new millennium, FC Koper consistently achieved positions in the upper half of the table (achieving third place in the 2001–2002 season, its highest since Slovenian independence). In the 2003–2004 season, they were playing in a European competition for the first time since 1991: the UEFA Intertoto CupUEFA Intertoto Cup
The UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...
. Two years of mid-table anonymity and significant financial difficulties followed, in part because the former owner, Georg Suban, left substantial debts to the club and took half the team with him when he moved to the other 1.SNL team NK Mura
NK Mura
Nogometni Klub Mura was a Slovenian association football club based in Murska Sobota. The club was founded on 16 August 1924 as one of the first clubs in the Prekmurje region. Through its history Mura was widely considered one of the giants of Slovenian football and had one of the biggest fan bases...
.
The fans took control of the club and tried to improve its finances to save it from going bankrupt and disappearing like three other major Slovenian clubs (NK Olimpija
NK Olimpija Ljubljana (1911)
NK Olimpija Ljubljana was a Slovenian association football club based in Ljubljana. The club had traced its origin back to 1911 when it was originally founded as SK Ilirija. It had gone through a series of mergers in the first half of the 20th century before adopting the name Olimpija in 1962...
, NK Mura
NK Mura
Nogometni Klub Mura was a Slovenian association football club based in Murska Sobota. The club was founded on 16 August 1924 as one of the first clubs in the Prekmurje region. Through its history Mura was widely considered one of the giants of Slovenian football and had one of the biggest fan bases...
and NK Ljubljana
NK Ljubljana
NK Ljubljana was a Slovenian association football club based in the capital city of Ljubljana. The club was established in 1909 and dissolved in 2005. A successor club which claimed rights to Ljubljana's honours and records was established in 2005 bearing the name FC Ljubljana...
), with reasonable success. In the 2005–2006 season, Mladen Rudonja
Mladen Rudonja
Mladen Rudonja is a retired Slovenian footballer who represented his country at two major tournaments - Euro 2000 and the 2002 World Cup.He most often played as a forward or a winger...
returned to the club and brought with him the Serbian-American businessman Milan Mandarić
Milan Mandaric
Milan Mandarić is a Serbian-American business tycoon who has owned a string of successful businesses and football clubs including Portsmouth, Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday. He currently is the chairman of Sheffield Wednesday...
, who paid off all the remaining debts. After the first half of the season, before the arrival of the new patron, Koper was battling against relegation, but in the second part of the season, with a new coach, Milivoj Braćun, the club started an unbeaten run that led them to reach the 3rd place in the 1.SNL and to win the Slovenian Cup for the first time, FC Koper's first trophy since the Slovenian independence from Yugoslavia. This also qualified the team to play in the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
qualifying rounds in the 2006–2007 season. The following seasons were more difficult, with the club narrowly avoiding relegation in 2009. In the 2009/2010 season, the team was expanded and, under the leadership of veteran playmaker/director-of-football Miran Pavlin
Miran Pavlin
Miran Pavlin is a former Slovenian football player and current director of football in FC Koper.-Club career:He played for clubs such as NK Olimpija, SC Freiburg , Olympiakos Nicosia , APOEL , FC Porto and NK Olimpija.After the original NK Olimpija went bankrupt in 2005, he joined the newly...
eventually won the Slovenian league championship for the first time, winning a place in the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
qualifiers where they succumbed to a spirited 5–4 agg. defeat by NK Dinamo Zagreb (5–1, 0–3). In the aftermath, Pavlin left the club.
- 1955: Fusion from Aurora Koper and Meduza Koper to NK Koper
- 1990: Renaming to FC Koper Capodistria
- 2002: Renaming to FC Koper
- 2003: Renaming to FC Anet Koper
- 2008: Renaming to FC Luka Koper
Stadium
- See main article SRC Bonifika StadionSRC Bonifika StadionBonifika Stadium is a stadium in Koper, Slovenia. It is used for football matches and is the home ground of FC Koper. The stadium is part of Bonifika sports complex, together with a smaller athletics stadium, indoor hall and a indoor swimming pool. The stadium was built in 1962 and got its name...
The Bonifika is the team's home stadium, which is named after the area where it is situated in the town of Koper. It has a capacity of 4,010 spectators.
Fan base
There are two main supporting groups for FC Koper. The first one, the older, is an ultras group formed in 1987 and it goes by the name of Tifozi Koper. It is the oldest ultras group in Slovenia and it is known for its unconditional loyalty to FC Koper. The second group, formed in March 2002, is a fan group called 12. Kopra.Current squad
For recent transfers, see List of Slovenian football transfers summer 2009.Managers
| Manager | Period |
|---|---|
| Lučo Pertič | 1982–85 |
| Dragan Popadić | 1985–87 |
| Milan Miklavič | 1987–90 |
| Branko Zupan | 1990–92 |
| Vlado Klinčarovski | 1992–94 |
| Marijan Jantoljak | 1994–95 |
| Predrag Stilinović | 1995–96 |
| Vladan Mladenović / Edi Pobega | 1996–97 |
| Branko Zupan / Vlado Badžim Vlado Badžim Vlado Badžim , is a retired Slovenian football player and football coach.-Honours:As player:* 1. place in the Slovenian league 1983, 1986As manager:* Slovenian Cup 2006/07, 2007/08* Slovenian 1.SNL runner up 2006/07... |
1997–98 |
| Marin Kovačić / Tone Hrovatič | 1998–99 |
| Branko Zupan | 1999–00 |
| Branko Oblak Branko Oblak Branko Oblak is a Slovenian football coach and former international player. He usually played as an offensive midfielder or deep-lying playmaker, notable for his excellent dribbling, stamina, great vision and precision passing... |
2000–01 |
| Nenad Gračan Nenad Gracan Nenad Gračan is a retired Croatian footballer who played as a central midfielder, and a current coach.-Club career:... |
2001–02 |
| Milivoj Bračun Milivoj Bracun Milivoj Bračun is a Croatian football manager and former player who is currently the manager of NK Slaven Belupo.Bračun played for Dinamo Zagreb, Red Star Belgrade and Elche CF.-Club career:... |
2002–03 |
| Igor Benedejčič Igor Benedejcic Igor Benedejčič is a retired Slovenian football midfielder.Benedejčič was capped for the Slovenian national team.He scored the first ever goal for the Slovenian national team.... |
2003–04 |
| Borut Jarc / Ivan Marjon | 2004–05 |
| Samir Zulić Samir Zulic Samir Zulič is a retired Slovenian footballer who played in a defender role.-Club career:Zulič played for NK Koper in the Yugoslav Second League during the 1985-86 season.-International career:... / Milivoj Bračun Milivoj Bracun Milivoj Bračun is a Croatian football manager and former player who is currently the manager of NK Slaven Belupo.Bračun played for Dinamo Zagreb, Red Star Belgrade and Elche CF.-Club career:... / Borut Jarc |
2005–06 |
| Milivoj Bračun Milivoj Bracun Milivoj Bračun is a Croatian football manager and former player who is currently the manager of NK Slaven Belupo.Bračun played for Dinamo Zagreb, Red Star Belgrade and Elche CF.-Club career:... / Borut Jarc |
2006 |
| Vlado Badžim Vlado Badžim Vlado Badžim , is a retired Slovenian football player and football coach.-Honours:As player:* 1. place in the Slovenian league 1983, 1986As manager:* Slovenian Cup 2006/07, 2007/08* Slovenian 1.SNL runner up 2006/07... |
2007–08 |
| Nedžad Okčič | 2008–2010 |
| Primož Gliha Primož Gliha Primož Gliha is a retired Slovenian football strikerGliha won 28 caps and scored 10 goals for the Slovenian national team between 1993 and 1998, including a hat-trick in a 3-3 draw with Croatia in a World Cup qualifier in Split on April 2, 1997.-External links:* - RSSSF... |
2010–11 |
| Vlado Badžim Vlado Badžim Vlado Badžim , is a retired Slovenian football player and football coach.-Honours:As player:* 1. place in the Slovenian league 1983, 1986As manager:* Slovenian Cup 2006/07, 2007/08* Slovenian 1.SNL runner up 2006/07... |
3 May 2011–16 August 2011 |
| Milivoj Bračun Milivoj Bracun Milivoj Bračun is a Croatian football manager and former player who is currently the manager of NK Slaven Belupo.Bračun played for Dinamo Zagreb, Red Star Belgrade and Elche CF.-Club career:... |
2011– |
Honours
Total titles: 4League
- Slovenian ChampionshipsPrvaLiga Telekom SlovenijeSlovenian First Football League also known by the abbreviation 1. SNL, is the main football league in Slovenia, and was formed in 1991 after Slovenia became an independent country. From 1920 until the end of the 1990–91 season, the Slovenian Republic League was a lower division of the Yugoslavian...
:
-
- Winners (1): 2009/10
- Runners-up (1): 2007/08
Cup
- Slovenian Cup:
- Slovenian SupercupSlovenian SupercupThe Slovenian Supercup is an annually contested football match between the football club that has won the Slovenian PrvaLiga and the club that has won the Slovenian Cup. Until 2008 the match was held only occasionally, however, in recent years it has become an annual event usually held in July and...
:
-
- Winners (1): 20102010 Slovenian SupercupThe Slovenian Supercup 2010 was a football match between 2009-10 PrvaLiga champions Koper and Slovenian Cup winners Maribor. The match was played on July 9, 2010 at the Stadion Ljudski vrt in Maribor.-Match details:-See also:*PrvaLiga 2009-10...
- Runners-up (1): 2007Slovenian Supercup 2007The Slovenian Supercup 2007 was a football match that saw the 2006-07 PrvaLiga champions Domžale face off against Slovenian Cup champions Koper. The match was held on July 14, 2007 at the Športni park in Domžale.-Match details:...
- Winners (1): 2010
League Positions
|
|
|
Koper in European Cups
Koper goals always listed first.Score results denote: "Home, Away".
| Season | Competition | Round | Land | Club | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Intertoto Cup UEFA Intertoto Cup The UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued... |
1R |  |
Helsingborgs IF Helsingborgs IF Helsingborgs IF , commonly referred to as Helsingborg and locally HIF, is a Swedish football club located in Helsingborg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan... |
0–1, 0–0 |
| 2003 | Intertoto Cup UEFA Intertoto Cup The UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued... |
1R |  |
NK Zagreb NK Zagreb NK Zagreb is a Croatian football club, from the Croatian capital of Zagreb.NK Zagreb's home is the Stadion Kranjčevićeva with capacity of 8,850. The club's fans are known as the White Angels... |
1–0, 2–2 |
| 2R |  |
ZTS Dubnica | 1–0, 2–3 | ||
| 3R |  |
Egaleo FC Athene Egaleo FC Egaleo F.C. is a Greek football club based in Egaleo, a suburb of Athens. Founded in 1931, it currently plays in Greece's fourth division, holding home matches at Stavros Mavrothalassitis Stadium, with a 14,000-seat capacity.... |
3–2, 2–2 | ||
| 1/2 |  |
SC Heerenveen | 0–2, 1–0 | ||
| 2006–07 | UEFA Cup UEFA Cup The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League... |
1Q |  |
PFC Litex Lovech PFC Litex Lovech PFC Litex Lovech or simply Litex is a Bulgarian football club from the town of Lovech, which currently competes in the Bulgarian A Professional Football Group, the top division of Bulgarian football... |
0–1, 0–5 |
| 2007–08 UEFA Cup 2007–08 The 2007–08 UEFA Cup was the 37th edition of the UEFA Cup, UEFA's second tier club football tournament. The final was played at the City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester, England on 14 May 2008 between Rangers of Scotland and Zenit St. Petersburg of Russia. Zenit won the match 2–0, with... |
UEFA Cup UEFA Cup The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League... |
1Q |  |
NK Siroki Brijeg NK Široki Brijeg NK Široki Brijeg is a Bosnian-Herzegovinian team from the town of Široki Brijeg that currently plays in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina.... |
1–3, 2–3 |
| 2008–09 UEFA Cup 2008–09 The UEFA Cup 2008–09 was the 38th edition of the UEFA Cup football tournament. The final was played at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, home ground of Fenerbahçe, in Istanbul, Turkey, on 20 May 2009. This season was the final one to use the UEFA Cup format; starting in 2009, the event is known as the... |
UEFA Cup UEFA Cup The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League... |
1Q |  |
Vllaznia Shkodër | 1–2, 0–0 |
| 2010–11 | UEFA Champions League UEFA Champions League The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It... |
2Q | |
Dinamo Zagreb | 1–5, 3–0 |
| 2011–12 | UEFA Europa League | 1Q |  |
Shakhter Karagandy | 1–1, 1–2 |