Nikola Jerkan
Encyclopedia
Nikola Jerkan is a former football
defender
from Croatia
.
Jerkan was born in Split
and started playing football professionally for NK Zagreb
. In 1983 he moved to Dinamo Vinkovci where he would spend three years before moving to Hajduk Split in 1986. In 1988 he started playing for the first team and played two seasons before he moved to Real Oviedo
in Spain
in 1990. In 1991, in his second season there, he was selected for the best defender of La Liga
.
He played for the Croatian national football team between 1992 and 1997, attaining 31 caps and scoring one goal (against Lithuania
in Zagreb during the qualifications for Euro 96
). He played three games at the Euro 96
and was at that point established in the centre of the Croatian defence.
Jerkan joined Nottingham Forest
in the summer of 1996 for a fee of £1million. Jerkan's time at Nottingham Forest was traumatic. He struggled to hold down a first-team place and after the departure of Frank Clark never hit it off with new manager Dave Bassett
.
He went on a year-long loan to Rapid Vienna
of Austria
at the start of the 1997-98 season and was never seen in the English game again. He spent the 1998/99 season at the City Ground
but played no games.
In 1999 he moved Charleroi
where he played during the next two seasons, and then retired. He then moved to live in Oviedo
.
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...
defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
from Croatia
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 ...
.
Jerkan was born in Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
and started playing football professionally for 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...
. In 1983 he moved to Dinamo Vinkovci where he would spend three years before moving to Hajduk Split in 1986. In 1988 he started playing for the first team and played two seasons before he moved to Real Oviedo
Real Oviedo
Real Oviedo is a Spanish football club based in Oviedo, in the autonomous community of Asturias. Founded on 26 March 1926, it currently plays in Segunda División B - Group 2....
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in 1990. In 1991, in his second season there, he was selected for the best defender of La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
.
He played for the Croatian national football team between 1992 and 1997, attaining 31 caps and scoring one goal (against Lithuania
Lithuania national football team
The national football team of Lithuania is under the auspices of the Lithuanian Football Federation. It played its first match in 1923. In 1940, Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union; the country regained its independence in 1990 and played their first match as a new nation against Georgia on...
in Zagreb during the qualifications for Euro 96
1996 UEFA European Football Championship
The 1996 UEFA European Football Championship was hosted by England, who won the right to host the tournament ahead of bids from Austria, Portugal and the Netherlands. It was the tenth European Football Championship, which is held every four years and endorsed by UEFA. It was the first to use the...
). He played three games at the Euro 96
1996 UEFA European Football Championship
The 1996 UEFA European Football Championship was hosted by England, who won the right to host the tournament ahead of bids from Austria, Portugal and the Netherlands. It was the tenth European Football Championship, which is held every four years and endorsed by UEFA. It was the first to use the...
and was at that point established in the centre of the Croatian defence.
Jerkan joined Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
in the summer of 1996 for a fee of £1million. Jerkan's time at Nottingham Forest was traumatic. He struggled to hold down a first-team place and after the departure of Frank Clark never hit it off with new manager Dave Bassett
Dave Bassett
David Bassett , also frequently known by his nickname of Harry, is an English football manager and a former player....
.
He went on a year-long loan to Rapid Vienna
SK Rapid Wien
The Sportklub Rapid Wien is an Austrian football club playing in the country's capital city of Vienna. Rapid is the most popular club in Austria and also record title holder having won the Austrian national football title 32 times...
of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
at the start of the 1997-98 season and was never seen in the English game again. He spent the 1998/99 season at the City Ground
City Ground
The City Ground is a football stadium in the West Bridgford area of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, on the banks of the River Trent. It has been home to Nottingham Forest Football Club since 1898, and has a capacity of 30,602 ....
but played no games.
In 1999 he moved Charleroi
R. Charleroi S.C.
Sporting du Pays de Charleroi is a Belgian football club based in the city of Charleroi, in the province of Hainaut. Charleroi plays in the Belgian Pro League and their current spell at the highest level in Belgian football has started in the 1985–86 season...
where he played during the next two seasons, and then retired. He then moved to live in Oviedo
Oviedo
Oviedo is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city....
.
External links
- Nikola Jerkan international stats at the Croatian Football FederationCroatian Football FederationThe Croatian Football Federation is the governing body of association football in Croatia. It was originally formed in 1912 and is based in the capital city of Zagreb. The organisation is a member of both FIFA and UEFA, and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the game of football in Croatia...
website - Nikola Jerkan profile at Transfermarkt.de