Zdravko Šimic
Encyclopedia
Zdravko Šimić is a Croatia
n footballer
who plays as a midfielder
for Sengkang Punggol
of the Singapore S-League. He can play in both the defensive and offensive midfielder positions, and is the captain of his current club.
.
He then moved to N.K. Pomorac
where he became a more regular feature in the team's setup, helping them to win promotion to the Prva HNL (Croatian First Football League) in 2002.
In 2005, he was sold to then-Malaysian Super League
club Sabah FA
, where he could not help his club to avoid relegation, and in 2006, he returned home to Croatia to play for N.K. Draga
.
Within two years, Šimić was on his way back to Southeast Asia
, this time to Singapore
where he is currently playing for Sengkang Punggol
as a midfielder and its captain.
On 21 May 2008, Šimić scored his first goal for Sengkang
against the Young Lions
in dramatic fashion. He stepped up to take a penalty kick, subsequently blasting his effort over the bar, but the referee, Sukhbir Singh, ruled that the Cubs' defenders had stepped into the box before the kick was taken, and called for a retake. Šimić then scored from the spot on his second try. It was his first goal in the S.League
, as well as Sengkang's
first win in the season since it began.
(Hajduk Split
) and Dario Šimić
(A.S. Monaco).
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 ...
n footballer
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...
who plays as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
for Sengkang Punggol
Sengkang Punggol FC
Hougang United Football Club is a professional football club in Singapore's S.League. The club first made their debut in Singapore's S.League in 2006 under the name Sengkang Punggol Football Club. The club was a merger of two football clubs that previously played in the S.League – namely, Paya...
of the Singapore S-League. He can play in both the defensive and offensive midfielder positions, and is the captain of his current club.
Club career
Šimić started his senior footballing career in his native Croatia, playing for his local club H.N.K. RijekaNK Rijeka
HNK Rijeka is a Croatian football club, from Rijeka on the Croatian coast.-History:The club was founded as NK Kvarner in 1946, after Rijeka passed from Italy to Yugoslavia following the end of World War II. During its early period in Yugoslavia, the club had moderate success in various Yugoslav...
.
He then moved to N.K. Pomorac
NK Pomorac
NK Pomorac is a Croatian football club based in Kostrena, a suburb of Rijeka, a port city lying on the Adriatic Sea. Kostrena is known for its maritime tradition, which is reflected in the club's name, as the word "pomorac" means "mariner" or "seaman" in English.Founded in 1912, NK Pomorac is one...
where he became a more regular feature in the team's setup, helping them to win promotion to the Prva HNL (Croatian First Football League) in 2002.
In 2005, he was sold to then-Malaysian Super League
Malaysian Super League
The Malaysia Super League is a Malaysian professional league for association football. At the top flight of the Malaysian football league system and it is managed by the Malaysia Super League Sdn Bhd, under supervision of the Football Association of Malaysia...
club Sabah FA
Sabah FA
The Football Association of Sabah is a registered football association affiliated with the Football Association of Malaysia. The association's football team competes in Malaysia's football league representing the state of Sabah in Borneo. Sabah FA is a professional football club and one of the 14...
, where he could not help his club to avoid relegation, and in 2006, he returned home to Croatia to play for N.K. Draga
NK Draga
NK Draga is a Croatian football club from Mošćenička Draga on the Croatian coast. The team won the Treća HNL West Division in 2003–04....
.
Within two years, Šimić was on his way back to Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
, this time to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
where he is currently playing for Sengkang Punggol
Sengkang Punggol FC
Hougang United Football Club is a professional football club in Singapore's S.League. The club first made their debut in Singapore's S.League in 2006 under the name Sengkang Punggol Football Club. The club was a merger of two football clubs that previously played in the S.League – namely, Paya...
as a midfielder and its captain.
On 21 May 2008, Šimić scored his first goal for Sengkang
Sengkang Punggol FC
Hougang United Football Club is a professional football club in Singapore's S.League. The club first made their debut in Singapore's S.League in 2006 under the name Sengkang Punggol Football Club. The club was a merger of two football clubs that previously played in the S.League – namely, Paya...
against the Young Lions
Young Lions (Singapore football team)
The Courts Young Lions are an under-23 football team from Singapore. Most of the members of the squad are players from Singapore's national under-23 team. The team comes under the direct control of the Football Association of Singapore , but is managed as a football club and has competed in...
in dramatic fashion. He stepped up to take a penalty kick, subsequently blasting his effort over the bar, but the referee, Sukhbir Singh, ruled that the Cubs' defenders had stepped into the box before the kick was taken, and called for a retake. Šimić then scored from the spot on his second try. It was his first goal in the S.League
S.League
The S.League is the top men's professional association football league in Singapore. The league was launched in 1996 and currently involves 12 clubs.-History:...
, as well as Sengkang's
Sengkang Punggol FC
Hougang United Football Club is a professional football club in Singapore's S.League. The club first made their debut in Singapore's S.League in 2006 under the name Sengkang Punggol Football Club. The club was a merger of two football clubs that previously played in the S.League – namely, Paya...
first win in the season since it began.
International career
Šimić had a short stint playing for the Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19 teams of the Croatian National Team. There, he played alongside current Croatian National Team stars Igor TudorIgor Tudor
Igor Tudor is a Croatian former football defender. He was considered one of Croatia's best defenders in the period between the late 1990s and mid-2000s....
(Hajduk Split
HNK Hajduk Split
HNK Hajduk Split, commonly referred to as Hajduk Split or simply Hajduk, is a Croatian football club founded in 1911 and based in the city of Split. The club's home ground since 1979 is the 35,000-seater Poljud Stadium and the team's traditional home colours are white shirts with blue shorts and...
) and Dario Šimić
Dario Šimic
Dario Šimić is a retired Croatian football player. Šimić was a versatile defender who played as full-back, sweeper or centre back. A product of Dinamo Zagreb Academy, he later played for Serie A sides Inter Milan and AC Milan and Ligue 1 side Monaco, before returning to Dinamo Zagreb in 2010,...
(A.S. Monaco).