Marko Kraljević | |
Birth Date: | 1 November 1965 |
Birth Place: | Düsseldorf, West Germany |
Position: | Attacking midfielder |
Years1: | 1990 |
Clubs1: | Osijek |
Years2: | 1991–1994 |
Clubs2: | Kelantan |
Years3: | 1995 |
Clubs3: | HK Rangers |
Years4: | 1996–1998 |
Clubs4: | Balestier Central |
Years5: | 1999–2000 |
Clubs5: | Tampines Rovers |
Years6: | 2001 |
Clubs6: | Jurong FC |
Manageryears1: | 2008–2011 |
Managerclubs1: | Balestier Khalsa U22 |
Manageryears2: | 2012–2013 |
Managerclubs2: | Woodlands Wellington U22 |
Manageryears3: | 2014–2019 |
Managerclubs3: | Balestier Khalsa |
Manageryears4: | 2019 |
Managerclubs4: | Kelantan |
Manageryears5: | 2019–2021 |
Managerclubs5: | Balestier Khalsa |
Manageryears6: | 2022–2023 |
Managerclubs6: | Hougang United (U21) |
Manageryears7: | 2023– |
Managerclubs7: | Hougang United |
Marko Kraljević (born 1 November 1965) is a Croatian football coach and former player who is the head coach of Singapore Premier League club Hougang United.
An attacking-midfielder, Kraljević played in the Malaysian Premier League for Kelantan.[1] and Hong Kong Rangers in 1995. He won the Hong Kong Senior Shield and Hong Kong FA Cup in the successful season of 1994–95.[2] Next, he travelled to Singapore to play in the S.League during its early years for Balestier Central,[3] [4] and later with Tampines Rovers and Jurong FC as a striker.[5]
After he retired, Kraljević started off his coaching career with the Balestier Khalsa Centre of Excellence (COE) under-16 team, working his way up to become the head coach of the Prime League team for the Tigers.
He then moved to become the Prime League coach of Woodlands Wellington in 2012.
Kraljević returned to Balestier as head coach for their 2014 S.League season.[6] He quickly transformed the team into one of the toughest in the League, winning the club's first ever Singapore Cup and awarded the S.League Coach of the Year at the end of that season.
Kraljević led Balestier Khalsa in the AFC Cup in 2015, along the way, they won 2013 AFC Cup semi finalist, East Bengal 2–1. With limited resource in 2016, Kraljević still able produce some positive results, beating Dhivehi Premier League champions, New Radiant 3–0 and held them 2–2 away from home before winning Hong Kong Premier League winners 1–0 at Jalan Besar Stadium as the underdog. Balestier ended the season with a fourth place in the Singapore Cup.
After five years with Balestier Khalsa, where he becomes the longest serving head coach of the Tigers, Kraljevic was appointed as new head coach of Kelantan FA in January 2019, returning to the team he has played for in the 1990s.[7] [8] However, his contract was terminated on April the same year, with Kelantan occupying the relegation spot in 2019 Malaysia Premier League.[9]
In 2019, Kraljević returned to Balestier as head coach.[10]
In 2022, Kraljević joined Hougang United as their head of youth, leading the coaching responsibility for the club's U-21 side.[11] On 17 April 2023, Kraljević replaced Firdaus Kassim as interim head coach for the team after the team failed to win any matches since they won the opening match in the 2023 Singapore Premier League season. Firdaus took over Kraljević's position as head of youth.
Marko is the joint-owner of the Stadio futsal facilities found around Singapore together with V. Sundramoorthy.[12]
He is married to a Singaporean wife and has two children.
Hong Kong Rangers
Balestier Khalsa