Ilija Ivić

Infobox Football biography
playername = Ilija Ivić


fullname = Ilija Ivić
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1971|2|17
cityofbirth = Zrenjanin
countryofbirth = SFR Yugoslavia
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
height =
position = (Director of football)
currentclub = Red Star Belgrade
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1988–1991
1991–1994
1994–1999
1999–2000
2001-2002
2002–2004
clubs = Proleter Zrenjanin
Red Star Belgrade
Olympiacos
Torino
Aris Thessaloniki
AEK Athens
Total
caps(goals) = 000 00(0)
058 0(29)
112 0(64)
019 00(0)
018 00(6)
047 0(18)
254 (117)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
manageryears = 2004–2007
2007–2008
2008-
managerclubs = AEK Athens (Director of football)
Olympiacos (Director of football)
Red Star Belgrade (Director of football)

Ilija Ivić born 17 February 1971 in Zrenjanin is a retired Serbian footballer. Ivić works currently as (Director of football) Red Star Belgrade and his last job was the Technical Manager of the Greek side Olympiacos. A skilful attacker who showed great technical ability, Ilija Ivic could often be found in a supporting attacking role, opening up spaces for team-mates. Ivic played once for the National Team of his country, against Switzerland in September 1998.

His football career began at 1986, to Proleter FC, where he stays until 1991. He played for three years at Red Star (until 1994). With Red Star, he won the Yugoslav national championship with FK Crvena Zvezda in 1991/92, the season after joined from first club FK Proleter, for whom he scored 26 goals in 92 games. He was a Yugoslav Cup winner with the Belgrade club in 1993 and departed the following season for Greece and Olympiacos after registering 16 goals in 30 top-flight games, where he stays until 1999.

While at Olympiacos CFP he won the Greek championship in 1997, 1998, and the double in 1999, having his best campaign in the second of those title triumphs, claiming 26 goals in 32 matches. He was a member of Olympiacos squad in 1999-99 UEFA Champions League, when his team achieved its greatest success in European competition while they reached the quarter finals and being eliminated by Juventus.

His next step was with the Italian club Torino Calcio the following season, although he failed to find the net in 19 games, nine as a substitute in his first season in Serie A. Having failed to break into the first team the following term, he returned to Greece with FC Aris Thessaloniki, before he signed for AEK Athens FC in early 2002.

In January 2002 Ilija Ivić came to AEK FC, where he closed his football career. He played 48 matches and he scored 18 times. His team finished second in the Greek Championship, equal points with Olympiacos, however he reached with his team the Final in the Greek Cup, where AEK met his past team Olympiacos. Ivic scored the winning goal in the 2002 Greek Cup final for AEK against Olympiacos but refused, for sentimental reasons, to celebrate, having played for the opposition earlier in his career. The following season, he played a considerable part in AEK finishing third in the Alpha Ethniki after scoring nine goals in 20 games. In the UEFA Champions League he featured in five of AEK's six drawn games in the first group stage.

On June 2004 he accepted the proposal of AEK FC administration and assumed the position of Technical Manager. Ivic stayed for almost three years as the Technical Manager of AEK FC and during his carrier had a successful choices of players despite the small budget. On February 2007 he resigned and appealed that he had some collaboration problems with the current manager of AEK FC, Lorenzo Serra Ferrer.

On June 2007 he accepted the proposal of Petros Kokkalis, Management Director Of Olympiacos FC and assumed the position of Technical Manager.

He is married to Greek fitness instructor Eleni Petroulaki, together they have three kids: Anna Maria(3yrs old) and 17 month old twins Mila and Dorothea. Vladan Ivić who plays for PAOK Thessaloniki is his younger brother.

He resigned as Technical Director of Olympiacos on May 7 2008.

Honours

Red Star Belgrade
*FR Yugoslavian Championship: 1992
*FR Yugoslavian Cup: 1993

Olympiacos
*Greek Championship: 1997, 1998, 1999
*Greek Cup: 1999

Torino
*Italian Second Division: 2001

AEK Athens
*Greek Cup: 2002