Franjo Džidić, the legendary coach who led HSK Zrinjski Mostar to their first championship title in 2005, died at the age of 86.
The last farewell will be held on January 5 at 1:00 p.m. in front of the city morgue “Bijeli Brijeg”, while the burial will take place at the Roman Catholic cemetery of St. Ante – on Cimo.
He sat on Plemić’s bench for three terms, and Zrinjski managed a total of 92 games in which he recorded 53 wins, 13 draws and 26 losses.
Franjo Džidić was born in Mostar in 1939, and made his debut for the first team of Velež in 1958. Later, he also played for Borac from Čapljina and then Mladost from Široki Brijeg, where he ended his playing career and began his coaching career.
After involvement in Lokomotiva and Čapljina, he worked for six years in the professional staff of Velež, and before the war he also managed Leotar and Iskra.
In his career as a coach, he also worked in Šibenik, Samobor, Široki Brijeg, Cim, Ljubuško and Redarstvenik, but he left the deepest mark leading Zrinjski.
In the 2004/2005 season He led Plemiće to the first of their eight championship titles, and it will forever be recorded in the history books that Luka Modrić made his professional debut in senior football with him on the bench the season before, HŠK Zrinjski remind.
After leaving the bench of Zrinjski until his retirement, he worked in the football school of that club.
The Sports Association of the City of Mostar awarded him a lifetime achievement award in 2009.
HŠK Zrinjski Mostar expressed its deep condolences to the family and friends of the late Franjo.
(Vijesti.ba/FENA)
