Darije Kalezić

Darije Kalezić

Kalezić in 2024 managing ADO Den Haag
Personal information
Date of birth	(1969-11-01) 1 November 1969 (age 55)
Place of birth	Pfäffikon, Switzerland
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	ADO Den Haag (manager)
Youth career
1982–1985	FK Mladost Doboj Kakanj
1985–1991	Lokomotiva Mostar
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1991–1992	Velež Mostar	15	(1)
1992–1994	Neretva	24	(3)
1994–1995	Den Bosch	22	(0)
1995–2002	RKC Waalwijk	120	(5)
2002–2003	Velež Mostar	32	(1)
2003–2004	AGOVV	32	(2)
2004–2006	De Graafschap	25	(2)
Total		270	(14)
Managerial career
2006–2008	De Graafschap (reserve/youth)
2008–2009	De Graafschap (assistant)
2009–2011	De Graafschap
2011	Zulte Waregem
2013	Stockport County
2013–2015	Jong PSV
2015–2016	Roda JC Kerkrade
2016	Al-Taawoun
2017–2018	Wellington Phoenix
2019	PSM Makassar
2020–2021	MVV Maastricht
2021–2023	Jong FC Utrecht
2023–	ADO Den Haag
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Darije Kalezić (born 1 November 1969) is a Bosnian-Dutch professional football manager and former player who is head coach of Eerste Divisie team ADO Den Haag.

Kalezić was born in Pfäffikon, Switzerland. He started his career still in Yugoslavia, then Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he played for 4th tier FK Lokomotiva Mostar when sports director Vahid Halilhodžić brought him to Velež Mostar.^[1] When the Bosnian War broke out, he left Mostar and earned a contract with Croatian side NK Neretva and played for them during the Croatian War of Independence.^[2] He fled war-torn Croatia for the Netherlands in 1994 and as player being member of FC Den Bosch, RKC Waalwijk, AGOVV Apeldoorn,^[3] and De Graafschap. He retired in 2006, at De Graafschap.

After his retirement from football as a player, Kalezić accepted to stay at De Graafschap as a reserve/youth team coach from 2006 to 2008, and later on being promoted as assistant coach.^[4]

On 25 February 2009, he was appointed interim manager of De Graafschap after previous manager Henk van Stee was dismissed due to poor results. Even though the team relegated at the end of the season, Kalezić was confirmed as head coach for the new season, in which he led the promptly bounce back into the Eredivisie by claiming the 2009–10 Eerste Divisie title.^[4] He saved the team from relegation in 2010–11, leaving the club at the end of the season.

In June 2011, Kalezić was announced as new head coach of Belgian Pro League club Zulte Waregem. On 27 December 2011, Kalezić was fired with Zulte Waregem in 14th place and two places above relegation.

On 24 January 2013, Kalezić was announced as manager of Stockport County.^[5] Kalezić held this position until 20 March 2013 at which point he left the club via mutual consent.^[6]

Ahead of the 2013–14 season, Kalezić was appointed manager of Jong PSV, the reserve side of PSV Eindhoven, for their first season in the Eerste Divisie. Jong PSV finished the 2013–14 Eerste Divisie in 10th place. Kalezić guided the Jong PSV to a 14th-place finish in the 2014/15 Eerste Divisie.

On 11 June 2015, Kalezić was appointed manager of newly promoted Roda JC on a two-year contract.^[7] Roda JC finished 14th, 5 points above relegation, on their return to the Eredivisie. Kalezić was sacked on 10 May 2016 after making critical comments against the club's technical director, Ton Caanen.^[8]

On 2 June 2016, Kalezić was appointed as manager of Saudi club Al-Taawoun.^[9] Kalezić was sacked on 15 October 2016 after five league games in charge.^[10]

On 7 June 2017, Kalezić was announced as manager of A-League club Wellington Phoenix.^[11] On 1 March 2018, Wellington Phoenix announced that Kalezić would be departing the club at the end of the season after they were not able to come to an agreement on how the club proceeds forward for the next season.^[12] A further announcement on 8 March 2018 confirmed he was leaving the club, with a caretaker manager to see out the remainder of the season.

In June 2020, Kalezić was appointed new head coach of Dutch Eerste Divisie club MVV Maastricht. He signed a two-year contract.^[13] Kalezić has ensured the reconstruction of MVV Maastricht, after a bad first half of the season MVV Maastricht just missed out on play-offs in the second half of the season.

On 28 May 2021, Kalezić was appointed new head coach of Dutch Eerste Divisie club Jong FC Utrecht. He signed a three-year contract. Kalezić left Jong FC Utrecht at 12 June in 2023.^[14]

On 29 June 2023, Kalezić was appointed as new head coach of Dutch Eerste Divisie club ADO Den Haag. He signed a two-year contract.^[15]

Kalezić's father is from Montenegro and his mother is from Sanski Most, Bosnia and Herzegovina. His parents were guest workers in Switzerland when he was born, but they moved back to the Balkans, settling in Mostar when Darije was a child.

As of match played on 13 Dec 2024

Managerial record by team and tenure

Team	From	To	Record
			G	W	D	L	Win %
De Graafschap	25 February 2009	30 June 2011	88	39	22	27	044.3
Zulte Waregem	1 July 2011	27 December 2011	21	3	9	9	014.3
Stockport County	24 January 2013	19 March 2013	12	3	2	7	025.0
Jong PSV	1 July 2013	30 June 2015	76	26	22	28	034.2
Roda JC Kerkrade	1 July 2015	30 June 2016	38	11	10	17	028.9
Al-Taawoun	1 July 2016	15 October 2016	7	2	1	4	028.6
Wellington Phoenix	7 June 2017	8 March 2018	21	4	5	12	019.0
PSM Makassar	2 February 2019	16 December 2019	53	24	7	22	045.3
MVV Maastricht	1 July 2020	30 June 2021	39	13	7	19	033.3
Jong FC Utrecht	1 July 2021	28 June 2023	75	18	12	45	024.0
ADO Den Haag	29 June 2023	Present	66	28	20	18	042.4
Career total			496	171	117	208	034.5

De Graafschap

• Eerste Divisie: 2009–10

PSM Makassar

• Piala Indonesia: 2018–19