Abdulah Gegić (Serbian Cyrillic: Абдулах Гегић, Turkish: Abdullah Gegiç; 19 March 1924 – 21 June 2008) was a Yugoslav football manager and player.[1]

Abdulah Gegić
Personal information
Date of birth (1924-03-19)19 March 1924
Place of birth Novi Pazar, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
Date of death 21 June 2008(2008-06-21) (aged 84)
Place of death Novi Sad, Serbia
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1947 Metalac Beograd 2 (0)
1948–1952 Mačva Šabac 58 (1)
1953 Sarajevo 8 (0)
Total 68 (1)
Managerial career
1961–1963 Bor
1963 Radnički Niš
1963–1965 Sarajevo
1965 Yugoslavia (co-manager)
1965–1966 Partizan
1966–1967 Fenerbahçe
1967–1971 Eskişehirspor
1969 Turkey
1971–1972 Sarajevo
1972–1973 Beşiktaş
1973–1974 Adana Demirspor
1974–1975 Bursaspor
1975–1976 Fenerbahçe
1976 Adanaspor
1977–1978 Eskişehirspor
1978–1979 Samsunspor
1979 Diyarbakırspor
1980–1981 Sloga Kraljevo
1983 Eskişehirspor
1984–1985 Novi Sad
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

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Following World War II, Gegić played for Metalac Beograd in the inaugural Yugoslav First League season. He later spent four years with Mačva Šabac (initially known as Podrinje), helping the club earn promotion to the top flight for the first time ever. Before retiring, Gegić also briefly played for Sarajevo.[2]

Managerial career

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After hanging up his boots, Gegić started his managerial career at Deževa. He spent several years as manager of his hometown club before joining Bor in the summer of 1961. Gegić later took charge of Yugoslav First League side Radnički Niš in the second part of the 1962–63 season.[3] He left the club over the summer and took charge of league rivals Sarajevo. During his two years at Koševo, Gegić enjoyed success with the team in the top flight, leading them to a runner-up finish in 1964–65.[4]

Following his breakthrough season at Sarajevo, Gegić was appointed as manager of Partizan, the reigning Yugoslav champions. He guided them to the 1965–66 European Cup final, eventually losing 2–1 to Real Madrid.[5] Shortly following the loss, Gegić left the club and went to Turkey, becoming manager of Fenerbahçe.[6]

Between 1967 and 1971, Gegić served as manager of Eskişehirspor, finishing as runners-up in two consecutive seasons (1968–69 and 1969–70) and winning the Turkish Cup in 1970–71.[7] He subsequently returned to Yugoslavia for his second stint as manager of Sarajevo, but went back to Turkey the following year and took charge of Beşiktaş. Throughout the rest of the 1970s, Gegić was also manager of Adana Demirspor, Bursaspor, Adanaspor, Samsunspor, and Diyarbakırspor.[8]

Personal life

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Gegić and his wife welcomed their first son the day before the 1966 European Cup final and named him Brisel in honor of the event's host city.[9]

In January 1977, Gegić was granted Turkish citizenship together with his wife.[10]

Gegić died on 21 June 2008, at the age of 84, 17 days after suffering a stroke.[11]

Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League
Division Apps Goals
Metalac Beograd 1946–47 Yugoslav First League 2 0
Mačva Šabac 1948–49[12] Yugoslav Second League 16 1
1950 Yugoslav Second League 14 0
1951 Yugoslav First League 18 0
1952 Yugoslav First League 10 0
Total 58 1
Sarajevo 1953–54 Yugoslav First League 8 0
Career total 68 1

Honours

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Partizan

Fenerbahçe

Eskişehirspor

References

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  1. ^ "Fudbalska gromada Novog Pazara" (in Serbian). danas.rs. 6 August 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Abdulah Gegić" (in Bosnian). bordovremeplov.ba. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  3. ^ "1962/63: ПОМРАЧЕЊЕ СВЕСТИ ДРАГОСЛАВА ШЕКУЛАРЦА НА ЧАИРУ!" (in Serbian). gacikdesign.com. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Abdulah Gegić" (in Bosnian). bordovremeplov.ba. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Pre tačno 55 godina odigrano finale KEŠ Real – Partizan (VIDEO)" (in Serbian). zurnal.rs. 11 May 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Abdullah Gegic" (in Turkish). mackolik.com. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Altın yıllar ve kupalar" (in Turkish). anadolugazetesi.com. 2 July 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Diyarbakırspor'un Başında Bir Efsane" (in Turkish). diyarbakirsoz.com. 15 April 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  9. ^ "NOVOSAĐANI: Čovek koji je dobio ime po fudbalskoj utakmici" (in Serbian). mojnovisad.com. 23 May 2018. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  10. ^ "Milliyet - 13 Ocak 1977" (in Turkish). milliyet.com.tr. 13 January 1977. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  11. ^ "IN MEMORIAM: Abdulah Gegić" (in Serbian). mondo.rs. 21 June 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  12. ^ "1948-49". historical-lineups.com. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
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