Stipe Ukich (NK Istra | Croatia)

I'll leave the club for one of the Mods to insert once it's confirmed, but no surprise the destination is Croatia.

Stipe Ukich will join Istra 1961 on January 3rd, 2025, the day he turns 18. The New Zealand U20 international arrives from Auckland City with 6 goals and 1 assist in 31 games.

His grandfather was from Korčula. Big potential. 🇭🇷🇳🇿🇹🇭 https://t.co/e6e6Ihak3X pic.twitter.com/2SxzljBseM

— Croatian Football Scout 2 🇭🇷 (@crotalentscout2) December 30, 2024

If that's correct, he's joining one of the weakest sides in the Croatian top tier.
NK Istra 1961:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NK_Istra_1961
8th last season in the ten team top flight.
(10th placed team is relegated)
Have finished 9th, thus narrowly avoiding relegation, in seven of the last ten seasons.
The club has had Basque (Spanish) ownership since 2018.
A lot of managerial instability as the club has struggled to stay up since their last promotion from the second tier in 2004.
They have had eleven different managers in the last six and a half years!
They will soon be on their twelfth.
Their Italian manager left just days ago to coach Yverdon in the Swiss Super League.
Currently they are under an interim manager.
League is currently on it's mid-winter break - Istra's next match is 26 Jan. (NZT)
Although only a ten team league, the league has a crazy 36 match season (finishing in May).
Are currently at the half-way mark (18 matches played).
2 W 5D 3L in their last ten games leaves them eighth on the table.

Dobro došao u zeleno žutu obitelj Stipe Ukich! 💪
Sportski direktor Saša Bjelanović 🗣️:

“Stipe je izuzetno talentiran mladi krilni napadač. Bez obzira na svoju mladu dob, Stipe već duže igra na razini seniorskog nogometa, a ujedno je i član mladih reprezentacija Novog Zelanda. pic.twitter.com/UZDUPG66ZU

— NK Istra 1961 (@NKIstra1961) January 3, 2025

Guess the mods can probably update the club now. Good to see him make his move to Europe.

Big year for the lad too. Will forego a club world cup with Auckland City, but you'd imagine he'd be in the NZ squad for the U20's as they head to Chile for the U20 World Cup.

The club has an official English Facebook page which makes things easier:
https://www.facebook.com/NKIstra1961Pula/
 

January 3 at 11:57 PM
  ·

| WELCOME |
Welcome to the green and yellow family Stipe Ukich! 
Sports director Saša Bjelanović:
"Stipe is an extremely talented young wing striker, of Croatian roots. Despite his young age, Stipe has been playing at the senior football level for a long time, and is also a member of the New Zealand youth national teams.
We are glad that Stipe recognized in Istria 1961 a club that will help him enrich his talent and help in football development.
Stipe signed a contract with us until 2028. years.”
Good luck in the new jersey and happy birthday Stipe! 

                             ____________________________________________
New coach just appointed - Gonzalo Garcia who previously coached Istra 2021-2023.
 (NK Istra are Spanish-owned and mostly appoint Spanish coaches)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonzalo_Garc%C3%ADa_(footballer,_born_1983)
Uruguayan-born Spanish youth international and Real Madrid youth product who ended up playing mostly in Holland and Greece.
Spent one season as manager of FC Twente in the Eredivisie 2019-20.
Was appointed in May 2024 and sacked as manager of FC Arouca in the Portuguese top flight in October after struggling to win any games.

After doing some digging, I think Ukich is just the second male Kiwi to play in Croatia. The only other player I could find was Auckland born and former NZ U23 player Daniel Saric, who moved to Auckland City after starting his club career with NK Primorac who at the time were in the Prva NL, Croatia's second tier.
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/daniel-saric/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/218455

Not sure if any women have ever played in Croatia though.

A decent number of other current and former Kiwi footballers who are of Croatian descent, all of whom never played in Croatia:

Let me know if I've missed anyone or anything.

HattyCW

After doing some digging, I think Ukich is just the second male Kiwi to play in Croatia. The only other player I could find was Auckland born and former NZ U23 player Daniel Saric, who moved to Auckland City after starting his club career with NK Primorac who at the time were in the Prva NL, Croatia's second tier.
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/daniel-saric/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/218455

Not sure if any women have ever played in Croatia though.

A decent number of other current and former Kiwi footballers who are of Croatian descent, all of whom never played in Croatia:

• Marinovic (now in Germany's fifth tier)
• Vicelich
• Zoricich
• Urlovic
• Erceg
• Laus

Let me know if I've missed anyone or anything.

Adam Mitchell.

Played in Serbia however.

HattyCW

After doing some digging, I think Ukich is just the second male Kiwi to play in Croatia. The only other player I could find was Auckland born and former NZ U23 player Daniel Saric, who moved to Auckland City after starting his club career with NK Primorac who at the time were in the Prva NL, Croatia's second tier.
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/daniel-saric/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/218455

Not sure if any women have ever played in Croatia though.

A decent number of other current and former Kiwi footballers who are of Croatian descent, all of whom never played in Croatia:

• Marinovic (now in Germany's fifth tier)
• Vicelich
• Zoricich
• Urlovic
• Erceg
• Laus

Let me know if I've missed anyone or anything.

Mario Bilen can probably be considered a Kiwi now after being here a dozen years.
Born in Croatia and played more than 100 games games in their top flight and second tier for HNK Cibalia, NK Dilj, NK Hrvatski Drogovaljac, NK Slaven Belupo, HNK Vukovar ’91, and NK Nehaj. 

There were whispers about Auckland FC being keen on him but Ukich’s plan always seems to have been to try and go straight to Europe. His paternal grandfather was born in Croatia (his mother’s side of the family are Thai, while his dad was born in NZ as was Stipe) which always helps matters. Heaps of kiwi footballers have used their dual heritage to that cause in recent years and here’s another example. 

He did trial with Lokomotiva Zagreb earlier in the year but no deal was forthcoming, apparently due to Auckland City’s compensation demands (which, honestly, is fair enough), although he couldn’t go pro until 18 anyway.  

NKI sporting director Saša Bjelanović: “Stipe is an extremely talented young winger, of Croatian roots. Despite his young age, Stipe has already been playing senior football for a long time and is also a member of the young national teams of New Zealand. We are delighted that Stipe recognised in Istria 1961 a club that will help him refine his talent and aid in football development. Stipe has signed a contract with us until 2028”

NK Istra have been a top flight club for the last fifteen years yet they’ve only once finished in the top five in all that time. Usually they’re hovering around eighth or ninth in the ten-team division. But, credit where it’s due because they also keep not getting relegated. This season they’re sitting eighth at the winter break with 19 points from 18 games, three points clear of the lone relegation spot.

They just sacked Italian manager Paolo Tramezzani so Ukich will be stepping into a fresh slate. He’s one of a couple of winter signings that they’ve already announced in order to strengthen the squad. Seems a good possibility that he’s straight into the first team picture... doesn’t really make sense for this team to be stacking youth prospects while they’re going hand-to-mouth trying not to get relegated. One thing at a time. For now this is simply a great move for one of our best emerging ballers. This one’s massive.

Niche Cache. Season restarts end of Jan in Croatia.

It hasn’t taken long for Stipe Ukich to get up and running in Croatia. He’d only been there a few days when he got half an hour off the bench in a winter break friendly against Maribor (Slovenia). He was wearing the #25 jersey and it appeared they chucked him out on the right wing. Maribor won the match 2-1 but the goal that Istra scored came while Ukich was on the pitch.  

coochiee

Niche Cache. Season restarts end of Jan in Croatia.

It hasn’t taken long for Stipe Ukich to get up and running in Croatia. He’d only been there a few days when he got half an hour off the bench in a winter break friendly against Maribor (Slovenia). He was wearing the #25 jersey and it appeared they chucked him out on the right wing. Maribor won the match 2-1 but the goal that Istra scored came while Ukich was on the pitch.  

For those with good memories, the AWs played in Maribor in our final lead up game to the 2010 WC. 

This game was the last time Jeremy Christie was seen as good enough to be a regular AW (ignoring his random call up and start against Mexico 3 years later).

Football in Croatia restarts this weekend, and Istra (8th) with a tough game away to league heavyweight Dinamo Zagreb (3rd). Hopefully Ukich gets some mins for Istra, it would be quite the debut.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/01/25/croatia/1-hnl/nk-dinamo-zagreb/nk-istra-1961-pula/4361867/

Dinamo I think have won the last 7 Croatian league titles. They have a UCL tie against AC Milan next week, and lost at Arsenal 3-0 this morning.

Know squat about football in Croatia, but given how their national team does bloody well for a small country, I imagine their academies, development pathways, and coaching sytems are high class.

coochiee

Football in Croatia restarts this weekend, and Istra (8th) with a tough game away to league heavyweight Dinamo Zagreb (3rd). Hopefully Ukich gets some mins for Istra, it would be quite the debut.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/01/25/croatia/1-hnl/nk-dinamo-zagreb/nk-istra-1961-pula/4361867/

Dinamo I think have won the last 7 Croatian league titles. They have a UCL tie against AC Milan next week, and lost at Arsenal 3-0 this morning.

Know squat about football in Croatia, but given how their national team does bloody well for a small country, I imagine their academies, development pathways, and coaching sytems are high class.

Not to mention their diaspora being super loyal.

Istra (8th) travel to Dinamo Zagreb (3rd)

Istra lose 3-1. No Ukich. That includes the 12 man bench.
I guess realistically at age 18, and just arrived he's some way off being ready to feature??

Istra (8th) host HNK Gorica (10th)

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/01/31/croatia/1-hnl/nk-istra-1961-pula/nk-gorica/4361874/

0-0 draw no Ukich

Mods can you fix his name pls, should be Stipe Ukich, not Skipe

I remember some more of the ex-Central players like Paul Vodanovich, Daniel Koprivcic (born in Croatia), Miroslav Major (also born in Croatia), Nick Farac and Jeff Keskic too. Again, pretty sure none of them played in Croatia though.

Istra (8th) travel to Rijeka (1st) 

Upset 1-0 win for Istra. No Ukich.

Istra (7th) host league leaders Hajduk Split

No Ukich. Aussie Anthony Kalik (ex SFC & CCM) on the bench for Split.

Game a 1-1 draw.

Istra (8th) travel to Slaven Koprivnica (6th)

0-0 draw. Still no Ukich

Ukich started for Istra U19 in a 1-1 draw against Gorica on the weekend, first appearance in the team for him.

According to Sofascore, he was playing as the lone striker and got a yellow.

https://www.sofascore.com/football/match/hnk-gorica-u19-nk-istra-1961-u19/DjmbsYOCc#id:12681675

Season over in Croatia. Istra finished 6th.
Ukich didn't make any senior match day squads from what I can see.
Would a loan deal to Auckland for a season make some sense?

Next for him some time with the U20s in Chile.


Rijeka won the Croatian league, finishing on the same points & GD as Dinamo Zagreb. Both with 65 pts & GD +28.

Rijeka crowned champs with a superior hed to head record, for only their 2nd ever title.
https://www.croatiaweek.com/rijeka-crowned-new-croatian-champions-in-dramatic-final-day-decider/ 

Niche Cache. 

NK Istra have been training in Slovenia ahead of the new Croatian season. Stipe Ukich isn’t part of that squad though, instead he’s hung back to focus on his place with the reserve team. 

Loaned out to local club NK Uljanik Pula in the Croatian third tier, along with quite a few other Istra prospects. Made three appearances so far, all from the bench - three wins as Uljanik sit second of sixteen

Niche Cache.
Ukich has been in the last two senior Istra match day squads, Croatian top flight.

You see that #25 on the bench? New Zealand U20 World Cup rep Stipe Ukich, previously seen tearing up the National League as a 17yo, winning the Jack Batty Medal for player of the day in the 2024 Chatham Cup final, moved to Croatia (where his father’s side of the family is from) basically as soon as he turned 18yo and was eligible to sign an overseas professional contract. That was in January 2025.

Since then he’s almost exclusively played for the U19s team there however back in August he made a senior debut as a late substitute in a cup game and more recently he’s been listed on the bench for the past two league games. He’s getting closer and closer.

NK Istra are currently sitting fifth in the Croatian top division, only two points off third which would mean European qualifiers. There are three more games before the month-long winter break.

Istra (6th) travel to (9th)

https://us.soccerway.com/game/istra-1961-hCg2iHl4/osijek-448T3rTI/?mid=dMQg3RfE

Ukich an unused sub as Istra win 5-1. 
Could have been the type of game to give him a 5 min debut cameo you'd almost think.

There were 12 subs named, so realistically he may still be a way off playing for the first team.

Istra host Rijeka

Game at 1-1 then abandoned due to fog.
Ukich not in the match day squad.

Tonight, Istra travel to Varazdin.

https://us.soccerway.com/game/istra-1961-hCg2iHl4/varazdin-Wv0GNPrm/?mid=xKOQihhU

No Ukich as Istra win 3-1.

Football in Croatia restarts. Istra (4th) travel to Hajduk Split (2nd).

https://us.soccerway.com/game/hajduk-split-2w5qgpq0/istra-1961-hCg2iHl4/?mid=lCXHOYMi

No Ukich as Istra win 2-1 to go 3rd