Ante Vitaić
Ante Vitaić (born 7 June 1982) is a former Croatian football player and current coach of NK Omiš. He is well known for his passing skills, overview and intelligence on the pitch.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 7 June 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Split, Yugoslavia | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Playing position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Omiš (manager) | ||
| Number | 23 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Orkan Dugi Rat | |||
| –2001 | Hajduk Split | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2001–2005 | Hajduk Split | 0 | (0) |
| 2001–2004 | → Mosor (loan) | ? | (?) |
| 2005–2008 | Osijek | 59 | (6) |
| 2008 | HamKam | 10 | (4) |
| 2009–2014 | RNK Split | 100 | (23) |
| 2014– | Dugopolje | 23 | (7) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16 August 2014 | |||
Career
Hailing from Dugi Rat Ante, along with his identical twin brother Frane went through the ranks of HNK Hajduk Split before being sent out on loan to NK Mosor where they would remain for the following four years. A good start of the 2004/2005 season in the Druga HNL side, when he scored 7 goals in 16 matches got him a new contract with Hajduk and he rejoined the first team. Vitaić made his debut in the 1–0 away cup loss against NK Zagreb,[1] which would prove to be his only cap for the club. Not wishing to be loaned back to Druga HNL, the brothers annulled their contracts and joined NK Osijek.
Vitaić spent the following three years in Osijek, the highlight of his career being his goal from distance in the last, 95th minute of the 1–0 win against his former club in 2006.[2]
In 2008 Vitaić joined the Norwegian side HamKam, but returned to Croatia after the club was relegated. He joined RNK Split, then in Treća HNL, achieving back to back promotions with them, first to Druga HNL, and then, in 2010 to Prva HNL, remaining a fixture in the club in the following seasons as well.