Tomislav Piplica
Bosnian football manager (born 1969)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tomislav Piplica (born 5 April 1969) is a Bosnian football manager who formerly played as goalkeeper. His nickname is "Pipi" and he is considered to be a cult-goalkeeper, in Germany as well as in Bosnia and Herzegovina.[1]
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Piplica in 2022 | |||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 5 April 1969 | ||||||||||
| Place of birth | Bugojno, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia | ||||||||||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||
| Position | Goalkeeper | ||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||
| Iskra Bugojno | |||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||
| 1981–1989 | Iskra Bugojno | ||||||||||
| 1989–1991 | NK Zagreb | ||||||||||
| 1991–1992 | Istra | 15 | (0) | ||||||||
| 1993–1997 | Segesta | 115 | (4) | ||||||||
| 1997–1998 | Samobor | 14 | (0) | ||||||||
| 1998–2009 | Energie Cottbus | 248 | (0) | ||||||||
| 2012–2015 | FC Eilenburg | 28 | (0) | ||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||
| 1987 | Yugoslavia U20 | ||||||||||
| 2001–2002 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 8 | (0) | ||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||
| 2009–2011 | Energie Cottbus (gk coach/scout) | ||||||||||
| 2010–2014 | Bosnia and Herzegovina (gk coach) | ||||||||||
| 2012–2013 | FC Eilenburg (Co-Manager) | ||||||||||
| 2012 | → Hartenfels Torgau 04 (Interim) | ||||||||||
| 2013–2015 | FC Eilenburg | ||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | FSV Wacker 90 Nordhausen | ||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | SpVgg Bayreuth II | ||||||||||
| 2024 | 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig (caretaker) | ||||||||||
Medal record
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| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||
Playing career
Club
Piplica has played in his career for NK Iskra Bugojno, NK Zagreb, NK Istra 1961, HNK Segesta, NK Samobor and FC Energie Cottbus.[1][2]
He is famous not only as a cult-goalkeeper.[1] but also for well known goalkeeping blunders.[3] He is especially well remembered for his own goal against Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2002, in which he appeared to head the ball into his own net, after standing rooted to his line.[4] In this particular game Energie Cottbus was leading 3–2, but with four minutes to go, Piplica's howler leveled the game at 3–3, and it finished that way.
Nevertheless, Piplica has a cult status with Energie fans, who nicknamed him "Pipi", and for the club president Ulrich Lepsch who claims that he was always special with special status in Cottbus.[1]
He is also remembered for saving a penalty against legendary Bayern Munich goalkeeper Oliver Kahn in 2002. Bayern was leading 6-0 against Cottbus when Bayern was awarded a penalty. Kahn stepped up and attempted to score the first ever goal of his career but he was denied by Piplica and later retired without a scored goal.[5]
Until the end of 2012, Piplica held the post of sports director of SC Hartenfels Torgau 04 and he also helped as a coach.[6] On 9 November 2012, Piplica announced at the age of 43 years his playing comeback as a goalkeeper in the sixth division side FC Eilenburg,[7] as their goalkeeper had broken his arm in an accident.
International
As a teenager Piplica was part of the Yugoslavian squad that won the 1987 FIFA Under-20 World Cup. However, as a backup goalkeeper to Dragoje Leković, he didn't get a single minute of action throughout the six matches.
Piplica made his senior debut for Bosnia and Herzegovina in a March 2001 World Cup qualification match against Austria in Sarajevo and has earned a total of 8 caps. His final international was an August 2002 friendly match against Serbia and Montenegro.[8]
Coaching career
After retiring he was named as scout and goalkeeper coach of his last club FC Energie Cottbus on 24 June 2009.[9] On 12 February 2010, he was additionally named as the new goalkeeper coach of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team.[10] On 15 October 2013, Bosnia and Herzegovina qualified for FIFA World Cup 2014.
On 5 January 2010, Piplica received his UEFA Pro Licence in Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina's educational facility in Jablanica, Bosnia and Herzegovina.[11]
Besides Bosnia, as a head coach, he coached FC Eilenburg, SC Hartenfels Torgau 04, FSV Wacker 90 Nordhausen as well as the reserves of SpVgg Bayreuth.[12] He also worked as a youth team coach at Carl Zeiss Jena.[13] In February 2024, he became caretaker manager of 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig.[14]
Personal life
He holds dual Bosnian and Croatian citizenship. His son Zak Paulo Piplica is footballer and plays for 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig.[15]
Honours
Player
Iskra Bugojno
- Yugoslav Second League (West): 1983–84
- Mitropa Cup: 1984–85
Zagreb
Yugoslavia Youth
