Ardian Kozniku

Ardian Kozniku (born 27 October 1967) is a Kosovan-Croatian professional football coach and former player who most recently was the assistant manager of Al Faisaly.

Ardian Kozniku
Personal information
Date of birth (1967-10-27) 27 October 1967
Place of birth Đakovica, AP Kosovo, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
0000–1988 Vëllaznimi
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1988–1990 Priština 58 (17)
1990–1994 Hajduk Split 98 (44)
1994–1996 Cannes 55 (20)
1996–1997 Le Havre 30 (6)
1997–1998 APOEL 11 (12)
1998 Bastia 12 (5)
1998–2000 Croatia Zagreb 28 (5)
2000–2001 Kärnten 7 (0)
2001–2002 Hrvatski Dragovoljac 11 (2)
Total 310 (111)
International career
1993–2002 Kosovo 2 (0)
1994–1998 Croatia 7 (2)
Managerial career
2014–2015 Shkëndija
2016–2017 Vrapče (youth coach)
2017–2018 Rudeš U19
2018–2019 Croatia U19 (assistant)
2018–2020 Lokomotiva (youth coach)
2021 Al-Arabi (assistant)
2022-2023 Al Faisaly (assistant)
Medal record
Representing  Croatia
Bronze medal – third placeFIFA World Cup1998
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

Club

He started his career at Vëllaznimi from Gjakova and was later picked up by Prishtina. He moved to Croatian side Hajduk Split in 1990 and played there until 1994, scoring 90 goals in 169 games in all competitions for them.[1] He then went on to play for French clubs Cannes, Le Havre and Bastia, as well as Cypriot side APOEL, before making his comeback to Croatia in the summer of 1998, signing with Croatia Zagreb. After two and a half seasons at the club, he made a move to Austrian side Kärnten in the winter break of the 2000–01 season and left the club after only six months for Croatian side Hrvatski Dragovoljac, where he finished his career in 2002.

With Hajduk Split, he was the top goalscorer of the opening season of the Prva HNL in 1992, scoring 12 goals. He scored a total of 45 goals in the league.

International

He was an occasional member of the Croatia national team in the 1990s, making seven international caps and scoring two goals. He made his international debut in a friendly match against Slovakia in April 1994 and also made three appearances in Croatia's qualifying campaign for the UEFA Euro 1996, scoring one goal. He was a member of Croatia's bronze medal-winning squad at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, but was left an unused substitute in all of the team's seven matches at the tournament. His last match for Croatia was a friendly against Australia in early June 1998, during the team's preparations for the upcoming World Cup, where he also netted one goal in his team's 7–0 victory.[2]

He also played for Kosovo in unofficial friendly matches against Albania on 14 February 1993 and again on 7 September 2002 against Albania.[3][4]

Managerial career

In September 2014 Kozniku became a coach of Shkëndija.[5] In May 2021, he assisted Ante Miše to the Kuwaiti league title with Al-Arabi.[6] He later assisted Miše at Saudi Arabian side Al Faisaly FC.[7]

Diving Federation

Kozniku has served two years as the president of the Croatian Diving Federation.[8] His daughter Diana (born 1995[9]), a diver, placed 11th in 1 m springboard at the 2010 European Aquatics Championships.[8]

International goals
Scores and results list Croatia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kozniku goal.
List of international goals scored by Ardian Kozniku
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 9 October 1994 Maksimir, Zagreb, Croatia  Lithuania 2–0 2–0 Euro 1996 Qualifying
2 6 June 1998 Maksimir, Zagreb, Croatia  Australia 6–0 7–0 Friendly

Honours
Hajduk Split
Cannes
Croatia Zagreb
Kärnten
Orders

Notes
a.   ^ Albanian spelling: Ardian Kozniku, Serbian spelling: Ardijan Kozniku, Ардијан Кознику.

References
  1. ‘Kakav sam bio igrač, takav sam i trener – uporan i željan znanja do iznemoglosti’ - Dnevno (in Croatian)
  2. "Player Database". EU-football. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  3. 1993 MATCHES at RSSSF
  4. Kosovo v Albania (2002) at National football teams
  5. "Ардијан Кознику – нов тренер на Шкендија". Ekipa.mk. 4 September 2014. Archived from the original on 5 September 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  6. OSVOJENA KUVAJTSKA TITULA MIŠE I KOZNIKU DOVELI AL ARABI DO NASLOVA NAKON 19 GODINA ČEKANJA - Croatia FF
  7. Bivši napadač Dinama i Hajduka pomoćnik je Anti Miši u Al-Faisalyju, u Saudijskoj Arabiji - Sportske Jutarnji (in Croatian)
  8. "Diana Kozniku: Skakačko čudo s nogometnim genima (VIDEO)". Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  9. Zadnja, Branko (25 May 2011). "Za juniorsko prvenstvo u skokovima u vodu trenira pet sati dnevno" (in Croatian). tportal.hr. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  10. "PREDSJEDNIK TUDJMAN ODLIKOVAO HRVATSKU NOGOMETNU REPREZENTACIJU" (in Croatian). hrt.hr.
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