Srđan Baljak

Srđan Baljak (Serbian Cyrillic: Срђан Баљак; born 25 November 1978) is a Serbian former professional footballer who played as a striker.

Srđan Baljak
Baljak with MSV Duisburg in 2012
Personal information
Full name Srđan Baljak
Date of birth (1978-11-25) 25 November 1978
Place of birth Sremska Mitrovica, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
Partizan
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–2002 Partizan 1 (0)
1997–1999 → Teleoptik (loan) 29 (9)
2000 → Radnički Kragujevac (loan) 15 (0)
2000–2001 → Teleoptik (loan) 34 (16)
2002 → Budućnost Banatski Dvor (loan) 21 (20)
2002 Consadole Sapporo 13 (3)
2003–2006 Budućnost Banatski Dvor 66 (33)
2005 → Olimpik Bakı (loan) 10 (3)
2006–2007 Banat Zrenjanin 30 (18)
2007–2009 Mainz 05 58 (17)
2010–2013 MSV Duisburg 73 (17)
2013–2014 Wormatia Worms 19 (1)
2014–2017 Schott Mainz 57 (19)
Total 426 (156)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Born in Sremska Mitrovica, Baljak made his senior debut at Teleoptik, before being promoted to Partizan. He recorded one league appearance with the Crno-beli during the 1999–2000 season. Baljak also appeared as a substitute in a 0–1 away loss to Leeds United in the second leg of the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup first round.[1] He was subsequently sent on a six-month loan to Radnički Kragujevac in the 2000 winter transfer window, but failed to make an impact.

In June 2002, Baljak moved abroad for the first time and signed with Japanese club Consadole Sapporo. He made 13 league appearances and scored three goals in the remainder of the 2002 campaign,[2] but failed to help them avoid relegation from the top flight.

In the 2003 summer transfer window, Baljak returned to his homeland and rejoined Budućnost Banatski Dvor, after the club won promotion to the First League for the first time in its history. They eventually suffered relegation from the top flight in their debut season.[3] Simultaneously, the club surprisingly reached the Serbia and Montenegro Cup final,[4] thus securing a spot in the 2004–05 UEFA Cup.

While playing for Banat Zrenjanin, Baljak became the Serbian SuperLiga top scorer with 18 goals in the 2006–07 season,[5] thus saving the club from relegation. He also helped the side reach the Serbian Cup semi-final that year, being eliminated by Vojvodina.

In June 2007, Baljak moved to Germany and signed with Mainz 05 on a three-year deal.[6] He was their second-highest scorer in the 2008–09 2. Bundesliga with 11 goals, as they earned promotion to the Bundesliga. After making his debut in the top flight of German football, receiving limited playing time, Baljak was transferred to MSV Duisburg in January 2010.[7] He was named the team's captain ahead of the 2010–11 campaign,[8] leading the side to the DFB-Pokal final that season.

In July 2013, Baljak signed with Wormatia Worms on a free transfer.[9] He left the club after only one season and joined Schott Mainz.[10] In April 2017, it was revealed that Baljak would be retiring at the end of the season.[11]

Statistics
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Partizan 1998–99 00000000
1999–2000 10001020
2000–01 00000000
2001–02 00000000
Total 10001020
Radnički Kragujevac (loan) 1999–2000 15010—160
Consadole Sapporo 2002 133—133
Budućnost Banatski Dvor 2003–04 177—177
2004–05 3824204024
2005–06 11200—112
Total 663300206833
Olimpik Bakı (loan) 2005–06 103—103
Banat Zrenjanin 2006–07 301841—3419
Mainz 05 2007–08 23610—246
2008–09 311140—3511
2009–10 4000—40
Total 581750—6317
MSV Duisburg 2009–10 17600—176
2010–11 25941—2910
2011–12 8000—80
2012–13 23210—242
Total 731751—7818
Wormatia Worms 2013–14 19100—191
Schott Mainz 2014–15 20600—206
2015–16 23700—237
2016–17 14600—146
Total 571900—5719
Career total 34211115230360113

Honours

Club
Budućnost Banatski Dvor
MSV Duisburg
Schott Mainz

Individual

References
  1. "Huckerby seals it for Leeds". bbc.co.uk. 30 September 1999. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  2. "Baljak Srdjan". soccer-db.net. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  3. "Serbia and Montenegro 2003/04". RSSSF. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  4. "Humska u crveno-belom" (in Serbian). glas-javnosti.rs. 13 May 2004. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  5. "Baljak, ipak, najbolji strelac lige" (in Serbian). b92.net. 3 June 2007. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  6. "Mainz verpflichtet Stürmer Baljak aus Serbien" (in German). espnfc.com. 20 June 2007. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  7. "MSV verpflichtet Srdjan Baljak von Mainz 05" (in German). msv-duisburg.de. 6 January 2010. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  8. "Srdjan Baljak ist der neue Kapitän" (in German). msv-duisburg.de. 11 August 2010. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  9. "Transfercoup: Wormatia Worms verpflichtet Srdjan Baljak vom MSV Duisburg" (in German). nibelungen-kurier.de. 26 July 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  10. "Srdjan Baljak" (in German). fupa.net. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  11. "Baljak macht Schluss" (in German). sportausmainz.de. 24 April 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
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