| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1969-11-01)1 November 1969 (age 56) | ||
| Place of birth | Pfäffikon, Switzerland | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | TSC (head coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1982–1985 | Mladost Doboj Kakanj | ||
| 1985–1991 | Lokomotiva Mostar | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1991–1992 | Velež Mostar | 15 | (1) |
| 1992–1994 | Neretva | 24 | (3) |
| 1994–1995 | Den Bosch | 22 | (0) |
| 1995–2002 | RKC Waalwijk | 120 | (5) |
| 2002–2003 | Velež Mostar | 32 | (1) |
| 2003–2004 | AGOVV | 32 | (2) |
| 2004–2006 | De Graafschap | 25 | (2) |
| Total | 270 | (14) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2009–2011 | De Graafschap | ||
| 2011 | Zulte Waregem | ||
| 2013 | Stockport County | ||
| 2013–2015 | Jong PSV | ||
| 2015–2016 | Roda JC | ||
| 2016 | Al-Taawoun | ||
| 2017–2018 | Wellington Phoenix | ||
| 2019 | PSM Makassar | ||
| 2020–2021 | MVV Maastricht | ||
| 2021–2023 | Jong FC Utrecht | ||
| 2023–2025 | ADO Den Haag | ||
| 2025 | TSC | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Darije Kalezić (born 1 November 1969) is a Dutch/Bosnian footballmanager and former professional player, currently serving as head coach ofTSC.
Kalezić was born inPfäffikon,Switzerland. He started his career still in Yugoslavia, then Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he played for 4th tierFK Lokomotiva Mostar when sports directorVahid Halilhodžić brought him toVelež Mostar.[1] When theBosnian War broke out, he left Mostar and earned a contract with Croatian sideNK Neretva and played for them during theCroatian War of Independence.[2] He fled war-torn Croatia for theNetherlands in 1994 and as player being member ofFC Den Bosch,RKC Waalwijk,AGOVV Apeldoorn,[3] andDe Graafschap. He retired in 2006, atDe Graafschap.
Kalezić's father is fromMontenegro and his mother is fromSanski Most,Bosnia and Herzegovina. His parents were guest workers in Switzerland when he was born, but they moved back to the Balkans, settling in Mostar when Darije was a child.
After his retirement from football as a player, Kalezić accepted to stay atDe Graafschap as a reserve/youth team coach from 2006 to 2008, and later on being promoted asassistant coach.[4]
On 25 February 2009, he was appointed interim manager ofDe Graafschap after previous managerHenk van Stee was dismissed due to poor results. Even though the team relegated at the end of the season, Kalezić was confirmed as head coach for the new season, in which he led the promptly bounce back into theEredivisie by claiming the2009–10 Eerste Divisie title.[4] He saved the team from relegation in 2010–11, leaving the club at the end of the season.
In June 2011, Kalezić was announced as new head coach ofBelgian Pro League clubZulte Waregem. On 27 December 2011, Kalezić was fired withZulte Waregem in 14th place and two places above relegation.
On 24 January 2013, Kalezić was announced as manager ofStockport County.[5] Kalezić held this position until 20 March 2013 at which point he left the club via mutual consent.[6]
Ahead of the 2013–14 season, Kalezić was appointed manager ofJong PSV, the reserve side ofPSV Eindhoven, for their first season in theEerste Divisie.Jong PSV finished the2013–14 Eerste Divisie in 10th place. Kalezić guided theJong PSV to a 14th-place finish in the2014/15 Eerste Divisie..
On 11 June 2015, Kalezić was appointed manager of newly promotedRoda JC on a two-year contract.[7]Roda JC finished 14th, 5 points above relegation, on their return to theEredivisie. Kalezić was sacked on 10 May 2016 after making critical comments against the club's technical director,Ton Caanen.[8]
On 2 June 2016, Kalezić was appointed as manager of Saudi clubAl-Taawoun.[9] Kalezić was sacked on 15 October 2016 after five league games in charge.[10]
On 7 June 2017, Kalezić was announced as manager ofA-League clubWellington Phoenix.[11] On 1 March 2018, Wellington Phoenix announced that Kalezić would be departing the club at the end of the season after they were not able to come to an agreement on how the club proceeds forward for the next season.[12] A further announcement on 8 March 2018 confirmed he was leaving the club.
In June 2020, Kalezić was appointed new head coach of DutchEerste Divisie clubMVV Maastricht. He signed a two-year contract.[13]Kalezić has ensured the reconstruction ofMVV Maastricht.
On 28 May 2021, Kalezić was appointed new head coach of DutchEerste Divisie clubJong FC Utrecht. He signed a three-year contract. Kalezić leftJong FC Utrecht in June 2023.[14]
On 29 June 2023, Kalezić was appointed as new head coach of DutchEerste Divisie clubADO Den Haag. He signed a two-year contract.[15] After his contract expired, Darije left the club in 2025.[16]
On 16 June 2025, Kalezić was appointed as the new head coach of Serbian clubFK TSC. He signed a two-year contract.
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| FK TSC | 1 July 2025 | 4 November 2025 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 026.7 |
| ADO Den Haag | 1 July 2023 | 30 June 2025 | 87 | 41 | 23 | 23 | 047.1 |
| Jong FC Utrecht | 1 July 2021 | 30 June 2023 | 75 | 18 | 12 | 45 | 024.0 |
| MVV Maastricht | 1 July 2020 | 30 June 2021 | 39 | 13 | 7 | 19 | 033.3 |
| PSM Makassar | 2 February 2019 | 16 December 2019 | 53 | 24 | 7 | 22 | 045.3 |
| Wellington Phoenix | 7 June 2017 | 8 March 2018 | 21 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 019.0 |
| Al-Taawoun | 1 July 2016 | 15 October 2016 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 028.6 |
| Roda JC Kerkrade | 1 July 2015 | 30 June 2016 | 38 | 11 | 10 | 17 | 028.9 |
| Jong PSV | 1 July 2013 | 30 June 2015 | 76 | 26 | 22 | 28 | 034.2 |
| Stockport County | 24 January 2013 | 19 March 2013 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 025.0 |
| Zulte Waregem | 1 July 2011 | 27 December 2011 | 21 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 014.3 |
| De Graafschap | 25 February 2009 | 30 June 2011 | 92 | 42 | 23 | 27 | 045.7 |
| Career total | 532 | 189 | 123 | 220 | 035.5 | ||
Neretva
De Graafschap
PSM Makassar
Individual
