Ivica Šurjak


Ivan "Ivica" Šurjak is a Croatian former professional football midfielder. He was the driving force behind the success of Hajduk Split as it became a force in the Yugoslav First League in the 1970s. He started his career as a left back, but with time learned total football, according to which all players can, during the ebb and flow of the match, slot into every position as needed.
He played 54 games for the Yugoslavia national team. He continued his career at Paris Saint-Germain and Udinese, but turned down offers by the New York Cosmos and Real Madrid. He concluded his playing career in Spain at Real Zaragoza.
He served as a sports director at Hajduk Split of the Croatian First Football League from 1999 to 2003.

Speedboat incident

In July 1999, Šurjak killed a swimmer while driving a speedboat near the coast of Trogir. The swimmer, Miroslav Didak, died a few days after the accident, while in a coma in the intensive care unit of the Firule hospital. Šurjak was subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing.

Accomplishments