Ivica Tucak


Ivica Tucak is a Croatian professional water polo coach and former player who is currently the head coach for the senior Croatia men's national water polo team. Winning the gold medal at the 2017 World Championship, silver medal at the 2015 World Championship and the 2016 Summer Olympics, and the bronze medal at the 2018 European Championship, he has been the most successful coach of the Croatia national team since independence.

Playing career

Tucak started his professional playing career in 1985 with the junior team of his hometown club VK Šibenik, where he also played with the famous Croatian player, Perica Bukić, in the senior team.
In 1988 he signed with Belgrade-based club Crvena zvezda. In 1990 he left the club and went to Italy, where he had played for the following clubs: Palermo, Genoa and Milan.
In 1999 he came back to his hometown, but left it in 2002, signing with Zagreb-based club :hr:Vaterpolski klub Medveščak Zagreb|VK Medveščak.
Before he retired from playing professional water polo, he again signed for Šibenik and played there until 2005.
During his professional career, he was not a member of the senior Croatia men's national water polo team.

Coaching career

Club coaching

Tucak started his head coaching career with his hometown club VK Šibenik, leading it to the LEN Euro Cup final in 2007.
In 2010 he was named a head coach of the Montenegrin First League club PVK Jadran. He won two Adriatic Leagues with the Herceg Novi-based team.

National team coaching

Tucak also worked as a head coach for the junior men's Croatia national team along Veselin Đuho, winning the bronze medal at the 2008 European Championship and the gold medal at the 2009 World Championship.
Before was appointed the head coach in September 2012, Tucak worked as an assistant coach to Ratko Rudić, in the senior Croatia men's national water polo team. With Croatia, he won the 2017 World Championship.

Personal life

Born in Šibenik, Tucak married his wife Marijana, with whom he had a daughter Tena who died tragically in June 2005, at his hometown.
He graduated from the water polo at the Zagreb Faculty of Kinesiology in 2013, where his mentor was the famous Croatian water polo player, Dubravko Šimenc. In 2009 City of Šibenik, awarded him for Best Trainer award.
He is nominated for ever more Best Trainer award of the world by FINA, in December 2017.

Honours

Head coach

VK Šibenik NCP
PVK Jadran