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Lazo Džepina

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Lazo Džepina
Džepina in 2010
Personal information
Full name Lazo Džepina
Date of birth (1966-10-27) October 27, 1966 (age 58)
Place of birth Knin, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1985–1990 Dinara
1990–1995 Rad
1996–2000 Borac Banja Luka
2005 Hamilton Thunder
Managerial career
2010 Dinara
2010–2011 Brantford Galaxy
2011–2016 SC Waterloo Region
2022–2024 Dinara
2024– NK Janjevo Kistanje
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Lazo Džepina (Serbian Cyrillic: Лазо Џепина; born October 27, 1966) is a Croatian Serb businessman, football manager, and former football player.

His playing career initially began with Dinara, and later in the First League of FR Yugoslavia with Rad. He received his first piece of silverware in the First League of the Republika Srpska with Borac Banja Luka by winning the Republika Srpska Cup. His playing career concluded abroad in 2005 in Canada.

After retiring from professional football he transitioned to the managerial side by managing his former club Dinara in 2010. After a season in Croatia, he returned to the Canadian circuit to manage Brantford Galaxy, where he led the team to a CSL Championship. In 2011, he was relieved from his coaching duties at Brantford and was involved with the expansion franchise SC Waterloo Region. His involvement with Waterloo included coaching responsibilities and financial shares in the club. He led Waterloo to their first and his second championship title in 2013.

Club career

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Europe

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Džepina began his career with his hometown club Dinara.[1] In 1990, he signed with Rad of the First League of FR Yugoslavia and played with Borac Banja Luka where he won the Republika Srpska Cup.[2]

Canada

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In 2005, Džepina played abroad in the Canadian Professional Soccer League with the Hamilton Thunder.[3][4] In his debut season in the Canadian circuit, he helped Hamilton secure the divisional title.[5] Their playoff journey concluded in the semifinal round after a defeat by the Oakville Blue Devils.[5]

Managerial career

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Croatia

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After he retired from professional football, he managed NK Dinara in 2010.[6]

Brantford Galaxy

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He returned to the Canadian circuit in 2010 to manage the expansion franchise Brantford Galaxy in the Canadian Soccer League.[7][8] In preparation for the 2010 season, Džepina recruited several European players to Brantford.[9] The acquisition of European imports contributed to the club securing a playoff berth by finishing seventh in the league's first division.[10] In the opening round of the postseason, Brantford defeated the Serbian White Eagles in a two-game series.[11] Following their victory over the Serbs, the Galaxy would defeat Portugal FC in the semifinals.[12] Džepina led Brantford to their first championship success by defeating Hamilton Croatia in the finals.[13]

The following season he continued in the capacity as head coach.[14] However, after a mediocre start to the season, Džepina was dismissed from his post.[15]

Waterloo Region

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In 2012, Kitchener Waterloo United FC was promoted to the CSL's first division, and the team was renamed SC Waterloo Region with Džepina becoming a shareholder in the organization.[16] The managerial responsibilities were assigned to Džepina who pursued a policy of European recruitment.[16] In his first season with Waterloo, he failed to secure the final postseason berth by two points.[17]

Džepina would lead Waterloo to a playoff berth in 2013 by finishing fifth in the first division.[18] Their opponents in the opening round of the playoffs were Brampton City United where they advanced to the next round.[19] In the next round, Waterloo defeated Toronto Croatia in a penalty shootout to qualify for the championship.[20] Waterloo would claim the championship title after defeating Kingston FC.[21][22] Throughout the 2013 campaign, Džepina also managed Waterloo's reserve team in the league's second division and led the team to the championship title.[23]

In 2014, Waterloo secured another playoff berth by finishing seventh.[24] However, they failed to defend their championship title after an early defeat to Toronto Croatia in the quarterfinal round.[25] Džepina led Waterloo to their third consecutive playoff berth by finishing fourth in the 2015 season.[26] Waterloo reached the championship finals where they were defeated by the Croats.[27]

Croatia

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Džepina returned to manage his former club Dinara in 2022 in the Croatian regional circuit.[28] In the early winter of 2024, he left Dinara.[29] After his departure from Dinara, he was named the manager for NK Janjevo Kistanje.[30]

Honours

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Player

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Borac Banja Luka

Hamilton Thunder

Manager

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Brantford Galaxy
SC Waterloo Region

SC Waterloo Region II

References

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  1. ^ "Sport". golubickodknina.com. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  2. ^ a b Basara, Slavko (12 November 2010). "Lazo Džepina prigrlio titulu" [Lazo Zepina embraced the title]. glassrpske.com (in Serbian). Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  3. ^ "2005 Hamilton Thunder roster". cpsl.org. Archived from the original on 25 December 2005. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  4. ^ Moko, Larry (4 June 2005). "They're ready to rumble; Hamilton Thunder boss says 'We're the team to beat' as new soccer season looms". Hamilton Spectator. pp. SP08.
  5. ^ a b c Borusas, Alge (11 October 2005). "Thunder's season ends with storms; Now we can get organized, says manager Ferguson". The Hamilton Spectator. pp. SP07.
  6. ^ Fabulić, Čedo (15 April 2010). "Devet pogodaka Marka Perića, sedam Ivana Šarlije - Zadarski list" [Nine goals by Marko Perić, seven by Ivan Šarlija]. www.zadarskilist.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  7. ^ Smiley, Brian (6 May 2010). "Lazo is in charge". Brantford Expositor. Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  8. ^ Kodžoman, Žarko. "Vratili se Kanađani!" [The Canadians are back!] (PDF). Sinjsko novine.
  9. ^ "Galaxy imports ready to go". The Hamilton Spectator. 5 May 2010. ISSN 1189-9417. Archived from the original on 16 November 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  10. ^ Smiley, Brian (12 October 2010). "Brantford Galaxy reserves never say die in 7-0 loss". Brantford Expositor. pp. B1.
  11. ^ Smiley, Brian (19 October 2010). "Galaxy's dream season continues". Brantford Expositor. pp. B1.
  12. ^ "Galaxy in CSL Final". Brantford Expositor. 23 October 2010.
  13. ^ a b O'Leary, Ed (1 November 2010). "Galaxy title out of this world". Brantford Expositor. Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  14. ^ Smiley, Brian (9 April 2011). "Galaxy putting together pieces for new season". Brantford Expositor. pp. B1.
  15. ^ Smiley, Brian (9 July 2011). "Galaxy show coach red card". Brantford Expositor. Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  16. ^ a b "SC Waterloo Region joins Canadian Soccer League first division". Metro News. 3 May 2012. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  17. ^ "SC goes out winning". Waterloo Region Record. 9 October 2012. pp. D3.
  18. ^ "Stars reach .500 level with shutout victory; St. Clair 6-0 in women's OCAA fastball". Windsor Star. 23 September 2013. pp. B3.
  19. ^ "SC Waterloo advance to semifinals". Waterloo Region Record. 15 October 2013.
  20. ^ Bryson, Mark (1 November 2013). "SC Waterloo seeks double championship: Local squad's 'B' team faces Toronto Croatia reserves for the CSL second division title". Waterloo Region Record. pp. C10.
  21. ^ a b "Sports - In brief". Brantford Expositor. November 5, 2013. p. B2.
  22. ^ "SC Waterloo grabs CSL title". Waterloo Region Record. 4 November 2013.
  23. ^ a b Adamson, Stan (16 November 2018). "Import Players for a Brighter Canadian Soccer League". canadiansoccerleague.ca. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  24. ^ "Croatia set for quarter-final against Waterloo". The Mississauga News. 8 October 2014.
  25. ^ "SC Waterloo out of playoffs". Waterloo Region Record. 15 October 2014. pp. C9.
  26. ^ "Toronto Croatia reaches second straight CSL final". The Mississauga News. 21 October 2015.
  27. ^ a b Adamson, Stan (26 October 2015). "Toronto Croatia Win a Squeaker for CSL Championship...Milton score Second Division victory". Canadian Soccer League. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  28. ^ "Dinara i DOŠK u polufinalu Županijskog kupa" [Dinara and DOŠK in the semifinals of the County Cup]. dalmatinskinogomet.hr (in Croatian). 17 March 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  29. ^ "Dinara promijenila trenera" [Dinara changed her coach]. dalmatinskinogomet.hr (in Croatian). 13 January 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  30. ^ "Dinara i DOŠK u polufinalu Županijskog kupa" [Dinara and DOŠK in the semifinals of the County Cup]. dalmatinskinogomet.hr (in Croatian). 13 March 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
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