Željko Aničić
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Željko Aničić | ||
| Date of birth | 1 January 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | Belgrade, Serbia | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003 | Pietà Hotspurs | ||
| 2005–2006 | Lija Athletic | ||
| 2006–2009 | Jeepers | ||
| 2008 | Scandals Bar (loan) | ||
| 2009–2010 | White Eagles | ||
| 2010–2014 | Balzan | ||
| 2014–2016 | Lija Athletic | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 2015–2019 | Malta (assistant) | ||
| 2017– | Luxol (assistant) | ||
| 2019–2023 | Malta | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Željko Aničić (Serbian Cyrillic: Жељко Аничић, pronounced [/ʒêʎko ǎnitʃitɕ/]; born in 1977) is a Serbian-Maltese futsal coach and former player who played as a forward, currently a free agent. He last served as head coach of the Malta national futsal team but left the position in August 2023 was replaced by a Romanian coach Gabriel Dobre.[1]
Club career
Football career
After a spell in North Macedonia, Aničić had a trial with Pietà Hotspurs in 2003.[2][3][4] In the 2005–06 Maltese First Division he played for Lija Athletic, which was relegated to the Second Division.[5][6][7][8]
Futsal career
Between 2006 and 2009, with a brief loan spell with Scandals in 2008, Aničić was a member of Jeepers. During this period, the Santa Venera side achieved its greatest success, winning the league title in the 2006–07 season[9][10] and finishing as runners-up in the 2008–09 season. In his first season with the club, Aničić won the Best Futsal Player Award, finishing ahead of Mark Sullivan (Amazon Pago) and Antoine Spiteri (Demons).[11]
The following season, now as a member of White Eagles, Aničić came close to winning the award for Best Futsal Player, finishing second behind his compatriot and eventual winner Aleksandar Ribić.[12][13][14]
Aničić's most successful period was from 2012 to 2014, when he was a member of Balzan and won the 2013–14 title, as well as two consecutive cup victories in 2013 and 2014. He was also on the squad that participated in the 2014-15 UEFA Futsal Cup. On 29 August 2012, Leotar's futsal department (Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina) defeated Balzan 9–1 in the 2012–13 UEFA Futsal Cup preliminary round. The following day, Balzan lost 3–0 to Lexmax Chișinău of Moldova.[15]
After leaving Balzan, Aničić spent two seasons with Lija.[16][17]
Coaching career
Prior to being appointed head coach of the Malta national futsal team in 2019,[18] he had served as assistant to Peter Pullicino[19] and Vic Hermans since 2015.[20]
Personal life
Aničić is the younger brother of Dragan Aničić, a Serbian football manager who managed several clubs in Serbia and Montenegro.
References
- ^ "Gabriel Dobre to serve as interim futsal national team head coach". MaltaFootball.com. Malta Football. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ "Ogbodo, Njoku released by Marsaxlokk". Times of Malta. 22 January 2003. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ "Portuguese striker for Pietà's Italy training camp". Times of Malta. 22 January 2003. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ "FIFA rules in favour of Pietà Hotspurs". Times of Malta. 22 January 2003. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ "St Patrick in safer waters". Times of Malta. 19 May 2006. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ "Last-gasp winner lifts Mqabba". Times of Malta. 19 April 2006. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ "Rainbows held by eight-man Saints as Lija stun Senglea". Times of Malta. 19 March 2006. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ "Mqabba strengthen promotion push". Times of Malta. 19 July 2006. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ "Jeepers Handyman Centre won the 2006/07 MFA Futsal Championship Playoffs". Futsal Planet. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ "MFA Futsal Championships – Jeepers Handyman Centre crowned champions". Malta Football Archive. August 2007. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ "Malta Football Archive – June 2007 News". Malta Football Archive. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ "Car manufacturer sponsors Futsal champions". Times of Malta. 18 January 2003. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ "Shaun Bajada wins Footballer of the Year Award". maltafootball.com. Antoine Busuttil. 16 July 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ "Finalists for the ninth edition of the Melita Malta Football Awards announced". MaltaFootball.com. Antoine Busuttil. 26 May 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ "Balzan Futsal's UEFA Futsal Cup adventure comes to an end". MaltaFootball.com. 10 August 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ "Mellieħa join Lija for promotion to top flight". Times of Malta. 3 June 2007. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ "Futsal: Leaders Luxol register largest win". MaltaFootball.com. 2 February 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ "Hermans leaves post as Malta futsal coach". Malta Football Association. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
- ^ "Peter Pullicino appointed national futsal coach". MaltaFootball.com. 25 August 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
- ^ "Futsal Malta cautiously optimistic ahead of Armenia test". Malta Football Association. Retrieved 24 November 2025.