Full name Ante "Mile" Nakić | ||
Born January 8, 1942 (age 75) ( 1942-01-08 ) Šibenik, Croatia | ||
Ante "Mile" Nakić (born January 8, 1942) is a former water polo player and a distinguished water polo coach from Croatia. He was head coach of Yugoslavia men's national water polo team (1983–1984) and Greece men's national water polo team (1992–1995). At club level, he successfully coached -most notably- Olympiacos, Glyfada and VK Šibenik. He is the father of the renown basketball player Franko Nakić.
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Playing career
As a player, Nakić played for ten years (1957–1967) for his hometown team VK Šibenik (Solaris Šibenik at the time).
Coaching career
After his retirement, Nakić became head coach of VK Šibenik for 9 years (1968–1977). He then moved to Greece to coach Olympiacos (1978–1979). In 1980–81 he coached Biograd, as well as the junior national team of Yugoslavia. His work earned him the position of head coach of Yugoslavia men's national water polo team in 1983. He resigned in spring 1984, just two months before the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and he was replaced by Ratko Rudić. Yugoslavia went on to win the Olympic Gold Medal.
In 1984–85 he coached Chios and the next season (1985–86) he returned to Olympiacos for his second tenure at the club as coach. In 1986 he became head coach of Glyfada and led the club to 4 Greek Championships (1986, 1987, 1989, 1990) and 3 Greek Cups (1986, 1987, 1989). From 1992 to 1995 he was appointed head coach of Greece men's national water polo team. After his stint in the Greek National Team, he returned to Olympiacos for his third tenure in the club and coached the Reds to 2 Greek Championships (1995, 1996). He also coached Chalkida (1998–1999), Iran men's national water polo team (2001, 2002–2004), Al-Qadisiyah in Saudi Arabia (2002, 2009–2010) and Slovakia men's national water polo team (2005–2006, 2007–2008).