Nikola Tkalčić

Nikola Tkalčić (born 3 December 1989 in Zagreb) is a Croatian football defender who plays for NK Varteks. He started his senior career in 2008 with NK Varteks, which changed its name to Varaždin during his tenure, before folding in 2015 (no relation to his current club).

Nikola Tkalčić
Personal information
Date of birth (1989-12-03) 3 December 1989
Place of birth Zagreb, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Right back
Club information
Current team
 Varaždin
Number 30
Youth career
1997–1999 NK Sloga Konjščina
1999–2008 NK Varteks
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2011 Varteks / Varaždin 37 (1)
2008–2009 → Sloboda Varaždin (loan)
2011–2017 Norrköping 106 (8)
2018 Sarpsborg 08 0 (0)
2018 → Aalesund (loan) 13 (0)
2019 Jönköpings Södra 8 (0)
2019– Varaždin (2012) 14 (0)
National team
2008 Croatia U19 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10:27, 11 January 2020 (UTC)

Career

Tkalčić started his football career in his native Konjščina, playing for the local football club NK Sloga Konjščina.[1] At the age of 10 he moved to the Varteks academy.[2] During his first senior season he was loaned out to their fourth-tier feeder team Sloboda Varaždin, which emerged as champions of their league, before returning to Varteks to play in the top-tier Prva HNL.[3]

A first-team regular in the 2009/2010 season, Tkalčić was sidelined for a large part of the 2010/2011 season after rupturing his frontal cruciate ligaments in the first game of the season, returning only in March 2011.[4]

Tkalčić moved to the Swedish team IFK Norrköping on the last day of the 2011 summer transfer window, missing all but two of the remaining matches of the 2011 season, the first and the last. He stated Armin Tanković was of great help for him while he was adapting to life in Sweden.[5] His following three seasons at the club would be marked by ups and downs, partly due to injury problems. He played both as full-back and winger during this period. In the 2015 season, however, Tkalčić missed only 4 matches and was a regular in the side that became the 2015 Allsvenskan champions.[6] During that period, he was IFK Norrköping's fastest player[7] and had the strongest shot with his right foot.[8] In 2016, he was thought of as the most underestimated player of the Allsvenskan.[9][10]

Transferring to Sarpsborg 08 FF, he only featured in three cup matches and fared somewhat better during a loan to Aalesund in late 2018.[11] On 28 February 2019, Tkalčić left Sarpsborg 08 by mutual consent.[12] On 17 May, he then signed a contract with Jönköpings Södra IF until 30 November 2019 after a trial at the club.[13]

International career

Tkalčić was capped once for the Croatia U19 team in a 16.4.2008 friendly with Hungary U19, coming in the 59th minute of the 1–0 away win for Ivan Tomečak.[14]

Personal life

Tkalčić is an avid fan of fishing[15] and plays tennis for recreation.[16]

References
  1. Lacković, Elvis (20 August 2013). "Limači varaždina osvojili 11. "Dečec kup"". Zagorski List, no. 509. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  2. Tkalčić: Trebalo se riješiti straha at Sportnet.hr
  3. Nikola Tkalčić preko Švedske do hrvatske reprezentacije at eVaraždin
  4. Tkalčić: Trebalo se riješiti straha at Sportnet.hr
  5. Nikola Tkalčić preko Švedske do hrvatske reprezentacije at eVaraždin
  6. Nikola Tkalčić at IFK Norrköping official site
  7. Nicola Tkalčić at svenskafans.com
  8. Nikola Tkalčić at IFK Norrköping official site
  9. Allsvenskans mest underskattade slog till igen – nu vill han stanna: ”Känner mig bekväm här” at fotbolldirekt.se
  10. Nicola Tkalčić at svenskafans.com
  11. Nikola Tkalčić at the Norwegian Football Federation (in Norwegian)
  12. NIKOLA TKALCIC FERDIG I SARPSBORG 08, sarpsborg08.no, 28 February 2019
  13. NIKOLA TKALCIC ANSLUTER TILL JÖNKÖPINGS SÖDRA IF, jonkopingssodra.se, 17 May 2019
  14. Nikola Tkalčić at Croatian Football Federation official site
  15. Tkalčić: Trebalo se riješiti straha at Sportnet.hr
  16. Nikola Tkalčić at IFK Norrköping official site
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