The Croatian coach has retained Tomislav Marić, Gojko Mrčela, Ivan Kelava and Ivan Štefanić, ensuring continuity in several important areas of the first-team operation. They will be joined by Tomislav Žitković, Mateo Matić and Kristijan Polovanec, all of whom have previously worked with Leko at different stages of his coaching career.
The appointments follow a remarkable opening week for the former Dinamo midfielder, whose initial two-match assignment produced victories against Sunderland in the UEFA Europa League and Varaždin in the Croatian championship. Those results convinced president Zvonimir Boban to offer Leko a contract until the end of the 2026/27 campaign, with an option to extend the agreement.
Rather than introducing an entirely new technical team, Leko has opted for a balanced approach designed to maintain established working relationships while incorporating coaches who understand his methods and expectations. The decision could prove important as Dinamo attempt to sustain their improved performances during a demanding domestic and European schedule.
Four Coaches Remain From the Previous Staff
Continuity has been an important consideration in Leko's appointments, particularly given the limited time available to implement changes following Mario Kovačević's departure. Four members of the previous coaching team will remain at Maksimir, allowing the new manager to benefit from their familiarity with the squad and existing training routines.
Tomislav Marić will continue working with Dinamo's attacking players. The former Croatian international brings extensive experience from a playing career that included spells in German football with VfL Wolfsburg, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Stuttgart. Following his retirement, he developed a coaching career involving work in Germany, Slovakia and Dinamo's youth academy.
His responsibilities will focus on improving the technical and tactical performance of the team's forwards, including their movement, finishing and decision-making in attacking situations. With players such as Dion Drena Beljo playing important roles in Dinamo's recent victories, specialist attacking coaching could become particularly valuable.
Goalkeeping responsibilities will remain with Gojko Mrčela and Ivan Kelava. Mrčela joined Dinamo in 2023 after extensive experience working at Rijeka, while Kelava previously represented the Zagreb club as a goalkeeper before beginning his coaching career.
Their continued involvement provides stability for Dinamo's goalkeeping department, allowing the players to maintain established routines during the transition between head coaches.
Ivan Štefanić completes the group of retained coaches. He will continue working on physical preparation, drawing on experience gained in Croatian football and overseas appointments, including roles in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
For Leko, keeping these four specialists reduces the disruption associated with changing managers during the season. Their knowledge of the players and existing structure will help preserve continuity while allowing the coaching staff to introduce adjustments gradually.
Žitković and Matić Reunite With Leko
Two of Leko's new assistants are familiar colleagues who have worked alongside him at different clubs and age levels. Tomislav Žitković and Mateo Matić have followed important stages of his coaching development, making their inclusion a natural part of the new technical structure.
Žitković will serve as one of Leko's principal assistant coaches, contributing to tactical preparation, training sessions and the day-to-day organisation of the first team. Their professional relationship developed during Leko's period at Jarun and continued through his work within Dinamo's youth and reserve-team structure.
The two coaches also collaborated during Dinamo's successful Under-19 campaign, when the squad secured the Croatian youth league and cup double. That experience provided a foundation for understanding the club's development system and establishing shared coaching principles.
Matić will join Štefanić in overseeing physical preparation. He previously worked with Leko at Lokomotiva, Jarun and Dinamo, gaining experience in preparing players for different competitive demands.
The involvement of two fitness specialists is especially relevant given Dinamo's demanding schedule. Competing in the Croatian championship and Europa League requires careful management of training intensity, physical recovery and player availability.
Leko's previous working relationships with Žitković and Matić could also help accelerate the implementation of his ideas. Coaches who already understand one another's methods can communicate more efficiently, particularly when preparing teams during short periods between matches.
By bringing both colleagues into the senior setup, Leko has reinforced the coaching structure with people he trusts while retaining specialists who already understand the first-team environment.
Polovanec Takes Charge of Defensive Development
The most notable new addition is Kristijan Polovanec, a former Dinamo player and experienced Croatian coach who will focus primarily on defensive development.
Polovanec previously played as a left-back, representing several Croatian clubs, including Dinamo Zagreb, Varteks, Istra and Inter Zaprešić. His playing career also included a spell in France with Libourne, providing experience in different football environments before he moved into coaching.
Following his retirement, Polovanec worked in youth development and senior coaching, including a recent spell in charge of Vukovar 1991. His departure from that position preceded his appointment to Dinamo's first-team staff.
His professional relationship with Leko dates back to the beginning of the new Dinamo manager's coaching career. That familiarity was one of the main reasons behind the decision to bring him to Maksimir.
Polovanec's responsibilities will centre on improving the performance of Dinamo's defensive players, although he will also contribute to other aspects of the team's preparation.
The appointment comes at an important moment because Dinamo have experienced defensive difficulties during the season, particularly in European competition. Problems with concentration, transitions and maintaining organisation under pressure have contributed to several disappointing results.
Leko's first two matches provided evidence of improvement, especially during the 2–0 victory against Sunderland, when Dinamo successfully defended their advantage despite considerable second-half pressure.
However, maintaining that standard over a longer period will require continued work on defensive positioning, communication and collective responsibility. Polovanec's appointment gives the coaching staff a dedicated specialist to support those objectives.
A Coaching Structure Built Around Specialist Responsibilities
Leko's seven-member staff provides clearly defined responsibilities across several important areas of first-team preparation. While the head coach retains overall responsibility for tactical decisions and team selection, his assistants will support different aspects of player development and match preparation.
The structure reflects an increasingly common approach in professional football, where specialised coaching roles allow individual players and positional groups to receive more focused attention.
The emphasis on specialist coaching could be particularly beneficial for a squad containing established internationals and younger players at different stages of their careers.
Attacking players can work with Marić on movement and finishing, while defenders receive specific guidance from Polovanec. Meanwhile, the two goalkeeping coaches and two fitness specialists can concentrate on individual preparation and recovery.
Žitković will support Leko's overall tactical work, helping coordinate the various elements of training and match preparation.
The effectiveness of the structure will ultimately depend on cooperation between its members. Clear responsibilities are valuable, but the staff must also ensure that training objectives remain consistent and that players receive coherent tactical instructions.
Maintaining Dinamo's Momentum After Two Victories
The coaching staff announcement follows a particularly encouraging period for Dinamo, whose performances have improved since Leko replaced Mario Kovačević.
The 2–0 victory against Sunderland demonstrated the team's attacking potential and renewed defensive determination. Luka Stojković scored a spectacular opening goal before providing the assist for Dion Drena Beljo, while the visitors successfully protected their advantage during a difficult second half.
The subsequent 3–1 victory over Varaždin provided another important test. Dinamo conceded first but responded through Stojković, Beljo and Miha Zajc, demonstrating greater confidence and resilience.
Those performances convinced president Zvonimir Boban that Leko deserved the opportunity to continue leading the team. At the coach's official presentation, Boban praised the renewed energy and fighting spirit within the squad, stressing that the club would provide full support as Leko attempts to maintain those improvements.
Dinamo Zagreb
The international break now gives the new coaching team an opportunity to assess the squad more closely and introduce additional training principles.
Although several players will be unavailable because of national team commitments, Leko and his assistants can use the period to evaluate individual performances, improve tactical coordination and prepare for the demanding fixtures ahead.
One of the most important challenges will be maintaining the motivation that accompanied the managerial change. Dinamo's improved performances have restored confidence, but the team must now demonstrate that the positive momentum can continue over several months.
A New Chapter for Dinamo's Technical Team
Dinamo's decision to retain four existing coaches and introduce three familiar collaborators reflects an attempt to balance stability with improvement.
Rather than replacing the entire technical structure after Kovačević's departure, Leko has chosen to preserve expertise in areas where continuity could be beneficial while introducing people who understand his preferred methods.
The arrangement also demonstrates the importance of professional relationships in coaching. Žitković, Matić and Polovanec have all previously worked with Leko, creating a foundation of mutual understanding that could help the staff adapt quickly to the demands of managing Dinamo.
For the Croatian champions, the immediate objective is straightforward: continue winning matches while establishing a more consistent playing identity. Achieving that goal will require improvements in defensive organisation, effective squad rotation and continued development of attacking players.
Leko's initial results have created optimism, but the coming months will determine whether the new coaching structure can deliver sustained progress in both domestic and European competition.
Jerko Leko's seven-member coaching staff represents an important step in Dinamo Zagreb's efforts to build on their recent revival. By retaining four specialists from the previous setup and adding three trusted colleagues, the new head coach has created a structure designed to combine familiarity, tactical development and individual attention. With clearly defined responsibilities and the club's leadership providing support, Dinamo now have an opportunity to transform an encouraging start into a more consistent and successful period at Maksimir.
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