Meho Kodro

Mehmed "Meho" Kodro (born 12 January 1967) is a Bosnian professional football manager and former player who played as a forward.

Kodro started playing professionally at Velež Mostar, making his first team debut in 1985. He spent most of his 16-year senior career in Spain, playing for Real Sociedad, Barcelona, Tenerife and Alavés, amassing La Liga totals of 263 matches and 105 goals. Kodro finished his career at Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2001. He possessed good technical skills, and was equally adept in the air.

After retiring, Kodro started a managerial career. He had a short stint as manager of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team in 2008. He then worked as a youth coach at Real Sociedad, before managing Real Sociedad B. Kodro managed Bosnian Premier League side Sarajevo, and later also managed Swiss clubs Servette and Stade Lausanne Ouchy. In August 2023, he again took over as manager of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but was sacked by the end of September.

Club career
Born in Mostar, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia, Kodro's professional debut occurred in 1985 at the age of 18 with hometown club Velež. He appeared in only 14 Yugoslav First League games in his first two years but eventually became a starter, scoring a total of 31 goals in his last two full seasons and helping his team win the 1986 edition of the Yugoslav Cup – he did not play in the final against Dinamo Zagreb however – and three consecutive top-three finishes.

When the Yugoslav Wars began, Kodro migrated to Spain – after scoring five goals in only five matches in the last edition of the Yugoslavian championship – where he spent the vast majority of his remaining career. He first played with Real Sociedad of San Sebastián, always netting in double digits for the Basques, including 23 in the 1993–94 season and a career-best 25 in the following year (including a hat-trick in the Basque derby) and finishing second in the Pichichi Trophy race to Real Madrid's Iván Zamorano.

Kodro was purchased by Barcelona in the 1995 off-season, starting throughout most of the campaign but only managing nine La Liga goals for the Catalans, including two in the El Clásico against Real Madrid (3–0 home win). After Barça came out empty in silverware, manager Johan Cruyff – who insisted on his signing – was dismissed and the player also left Camp Nou, signing with Tenerife where he played three seasons, notably contributing two goals from eight appearances in the side's semi-final run in the UEFA Cup. In the 1998–99 season, for the only time in his career, he failed to find the net and his team suffered top-flight relegation.

Kodro returned to the Basque region in the summer of 1999, joining Alavés on loan for the 1999–2000 campaign. He retired from football the following year after one year in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv.

International career
Kodro earned two caps for Yugoslavia, his debut coming on 4 September 1991 in a 4–3 friendly loss against Sweden. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, he played 13 times with Bosnia and Herzegovina, appearing in six 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification games and scoring in a 2–1 away victory over Slovenia.

Managerial career
Kodro started working as a manager in 2006, being assistant to José Mari Bakero at former club Real Sociedad. On 5 January 2008, he was appointed head coach of Bosnia and Herzegovina, accepting the job after the Football Association met his conditions, which were to allow him to continue living in San Sebastián and to guarantee him full independence in football matters. However, things quickly went sour; Kodro led the side in two friendlies before refusing to take charge of the team for a game against Iran scheduled for 26 May in Tehran, arranged by the Association without his knowledge; as a result, he was sacked on 17 May.

In the summer of 2008, Kodro was appointed manager of the Real Sociedad Cantera youth sides. He remained in the post for two years when he was promoted to B-team duties, as they competed in Segunda División B.

In the following years, Kodro was in charge of Sarajevo in the Bosnian Premier League and Swiss Super League club Servette. On 4 June 2020, he signed as the new manager of Stade Lausanne Ouchy in the latter country's Challenge League.

In August 2023, Kodro returned to managing the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team. He was victorious in his first game back as the team beat Liechtenstein in a UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying match on 8 September 2023. Following a defeat to Iceland three days later however, greatly limiting Bosnia and Herzegovina's chances to qualify directly for UEFA Euro 2024, Kodro was sacked as manager on 21 September.

Personal life
Kodro's son, Kenan, is also a professional footballer and a forward. He was coached by his father at Real Sociedad B for two years. They became the first son and father to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina internationally.

International goals

 * Scores and results list Bosnia and Herzegovina's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kodro goal.

Player
Velež Mostar
 * Yugoslav Cup: 1985–86

Maccabi Tel Aviv
 * Israel State Cup: 2000–01

Individual
 * Bosnian Footballer of the Year: 1996, 1997