Robert Koren facts for kids
Koren playing for Hull City
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 20 September 1980 | ||
| Place of birth | Radlje ob Dravi, SR Slovenia, SFR Yugoslavia | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Radlje | |||
| Dravograd | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1996–2001 | Dravograd | 129 | (17) |
| 2001–2004 | Celje | 79 | (22) |
| 2004–2007 | Lillestrøm | 75 | (19) |
| 2007–2010 | West Bromwich Albion | 126 | (16) |
| 2010–2014 | Hull City | 143 | (28) |
| 2014–2016 | Melbourne City | 24 | (3) |
| 2017 | Dravograd | 7 | (0) |
| Total | 583 | (105) | |
| International career | |||
| 1998 | Slovenia U18 | 9 | (1) |
| 2000 | Slovenia U20 | 3 | (0) |
| 2000–2001 | Slovenia U21 | 14 | (2) |
| 2003 | Slovenia B | 1 | (0) |
| 2003–2011 | Slovenia | 61 | (5) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2020–2021 | Fužinar | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Robert Koren (born September 20, 1980) is a Slovenian former footballer. He played as a midfielder, which is a player who helps both attack and defense. Koren played 61 games and scored five goals for the Slovenian national team between 2003 and 2011. He also played in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Besides playing in his home country of Slovenia, he also played football in Norway, England, and Australia.
Contents
Playing for Clubs
Starting His Career
Robert Koren began his football journey in Slovenia. He played for clubs like Dravograd and Celje. In 2004, he moved to Norway to play for Lillestrøm.
Time in Norway with Lillestrøm
At Lillestrøm, Koren became one of the best players in the Norwegian Premier League. Many people thought he was the top foreign player in the whole league. He was known as the main playmaker for Lillestrøm, meaning he was key to setting up goals. People often compared him to his favorite player, Zlatko Zahovič. During his time in Norway, some English clubs, like Leeds United, were interested in him.
Playing for West Bromwich Albion
On January 4, 2007, Koren joined the English club West Bromwich Albion. This team played in the Championship, which is the second-highest league in England. He signed an 18-month contract.
He played his first game for West Brom two days later. He came on as a substitute in a 3–1 win against Leeds United in the FA Cup. Koren scored his first goal for the club on May 6, 2007. It was in a big 7–0 home win against Barnsley. This win helped West Brom get into the Championship promotion play-offs. Koren played in all three play-off games. West Brom beat Wolves but lost 1–0 to Derby County in the final at Wembley Stadium.
In July 2007, Koren had an unusual accident during training. A ball hit him in the eye, causing bleeding and making him temporarily lose his vision. He was worried about his eyesight, but he made a full recovery. Because of this injury, he missed the start of the 2007–08 season. He returned to play in late August. In September, he signed a new two-year contract with West Brom. His manager, Tony Mowbray, called him a "model pro" because he was so dedicated.
Koren scored two goals in a 3–2 loss to Southampton in October 2007. This performance earned him a spot in the Championship Team of the Week. On January 17, 2009, he scored his first goal in the Premier League. He was named man of the match as West Brom beat Middlesbrough 3–0. His goal in a 2–2 draw with Burnley in the FA Cup was chosen as the ITV goal of the round. In the 2008–09 Premier League season, Koren played in almost every game. He was a very reliable player for West Brom.
He continued to play regularly in the 2009–10 season. He made 34 league appearances and scored 5 goals. This included two goals in a 3–0 home win against Leicester City in April. This win helped West Brom get promoted back to the top league. Even after a strong end to the season, West Brom decided not to extend his contract. He left the club on May 17, 2010.
Joining Hull City
On August 13, 2010, Koren joined Hull City for free. He signed a two-year contract. He played his first game for Hull City on August 14, 2010, against Millwall. He scored his first goal for the club on September 14, 2010, in a 2–0 home win against Derby County. He also scored goals against Norwich City and Leicester City. One of his goals was a great 25-yard shot against Ipswich Town. He also scored the winning goal in a 2–1 away victory over Watford.
In the 2011–12 season, Koren continued to score important goals. On September 24, 2011, he scored a nice low shot against Bristol City. On October 22, 2011, he scored a powerful goal from 25 yards against Watford. He also scored against Southampton, Leicester City, Birmingham City, and Millwall. Many of these goals were impressive long-range shots or clever finishes.
On August 11, 2012, he signed a new two-year contract with Hull City. On September 15, 2012, he scored another powerful 25-yard goal against Millwall. After Hull City was promoted to the Premier League, Koren had a foot injury. This meant he missed the start of the season.
Playing in Australia with Melbourne City
On August 3, 2014, Robert Koren became a key player for Melbourne City in Australia's A-League. He missed the first 10 games of the season due to injury. On December 20, 2014, Koren made his debut in the "Melbourne Derby" game. On December 30, 2014, Koren scored three goals (a hat trick) against Newcastle Jets in his first game as a starter. He left Melbourne City on January 21, 2016, to look for new opportunities.
Returning to NK Dravograd
In 2017, Koren returned to his former club, Dravograd, where he played seven more games before retiring from professional football.
Playing for His Country
Koren played his first game for the Slovenian national team in April 2003. This was a qualification match for the European Championship against Cyprus. He played a total of 61 games for Slovenia and scored 5 goals.
At the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Koren scored the only goal in the match against Algeria. This goal helped Slovenia win the game 1–0. It was Slovenia's first-ever victory in a major football tournament like the World Cup.
Personal Life
Robert Koren is married and has three children: two sons named Nal and Tian, and a daughter named Nia.
Awards and Achievements
Robert Koren won several awards during his football career:
- West Bromwich Albion
- Won the Football League Championship in the 2007–08 season.
- Hull City
- Finished second in the Football League Championship in the 2012–13 season.
- Finished second in the FA Cup in the 2013–14 season.
- Individual Awards
- Won the Kniksen Award for Midfielder of the Year in 2006 (in Norway).
- Named Hull City Player of the Season for 2011–12.
- Scored Hull City Goal of the Season for 2011–12.
See also
In Spanish: Robert Koren para niños
