Building from the Ground Up: Robert Graf Takes the Helm as Hajduk’s New Sporting Director

HNK Hajduk has officially appointed 45-year-old Robert Graf as the club’s new sporting director, marking a strategic pivot in the Split-based side’s pursuit of stability and success. The appointment of Robert Graf as Hajduk’s new sporting director brings a specialist to Poljud who has built a reputation in Poland for maximizing limited resources and generating significant value through shrewd transfer dealings.

Graf arrives in Croatia during a period of transition for the “Bili.” He becomes the fifth sporting director to serve under the presidency of Ivan Bilić, stepping into a role that has seen frequent turnover. The search for a new leader began in earnest following the termination of the club’s partnership with Goran Vučević in mid-February.

A Career Built on Organization, Not Play

Unlike many executives in high-level football, Robert Graf never pursued a professional playing career. Instead, he dedicated his early years to the organizational and developmental side of the sport. His journey began in his hometown of Wrocław, where he served as a youth coach for Śląsk Wrocław, before moving into a leadership role as the head of the academy at Lechia Gdańsk.

Graf’s transition into senior management began in 2018 with the third-tier club Olimpia Grudziądz. Despite facing tight financial constraints, Graf secured promotion to a higher division in his incredibly first season—a feat that established his blueprint for success: achieving results through efficiency rather than excessive spending.

This trajectory continued at Warta Poznań, which Graf took over in 2019. Within a year, he ended a 25-year absence for the club from the Ekstraklasa, Poland’s top flight. In their debut season back, Warta secured a fifth-place finish, the club’s best result in 70 years.

The Raków Peak: Architect of a Dynasty

The defining chapter of Graf’s career took place at Raków Częstochowa. Serving as sporting director from 2021 to 2023, Graf was one of the primary architects of the most successful period in the club’s history. Under his guidance, Raków evolved from a domestic competitor into a European-relevant side.

During this tenure, the club achieved a historic treble of sorts, capturing the Polish league title, the national cup, and the supercup. This period cemented Graf’s status as a top-tier operator capable of building a championship-winning squad from the ground up.

The Challenges at ŁKS Łódź

Following his success at Raków, Graf moved to ŁKS Łódź, where he spent two years as the Vice President for Sport. Still, this chapter was more turbulent. Local reports from Dziennik Łódzki indicate that Graf faced criticism from the ŁKS fanbase, who pointed to poor personnel decisions and a lack of a consistent transfer policy.

Graf eventually left the club via a mutual termination of his contract, a move that cleared the way for Hajduk to finalize their pursuit of the Pole.

A Long-Term Target for Hajduk

The appointment was not a sudden decision. Graf had been a primary candidate for the role as early as September 2024, around the time François Vitali took over the position. Whereas Graf was prepared to move to Split at that time, a deal could not be reached, primarily due to the constraints of his existing contract with Raków.

For the fans in Split, Graf represents a gamble on a specific philosophy: the ability to create “million-euro value” on transfers while operating within a strict budget. This approach is particularly appealing given the high stakes and pressure associated with the sporting director role at Poljud.

To provide a clearer view of his professional trajectory, the following table outlines the key milestones of Robert Graf’s career in Polish football:

What’s Next for Robert Graf?

Graf is expected to be formally introduced to the public during a press conference this Saturday. Prior to that, the club has scheduled an exclusive interview and first-impression segment to be broadcast on HDTV and the club’s YouTube channel.

As Robert Graf as Hajduk’s new sporting director begins his tenure, the focus will be on whether he can replicate the “Raków miracle” in the Croatian First League, balancing the club’s immense expectations with the pragmatic resource management that defined his rise in Poland.

For more updates on HNK Hajduk’s sporting direction, follow official club announcements and verified reports from Index.hr and 24sata.

Do you think a Polish-based management style is the right fit for the unique pressure of Split? Share your thoughts in the comments below.