With his playing career over, he came back to Marseille, and became technical manager in 1977 under manager Ivan "Ðalma" Marković. Due to an internal conflict he left the club after one season to pursue a career as a manager. He began his career as a manager in third tier club NK Orijent in Rijeka. He took the club to the quarter final of the 1981 Yugoslav Cup beating NK Zagreb and OFK Beograd. In the quarter final Orijent lost to Budućnost Titograd of penalties.