Robert Žák (born 6 May 1966) is a Czech football manager and former player.[1]

Robert Žák
Personal information
Date of birth (1966-05-06) 6 May 1966 (age 58)
Place of birth Strakonice, Czechoslovakia
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1987–1990 Slavia Prague 87 (12)
1991–1992 Hradec Králové 12 (4)
1993–1994 České Budějovice 39 (6)
Total 138 (22)
Managerial career
2004–2005 České Budějovice
2007–2009 Most
2009 Bohemians Prague
2010 Litvínov
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

As a player, he played in the Czechoslovak First League until its conclusion in 1993, after which he continued in the Gambrinus liga for one season before finishing his professional playing career in 1994.

He has managed three clubs in the Gambrinus liga, firstly České Budějovice followed by Most and most recently Bohemians Prague.

Playing career

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As a player, Žák played as a midfielder.[1] He played a total of 111 matches and scored 18 goals in the Czechoslovak First League, representing Slavia Prague, Hradec Králové and České Budějovice before the league's discontinuation in 1993.[2] After the formation of the Gambrinus liga in 1993, Zak went on to play one more league season, playing 27 matches and scoring 4 goals for České Budějovice.[3]

Management career

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Žák's first position as a football manager commenced in October 2004, when he was announced as the replacement for Pavel Tobiáš at Gambrinus liga side České Budějovice.[4] He signed a two-year contract with the club,[4] although due to a run of seven consecutive defeats which left the club last in the table, he was replaced by František Cipro in March 2005.[5]

Žák was appointed manager at Most in the summer of 2007, replacing outgoing manager Zdeněk Ščasný. He had previously worked with the youth teams at the club.[6] Most finished the 2007–08 season in last place and were relegated to the Czech 2. Liga, although Žák refused to resign despite pressure from fans to do so.[7] He was finally relieved of his duties at Most three matches before the end of the 2008–09 season.[8]

Žák was appointed as manager of Bohemians Prague, replacing Luboš Urban before the start of the 2009–10 Gambrinus liga.[8] Despite his recent appointment, Žák was the first league manager of the season to lose his job in August 2009, with the club failing to score any points in their opening four league matches.[8]

Žák took over at Litvínov of the Czech Fourth Division in the summer of 2010.[9] His spell in charge lasted just a short time as he was sacked in September 2010 following a run of four matches without scoring a point.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b Jeřábek, Luboš (2007). Ceský a ceskoslovenský fotbal – lexikon osobností a klubu (in Czech). Prague: Grada Publishing. p. 227. ISBN 978-80-247-1656-5.
  2. ^ "Počty startů hráčů v I. Československé lize: Z" (in Czech). JFK-Fotbal. Archived from the original on 4 May 2006. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  3. ^ "Robert Žák" (in Czech). gambrinusliga.cz. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  4. ^ a b "Budějovické fotbalisty povede trenér Žák" [Budějovice footballers will be led by manager Žák] (in Czech). idnes.cz. 5 October 2004. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  5. ^ "Budějovice: přichází Cipro, vrací se Lafata" [Budějovice: Cipro comes, Lafata comes back] (in Czech). idnes.cz. 30 March 2005. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  6. ^ "Ščasného nahradil v Mostě trenér Žák" [Ščasný replaced in Most by manager Žák] (in Czech). idnes.cz. 30 May 2007. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  7. ^ "Odstoupit teď by byl nesmysl, říká mostecký trenér Žák" [To step down now would be nonsense, says Most manager Žák] (in Czech). idnes.cz. 16 May 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  8. ^ a b c "Ve fotbalové lize padl první trenér, Bohemians odvolali Žáka" [In the football league the first manager has fallen, Bohemians dismissed Žák] (in Czech). idnes.cz. 17 August 2009. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  9. ^ "Kouč Žák se vrací. Povede divizní Litvínov" [Manager Žák returns. He will lead fourth division Litvínov] (in Czech). denik.cz. 23 June 2010. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  10. ^ "Litvínov má nového trenéra. Dosáhne na body?" [Litvínov have a new manager. Will he reach points?] (in Czech). denik.cz. 30 September 2010. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
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