František Straka

{{Infobox football biography

| name = František Straka

| image = František Straka.jpg

| image_size = 200

| caption = Straka in 2011

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|5|28|df=y}}

| birth_place = České Budějovice, Czechoslovakia

| height = 1.82 m

| position = Defender

| currentclub = Dukla Banská Bystrica (manager)

| youthyears1 = 1966–1977

| youthclubs1 = Dynamo České Budějovice

| years1 = 1977–1979

| clubs1 = Dukla Tachov

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 1979–1988

| clubs2 = Sparta Prague

| caps2 = 233

| goals2 = 10

| years3 = 1988–1991

| clubs3 = Borussia Mönchengladbach

| caps3 = 81

| goals3 = 1

| years4 = 1991–1992

| clubs4 = Hansa Rostock

| caps4 = 34

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 1992–1996

| clubs5 = Wuppertaler SV

| caps5 = 93

| goals5 = 7

| years6 = 1996–1998

| clubs6 = SCB Preußen Köln

| caps6 = 35

| goals6 = 8

| nationalyears1 = 1983–1990

| nationalteam1 = Czechoslovakia

| nationalcaps1 = 35

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| manageryears1 = 1999–2001

| managerclubs1 = Wuppertaler SV

| manageryears2 = 2001–2002

| managerclubs2 = Teplice (assistant)

| manageryears3 = 2002–2004

| managerclubs3 = Teplice

| manageryears4 = 2004

| managerclubs4 = Sparta Prague

| manageryears5 = 2005

| managerclubs5 = LR Ahlen

| manageryears6 = 2006

| managerclubs6 = Viktoria Plzeň

| manageryears7 = 2006–2007

| managerclubs7 = FC Wacker Tirol

| manageryears8 = 2007–2008

| managerclubs8 = České Budějovice

| manageryears9 = 2008

| managerclubs9 = OFI Crete

| manageryears10 = 2009

| managerclubs10 = Czech Republic

| manageryears11 = 2009–2010

| managerclubs11 = Ružomberok

| manageryears12 = 2010–2011

| managerclubs12 = North Queensland Fury

| manageryears13 = 2011

| managerclubs13 = Arka Gdynia

| manageryears14 = 2011–2012

| managerclubs14 = Slavia Prague

| manageryears15 = 2014

| managerclubs15 = Slovan Bratislava

| manageryears16 = 2016–2017

| managerclubs16 = Ismaily SC

| manageryears17 = 2017

| managerclubs17 = Smouha SC

| manageryears18 = 2018

| managerclubs18 = Al-Ansar SC

| manageryears19 = 2019

| managerclubs19 = Karviná

| manageryears20 = 2020–2021

| managerclubs20 = Třinec

| manageryears21 = 2023

| managerclubs21 = AS Trenčín

| manageryears22 = 2024

| managerclubs22 = Michalovce

| manageryears23 = 2024–2025

| managerclubs23 = České Budějovice

| manageryears24 = 2025–

| managerclubs24 = Dukla Banská Bystrica

}}

František Straka (born 28 May 1958) is a Czech former football player and current manager of Dukla Banská Bystrica.{{cite web|agency=Czech News Agency|title=Trenér Straka našel nové angažmá|url=https://www.sport.cz/clanek/fotbal-evropske-ligy-trener-straka-nasel-nove-angazma-5201993|website=Sport.cz|date=17 March 2025|access-date=17 March 2025|language=cs}}{{cite web|agency=Czech News Agency|title=Straka znovu na ligové scéně! Čeká ho záchranářská mise|url=https://www.sport.cz/clanek/fotbal-evropske-ligy-straka-znovu-na-ligove-scene-ceka-ho-zachranarska-mise-4079646|website=Sport.cz|date=26 March 2023|access-date=29 March 2023|language=cs}}

Playing career

Straka played most notably for Sparta Prague. In 1988, he moved to Germany and spent the rest of his playing career there. Straka played for Czechoslovakia and participated at the 1990 FIFA World Cup. He played total 35 matches for the national team from 1983 to 1990.{{FACR player|StrakaFrantisek}}

Coaching career

=Early coaching career=

After retiring from playing, he began coaching. Straka led several top flight Czech clubs, including FK Teplice, Sparta Prague and Viktoria Plzeň. He also coached abroad in Austria, Slovakia and Greece. In 2009, he was selected as temporary manager of the Czech Republic national football team.{{Cite magazine|title=Straka selected new Czech Republic soccer coach|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/soccer/wires/05/12/2050.ap.soc.czech.republic.new.coach.1st.ld.writethru.0333/index.html|magazine=Sports Illustrated|publisher=Minute Media|date=12 May 2009|access-date=26 May 2009|archive-date=24 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024211445/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/soccer/wires/05/12/2050.ap.soc.czech.republic.new.coach.1st.ld.writethru.0333/index.html|url-status=dead }} On 30 June 2009, after only one game in charge he left the position. He won his only match, a 1–0 friendly victory against Malta on 5 June 2009.{{Cite web|url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12010_5408410,00.html|title=Interim Czech coach Straka axed|date=30 June 2009|website=Sky Sports|publisher=Sky Group|access-date=7 July 2009}}

In June 2010, Straka was appointed head coach of the North Queensland Fury in Townsville, Australia. He became a fan favourite in Australia due to his affable personality and fashion sense.{{Cite magazine|url=http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/180444,franz-fever-inspires-his-side.aspx|url-status=dead|title=Franz Fever Inspires His Side|magazine=FourFourTwo|location=Australia|publisher=Future plc|access-date=3 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100818074908/http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/180444,franz-fever-inspires-his-side.aspx |archive-date=18 August 2010 }} Straka was ready to lead the North Queensland Fury for another season, but the club folded in 2011 because of financial difficulties.

After speculation that he was going to replace Ernie Merrick at Melbourne Victory,{{cite web|url=http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/ex-north-queensland-coach-straka-wants-melbourne-victory-job-1520301|title=Ex-North Queensland coach Straka wants Melbourne Victory job|date=21 March 2011|website=Tribal Football|access-date=23 March 2011}} Straka returned to Europe, where he was announced manager of Polish Ekstraklasa club Arka Gdynia. In October 2011, he was announced as the replacement for Michal Petrouš as manager of SK Slavia Prague.{{cite news |url=http://fotbal.idnes.cz/novym-trenerem-slavie-se-stal-straka-petrous-vaha-jestli-vzit-becko-1gg-/fotbal.aspx?c=A111002_174214_fotbal_rou|title=Novým trenérem Slavie se stal Straka, Petrouš váhá, jestli vzít béčko|newspaper=Mladá fronta Dnes|publisher=Mafra|date=2 October 2011 |access-date=4 October 2011|language=cs}} His appointment as a new manager of Slavia sparked controversy and protests from Slavia fans, who saw Straka as a rival Sparta's patriot.{{cite news |last=Šedivý|first=Petr|url=http://fotbal.idnes.cz/straka-je-skodna-protestovali-fanousci-slavie-pri-pochodu-prahou-p94-/fotbal.aspx?c=A111017_161310_fotbal_vl|title=Straka je škodná, protestovali fanoušci Slavie při pochodu Prahou|newspaper=Mladá fronta Dnes|publisher=Mafra|date=17 October 2011|language=cs}} Straka's appointment was also criticized by Sparta fans, who saw Straka as a traitor{{Cite news|last=Novák|first=Miloslav|url=http://fotbal.idnes.cz/spartansti-chuligani-utoci-na-straku-jsi-zradce-napsali-na-jeho-dum-1f8-/fotbal.aspx?c=A111014_153918_fotbal_min|title=Sparťanští chuligáni útočí na Straku: Jsi zrádce, napsali na jeho dům|newspaper=Mladá fronta Dnes|publisher=Mafra|date=14 October 2011|language=cs}} After just five months in the job, Straka resigned in March 2012.{{cite news |url=http://fotbal.idnes.cz/trenera-straku-proti-jablonci-nahradi-dosavadni-asistent-poustka-1cr-/fotbal.aspx?c=A120309_114227_fotbal_pes|title=Trenéra Straku proti Jablonci nahradí dosavadní asistent Poustka|newspaper=Mladá fronta Dnes|publisher=Mafra|date=9 March 2012 |access-date=9 March 2012|language=cs}} Straka returned to the Czech First League after a year's break in March 2013, joining bottom-table club 1. FK Příbram.{{cite news |url=http://fotbal.idnes.cz/straka-jde-trenovat-pribram-dps-/fotbal.aspx?c=A130310_180735_fotbal_min|title=Fotbalový trenér Straka se vrací do ligy, převezme poslední Příbram|language=cs|work=Mladá fronta DNES|date=10 March 2013|access-date=11 March 2013}} He lasted only half a year in this job before being replaced by their former manager, Petr Čuhel.{{cite web|title=Trenér Straka skončil ve fotbalové Příbrami. Nahradí ho Čuhel|url=http://fotbal.idnes.cz/fotbalovy-trener-frantisek-straka-konec-v-pribrami-fxb-/fotbal.aspx?c=A131007_111703_fotbal_pes|newspaper=Mladá fronta Dnes|publisher=Mafra|date=7 October 2013|access-date=4 November 2013|language=cs}}

In December 2016, Straka was appointed as manager of Egyptian club Ismaily SC signing a 1.5-year contract. It was the first time position in the Arab region or Africa of his career.{{cite web|first=Radek|last=Špryňar|title=Straka o konci v Egyptě: Zkolaboval kvůli mně Facebook, fanoušci brečeli|url=https://isport.blesk.cz/clanek/fotbal-zahranici-ostatni-ligy/301194/straka-o-konci-v-egypte-zkolaboval-kvuli-mne-facebook-fanousci-breceli.html|website=Blesk|date = 27 April 2017|access-date=29 March 2023|language=cs}}

=2020s=

On 20 February 2024, Straka was appointed as manager of Slovak football club Michalovce.{{cite web|title=Struhára na lavičke strieda Straka|url=https://mfkzemplin.sk/post/5479/Struhra-na-lavike-strieda-Straka.html|date = 20 February 2024|access-date=21 February 2024|website=MFK Zemplín Michalovce|language=sk}} The same year on 28 July, he was appointed as manager of Dynamo České Budějovice.{{cite web|last=Bartoš|first=Jonáš|url=https://isport.blesk.cz/clanek/fotbal-1-liga-rocnik-2024-25/450235/tresk-v-dynamu-po-dvou-kolech-odvolalo-trenery-favoritem-je-straka.html|title=Čistka v Dynamu: Vedení odvolalo trenéry, do ligy se vrací Straka|date=28 July 2024|website=Blesk|language=cs|publisher=Czech News Center|access-date=28 July 2024}} On 10 January 2025, Straka was sacked by Dynamo České Budějovice following poor match results that resulted in the club being the bottom of 2024–25 Czech First League table.{{Cite web|title=Trenér Straka končí v Českých Budějovicích. Z týmu na konci tabulky odchází i asistenti a realizační tým|url=https://www.irozhlas.cz/sport/fotbal/trener-straka-konci-v-ceskych-budejovicich-z-tymu-na-konci-tabulky-odchazi-i_2501101452_job|website=Czech Radio|date=10 January 2025|access-date=11 January 2025|language=cs}} On 17 March 2025, he was appointed as coach of FK Dukla Banská Bystrica.{{Cite news|title=Tréner Straka prijal ďalšiu výzvu v Niké lige. O záchranu zabojuje s Banskou Bystricou|url=https://sportnet.sme.sk/spravy/futbal-frantisek-straka-novy-trener-banska-bystrica-nike-liga-2024-2025/|newspaper=Sme|date=17 March 2025|access-date=30 March 2025|language=sk}}

Honours

=Managerial=

Teplice

Czech Cup: 2002–03

Sparta Prague

Czech Cup: 2003–04

Slovan Bratislava

Slovak Super Cup: 2014

References

External links

{{FACR player|new_id=5048|old_id=StrakaFrantisek}}
[http://fotbal.idnes.cz/db_fotbal.asp?trener=3002828 Profile] at Mladá fronta Dnes {{in lang|cs}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130227082113/http://fotbal24.cz/trener/frantisek-straka František Straka] at Fotbal24.cz {{in lang|cs}}
{{NFT coach|20204/Frantisek_Straka}}
{{Soccerway coach|frantiek-straka/212099}}
{{WorldFootball.net|frantisek-straka}}

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