Jiří Balcárek
{{short description|Czech footballer and manager}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Jiří Balcárek
| image =
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1973|4|29}}
| birth_place = Czechoslovakia
| height =
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = SK Uničov (Manager)
| youthyears1 = 1997–1984 | youthclubs1 = Sokol Leština
| youthyears2 = 1984–1986 | youthclubs2 = Sulko Zábřeh
| youthyears3 = 1987–1992 | youthclubs3 = Sigma Olomouc
| years1 = 1992–1999 | clubs1 = Sigma Olomouc | caps1 = 136 | goals1 = 20
| years2 = 1992–1993 | clubs2 = → RH Cheb (loan) | caps2 = | goals2 =
| years3 = 1999–2004 | clubs3 = Union Berlin | caps3 = 121 | goals3 = 5
| totalcaps = 257 | totalgoals = 25
| nationalyears1 = 1994 | nationalteam1 = Czech Republic U21 | nationalcaps1 = 2 | nationalgoals1 = 0
| manageryears1 = 2005 | managerclubs1 = Sigma Olomouc B (assistant)
| manageryears2 = 2005–2006 | managerclubs2 = SK Lipová
| manageryears3 = 2006–2008 | managerclubs3 = Sigma Olomouc B
| manageryears4 = 2009–2010 | managerclubs4 = Sulko Zábřeh
| manageryears5 = 2010 | managerclubs5 = Karviná
| manageryears6 = 2011–2015 | managerclubs6 = Sulko Zábřeh
| manageryears7 = 2015–2017 | managerclubs7 = Uničov
| manageryears8 = 2017–2018 | managerclubs8 = Znojmo
| manageryears9 = 2018–2019 | managerclubs9 = Vítkovice
| manageryears10= 2019–2020 | managerclubs10= Opava
| manageryears11= 2021–2022 | managerclubs11= Baník Ostrava (staff)
| manageryears12= 2022–2024 | managerclubs12= Uničov
| manageryears13= 2024– | managerclubs13= Prostějov (director of football)
}}
Jiří Balcárek (born 29 April 1973) is a Czech football manager and former player. He played club football domestically for Olomouc and RH Cheb, as well as German side Union Berlin{{cite news |url=http://fotbal.idnes.cz/jiri-balcarek-002-/fotbal.aspx?c=A150507_2160944_fotbal_ald |title=Balcárek: Kvalita českého fotbalu upadá. Není na trenéry |language=Czech |publisher=idnes.cz |date=7 May 2015 |accessdate=25 May 2015}} at club level and made two appearances for the Czech Republic under-21 national team.
Playing career
At club level, Balcárek spent six seasons playing for Olomouc, as well as competing in the Czechoslovak First League for RH Cheb,{{cite book|first=Luboš|last=Jeřábek|title=Český a československý fotbal – lexikon osobností a klubů|publisher=Grada Publishing|language=cs|year=2007|location=Prague, Czech Republic|isbn=978-80-247-1656-5|page=14}} before moving to Union Berlin in Germany, where he played for five more seasons.{{cite news |url=https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/zahranici/jiri-balcarek-rozhovor-union-berlin-slavia.A211207_091732_fot_zahranici_jic |title=Union, pýcha východního Berlína. Jediný Čech vzpomíná: Úplně jiná kultura! |language=Czech |publisher=idnes.cz |date=8 December 2021 |accessdate=16 February 2024}} Internationally he represented the Czech Republic under-21 national team, making two appearances in 1994.
Managerial career
Balcárek started his coaching career in June 2005 as assistant manager of Sigma Olomouc's B-team.[https://www.sigmafotbal.cz/aktuality/1970-01-01-jiri-balcarek-je-asistentem-u-juniorky Jiří Balcárek je asistentem u juniorky], sigmafotbal.cz, 28 June 2006 He then had a spell at SK Lipová as manager, before returning to Sigma Olomouc in the summer of 2006 as manager of their B-team.[http://www.trenink.com/index.php/kondicni-trenink/kruhovy-trenink/91-aktualitky/treninkove-plany/699-letni-pipravne-obdobi-sk-sigma-olomouc Letní přípravné období - SK Sigma Olomouc], trenink.com, 8 June 2006 In January 2009, Balcárek signed as manager of Sulko Zábřeh.[https://sumpersky.denik.cz/fotbal_region/kouc-balcarek-v-zabrehu-chci-jenom-srdcare20090113.html Kouč Balcárek: V Zábřehu chci jenom srdcaře], sumpersky.denik.cz, 13 January 2009
In April 2010, Balcárek was appointed manager of second-tier side MFK Karviná.[https://www.mfkkarvina.cz/clanek.asp?id=573 Novým trenérem se stal Jiří Balcárek], mfkkarvina.cz, 7 April 2010 He resigned in October of the same year due to poor results.{{cite web|url=https://sumpersky.denik.cz/fotbal_region/exzabrezsky-kouc-balcarek-skoncil-v-karvine.html|title=Exzábřežský kouč Balcárek skončil v Karviné|language=cs|work=denik.cz|date=5 October 2010|access-date=16 February 2024}} In January 2011, he returned to Sulko Zábřeh.[https://sumpersky.denik.cz/fotbal_region/sulko-ma-nejaka-dluhy-tak-setrime-rika-staronovy-k.html Sulko má nějaké dluhy, tak šetříme, říká staronový kouč Zábřehu Jiří Balcárek], sumpersky.denik.cz, 19 January 2011 He left the position in June 2015.[https://sumpersky.denik.cz/fotbal_region/jiri-balcarek-odchazi-sulko-zabreh-prijde-o-svou-ikonu-20150603.html Jiří Balcárek odchází. Sulko Zábřeh přijde o svou ikonu], sumpersky.denik.cz, 3 June 2015 He was then appointed manager of SK Uničov.[https://sumpersky.denik.cz/fotbal_region/mohelnice-jde-v-poharu-dal-balcarkuv-unicov-konci-20150725.html Mohelnice jde v poháru dál. Balcárkův Uničov končí], sumpersky.denik.cz, 25 July 2015 After winning the 2016-17 Moravian-Silesian Football League, Balcárek was appointed manager of Znojmo.[https://www.1scznojmo.cz/clanek.asp?id=4546 Chtěl bych hrát ofenzivně, měl jsem to tak nastavené i v Uničově, říká trenér Jiří Balcárek], 1scznojmo.cz, 19 June 2017 However, he was fired on 31 January 2018.[https://www.1scznojmo.cz/clanek.asp?id=4908 Na trenérských pozicích končí Balcárek a Paul, nahradí je Kalvoda a Šuškavčević], 1scznojmo.cz, 31 January 2018
In the summer of 2018, Balcárek became manager of MFK Vítkovice.[https://www.patriotmagazin.cz/fotbaliste-vitkovic-se-v-nove-sezone-chteji-vyhnout-bojum-o-zachranu Fotbalisté Vítkovic se v nové sezóně chtějí vyhnout bojům o záchranu], patriotmagazin.cz, 20 July 2018 At the end of November 2019, he accepted a job offer from SFC Opava and became the club's new manager.[https://isport.blesk.cz/clanek/fotbal-1-liga-rocnik-2019-20/371552/opava-meni-trenera-tym-prevzal-balcarek-konci-i-asistent-dvornik.html Opava mění trenéra! Tým převzal Balcárek, končí i asistent Dvorník], isport.blesk.cz, 12 November 2019 He left the club in June 2020.[https://www.irozhlas.cz/sport/fotbal/sfc-opava-fotbal-trener-zmena-vyhazov-jiri-balcarek-radoslav-kovac_2006111129_mim Fotbalová Opava odvolala trenéra. Balcárkovi srazila vaz série bez vítězství, nahrazuje ho Kováč], irozhlas.cz, 11 June 2020
In 2021-2022, Balcárek worked in a different role at FC Baník Ostrava, before returning to SK Uničov in September 2022.[https://sumpersky.denik.cz/fotbal-cfl-msfl/trener-balcarek-tahlo-me-to-zpet-na-stridacku-v-baniku-nepokracuje-20220915.html Trenér Balcárek: Táhlo mě to zpět na střídačku. V Baníku nepokračuje], sumpersky.denik.cz, 15 September 2022
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{CMFS player}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balcarek, Jiri}}
Category:Czech men's footballers
Category:Czech Republic men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Czech First League players
Category:SK Sigma Olomouc players
Category:1. FC Union Berlin players
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Germany
Category:Czech expatriate sportspeople in Germany
Category:Czech expatriate men's footballers
Category:Czech football managers