Radoslav Kováč

{{short description|Czech football manager and former player (born 1979)}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Radoslav Kováč

| fullname = Radoslav Kováč{{cite web |url=https://www.fifadata.com/document/fwc/2006/PDF/FWC_2006_SquadLists.pdf |title=2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players |publisher=FIFA |page=8 |date=21 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190610174527/https://www.fifadata.com/document/fwc/2006/PDF/FWC_2006_SquadLists.pdf |archive-date=10 June 2019}}

| image = RadoslavKováč2009.jpg

| image_size = 250

| caption = Kováč at West Ham in 2009

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1979|11|27|df=y}}{{cite web |title=Radoslav Kováč |url=https://sparta.cz/srv/www/cs/football/team/viewMemberDetail.do?memberId=145 |publisher=AC Sparta Praha |access-date=16 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414140009/https://sparta.cz/srv/www/cs/football/team/viewMemberDetail.do?memberId=145 |archive-date= 14 April 2016}}

| birth_place = Šumperk, Czechoslovakia

| height = 1.90m

| position = Centre-back, defensive midfielder

| currentclub = Slovan Liberec (manager)

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 1988–1990 | youthclubs1 = Spartak Loučná nad Desnou

| youthyears2 = 1990–1992 | youthclubs2 = TJ Šumperk

| youthyears3 = 1992–1995 | youthclubs3 = Velké Losiny

| youthyears4 = 1995–1997 | youthclubs4 = Sigma Olomouc

| years1 = 1997–2003 | clubs1 = Sigma Olomouc | caps1 = 127 | goals1 = 3

| years2 = 2003–2005 | clubs2 = Sparta Prague | caps2 = 46 | goals2 = 3

| years3 = 2005–2009 | clubs3 = Spartak Moscow | caps3 = 101 | goals3 = 9

| years4 = 2009 | clubs4 = → West Ham United (loan) | caps4 = 9 | goals4 = 1

| years5 = 2009–2011 | clubs5 = West Ham United | caps5 = 44 | goals5 = 2

| years6 = 2011–2012 | clubs6 = Basel | caps6 = 19 | goals6 = 1

| years7 = 2013–2014 | clubs7 = Slovan Liberec | caps7 = 37 | goals7 = 1

| years8 = 2014–2016 | clubs8 = Sparta Prague | caps8 = 21 | goals8 = 0

| totalcaps = 404

| totalgoals = 20

| nationalyears1 = 1999–2002

| nationalteam1 = Czech Republic U-21

| nationalcaps1 = 15

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2004–2009

| nationalteam2 = Czech Republic

| nationalcaps2 = 30

| nationalgoals2 = 2

| manageryears1 = 2016–2019 | managerclubs1 = Sparta Prague (assistant)

| manageryears2 = 2020–2021 | managerclubs2 = SFC Opava

| manageryears3 = 2022 | managerclubs3 = FC MAS Táborsko

| manageryears4 = 2022–2024 | managerclubs4 = FK Pardubice

| manageryears5 = 2024– | managerclubs5 = Slovan Liberec

| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport|Men's football}}

{{medal|Country|{{fb|CZE}}}}

}}

Radoslav Kováč ({{IPA|cs|ˈradoslaf ˈkovaːtʃ}}; born 27 November 1979) is a Czech football manager and former player. He is the manager of Slovan Liberec. Kováč played both in midfield and in defence for Sigma Olomouc, Sparta Prague, Spartak Moscow, West Ham United, FC Basel and Slovan Liberec. At international level, he represented the Czech Republic's U-21 and senior team.

Club career

File:Radoslav Kováč.JPG

=Early career=

Having come through the ranks of Sigma Olomouc, Kováč joined Sparta Prague in 2004. In July 2005, he moved to Russia, where he signed for Spartak Moscow. During a Moscow derby against Lokomotiv Moscow on 20 July 2008, Kováč received a yellow card for tackling a fan who invaded the pitch.{{cite news|url= http://www.socceramerica.com/article/27449/yellow-card-for-taking-down-intruder.html |title=Yellow card for taking down intruder |first=Joe |last=Addison |website=Soccer America |date=23 July 2008 |access-date=29 August 2014}}

=West Ham United=

On 30 January 2009, he moved on loan to West Ham United for the remainder of the 2008–09 season.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/west_ham_utd/7862153.stm |title=Czech Kovac joins Hammers on loan|date=30 January 2009|website=BBC Sport|access-date=31 January 2009}} He made his debut for West Ham on 25 February 2009 in a 2–0 FA Cup defeat to Middlesbrough.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/7899656.stm|title=Middlesbrough 2–0 West Ham|date=25 February 2009|website=BBC Sport|access-date=26 February 2009}} His first goal for West Ham came in their 3–1 away defeat to Everton on 16 May 2009.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/8038269.stm|title= Everton 3–1 West Ham|website=BBC Sport}}

Kováč signed a permanent contract with West Ham United on 11 August 2009 on a three-year contract.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2009/aug/14/west-ham-sign-radoslav-kovac |title=West Ham sign Radoslav Kovac on three-year deal |newspaper=The Guardian |date=14 August 2009 |access-date=24 August 2020}} He scored his first goal of the 2009–10 season against Portsmouth in the 89th minute on 26 December, playing 90 minutes in a 2–0 win at Upton Park. At the end of the 2010–11 season, with twelve months left on his contract and after 62 league and cup appearances,{{cite web|url=http://www.westhamstats.info/westham.php?west=2&ham=1363&united=Radoslav_Kovac|title=Welcome to the Wonderful World of West Ham United Statistics Radoslav Kovac|website=westhamstats.info|access-date=25 July 2011}} Kováč left West Ham United.

=Basel=

In July 2011 Kováč joined reigning Swiss Super League champions FC Basel for an undisclosed fee on a two-year contract.{{cite web|title=Kovac departs|url=http://www.whufc.com/articles/20110624/kovac-departs_2236884_2381289|website=West Ham United F.C.|access-date=24 June 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110627050709/http://www.whufc.com/articles/20110624/kovac-departs_2236884_2381289|archive-date=27 June 2011}} He joined Basel's first team during their 2011–12 season under head coach Thorsten Fink. To the beginning of their 2011–12 season Kováč was a member of the Basel team that won the 2011 Uhrencup, beating both Hertha Berlin 3–0 and West Ham United 2–1 to lead the table on goal difference above Young Boys.{{cite web | first = Erik | last = Garin | author-link = | year =2011 | url = https://www.rsssf.org/tablesu/uhren.html#11 | title = Coupe Horlogère - Uhren Cup (Switzerland) | website = Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation | access-date = 2022-11-16}}

After playing in six test games Kováč played his domestic league debut for the club in the away game in the Stade de Suisse, Wankdorf on 16 July 2011 as Basel played a 1–1 draw with BSC Young Boys.{{cite web | first = | last = | author-link = | date = 16 July 2011 | url = https://www.fcb-archiv.ch/saison/spiele?command=detail&id=19710 | title = BSC Young Boys - FC Basel 1:1 (0:0) | format = | website = Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv” | access-date = 2022-11-16}} At the end of the 2011–12 season he won the Double with his new club. They won the League Championship title with 20 points advantage.{{cite web | first = Karel | last = Stokkermans | author-link = | year = 2017 | url = https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zwit2012.html | title = Switzerland 2011/12 | website = Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation | language = fr | access-date = 2022-11-16}} The team won the Swiss Cup, winning the final 4–2 in a penalty shootout against Luzern.{{cite web | first = | last = | author-link = | date = 16 May 2012 | url = https://www.football.ch/sfv/schweizer-cups/schweizer-cup/statistik-und-resultate.aspx/oid-1/s-2012/cp-1693/cr-0/tg-1973921/ | title = FC Basel - FC Luzern 4:2 n.P. (1:1, 1:1, 0:0) | format = | website = Swiss Football Verband (SFV) internet | access-date = 2022-11-16}}

Kováč scored his first goal for the club on 4 August 2012 in the away game in the Stade Tourbillon as Basel played a 1–1 draw with Sion.{{cite web | first = | last = | author-link = | date = 4 August 2012 | url = https://www.fcb-archiv.ch/saison/spiele?command=detail&id=26341 | title = FC Sion - FC Basel 1:1 (0:0) | format = | website = Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv” | access-date = 2022-11-16}}

On 21 December 2012 it was announced that Kováč would leave the club and had signed for Slovan Liberec. Basel and Kováč agreed to prematurely terminate the contract, because he had achieved only 5 appearances up until that date. Therefore, he could sign for Liberec on a free transfer.{{cite web | first = | last = | author-link = | year = | url = https://www.srf.ch/sport/fussball/super-league/kovac-verlaesst-fc-basel | title = Kovac verlässt FC Basel | format = | website = Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) | language = de | access-date = 2022-11-16}} During his 18 months with the club Kováč played a total of 52 games for Basel scoring a total of two goals. 20 of these games were in the Swiss Super League, five in the Swiss Cup, two in the UEFA competitions (Champions League and Europa League) and 25 were friendly games. He scored one goal in the domestic league and the other was scored during the test games.{{cite web | first = | last = | author-link = | year = 2016 | url = https://www.fcb-archiv.ch/spieler?command=detail&id=5275 | title = Radoslav Kovac - FCB statistic | format = | website = Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv” | access-date = 2022-11-16}}

International career

Kováč was part of the Czech side which won the UEFA U-21 Championships in 2002.{{cite news

|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/eur-u21-2002det.html|title=European U-21 Championship 2002 - Final Tournament Details|website=RSSSF

|access-date=19 April 2022}} Kováč made his debut on 9 October 2004 in a 1–0 friendly win against Romania. Kováč appeared for his nation in the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008. With the Czech Republic failing to qualify for the 2010 World Cup, Kováč announced his retirement from international football in January 2010, in order to focus on his club career.{{cite news

|url=http://www.football.co.uk/west_ham_united/west_ham_and_czech_republic_midfielder_radoslav_kovac_calls_time_on_international_career_rss298879.shtml|title= West Ham and Czech Republic midfielder Radoslav Kovac calls time on international career|website=football.co.uk}}

{{cite news|title=West Ham's Radoslav Kovac retires from Czech Republic|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/west_ham_utd/8442920.stm|website=BBC Sport|date=6 January 2010}}

=International goals=

:Scores and results list Czech Republic's goal tally first.

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
class="wikitable"
1	28 March 2007	Liberec, Czech Republic	{{fb\|Cyprus}}	align=center\| 1–0	align=center\|Win	UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying
2	19 November 2008	Serravalle, San Marino	{{fb\|San Marino}}	align=center\| 3–0	align=center\|Win	2010 World Cup qualifying

Coaching career

From 2016 to 2019, Kováč worked as an assistant manager at AC Sparta Prague. In June 2020, he was hired as SFC Opava football manager replacing sacked Jiří Balcárek.{{Cite web|first=Miloslav|last=Novák|url=https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/radoslav-kovac-trener-opava-balcarek.A200610_231743_fotbal_min|title=Opava mění trenéra, odvrátit sestup se pokusí bývalý reprezentant Kováč|website=Mladá fronta Dnes|date=10 June 2020|language=cs}}{{Cite web|first=Jiří|last=Čihák|url=https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/radoslav-kovac-alois-skacel-trener-sfc-opava.A200611_101648_fotbal_jic|title=Opava potvrdila změny. Balcárek končí, mužstvo převezmou Kováč a Skácel|website=Mladá fronta Dnes|date=11 June 2020|language=cs}} In June 2022 he was hired as FC MAS Táborsko football manager replacing Sergejs Golubevs.{{Cite web |url=https://isport.blesk.cz/clanek/fotbal-domaci-souteze-druha-liga/415787/vozabal-do-druholigoveho-taborska-ulovil-kovace-ten-strida-lotyse.html|title=Vozábal do druholigového Táborska ulovil Kováče, ten střídá Lotyše|website=Blesk|date=19 June 2022|language=cs}} On 13 September 2022, Kováč was named as new head coach of FK Pardubice.{{Cite web |title=Radoslav Kováč novým trenérem FK Pardubice|url=http://fkpardubice.cz/news/17319/Radoslav-Kovac-novym-trenerem-FK-Pardubice.html|access-date=13 September 2022|website=FK Pardubice|language=cs}} Ahead of 2024–25 Czech First League, Kováč became the manager of Slovan Liberec.{{Cite web |last=Čarnogurský|first=Tomáš|title=Novým trenérem bude bývalý kapitán Slovanu Radoslav Kováč|url=https://www.fcslovanliberec.cz/clanek.asp?id=Novym-trenerem-bude-byvaly-kapitan-Slovanu-Radoslav-Kovac-15585|access-date=27 May 2024|website=FC Slovan Liberec|language=cs|date=26 May 2024}}

Honours

Basel

References

External links

{{FACR player|new_id=1236|old_id=KovacRadoslav}}
[http://www.premierleague.com/page/PlayerProfile/0,,12306~28175,00.html Premier League profile]
{{Soccerbase}}

{{Navboxes

|title= Czech Republic squads

|bg= #DD0000

|fg= White

|list1=

}}

Category:1979 births

Category:Living people

Category:Sportspeople from Šumperk

Category:Czech men's footballers

Category:Men's association football central defenders

Category:Men's association football midfielders