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Jan Šimák
	Šimák in 2012
Personal information
Date of birth	13 October 1978 (age 46)
Place of birth	Tábor, Czechoslovakia
Height	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder
Youth career
1983–1984	Sokol Mezno
1984–1996	VS Tábor
1994–1995	SK České Budějovice JČE
Senior career*
Years	Team
1996–2000	Chmel Blšany
2000–2002	Hannover 96
2002–2003	Bayer Leverkusen
2003–2004	→ Hannover 96 (loan)
2004–2007	Sparta Prague
2007–2008	Carl Zeiss Jena
2008–2009	VfB Stuttgart
2010–2011	Mainz 05
2011–2012	Carl Zeiss Jena
2012–2014	Táborsko
2014–2015	Bohemians Prague
2015–2016	Dynamo České Budějovice
Total
International career
2002	Czech Republic
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Jan Šimák (born 13 October 1978) is a Czech former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He spent most of his career in Germany while making one appearance for the Czech Republic national team. As a player, he was well known for his powerful shot and goalscoring from midfield.

Career

Born in Tábor, Šimák began his professional career at Chmel Blšany.

In 2000, Šimák left the Czech Republic joining 2. Bundesliga club Hannover 96. In his second season there, he contributed 18 goals to the club's promotion to the Bundesliga.^[1]

In the summer of 2002, Šimák joined Bayer Leverkusen on a five-year contract. The transfer fee paid to Hannover was reported as €6 million.^[1] Signed as a replacement for Michael Ballack, he could not prevail at the Rhineland-side and returned the following year on loan to Hannover 96. After the sixth matchday he dropped out because of alcohol problems and a related depression fatigue syndrome. In July 2004, he dissolved his contract in Leverkusen.^[2]

A short time later, Šimák returned to his native Czech Republic to play for Sparta Prague. On 28 August 2004, he made his debut coming off the bench early in the second half for Rastislav Michalík in a 3–1 win against Chmel Blšany and scored the team's second goal for 2–1. In the following months, however, he was unable to repeat his performance of his first period at Hannover 96 and underwent therapy. He finished his first seasons with five appearances and as many appearances in the UEFA Champions League, where Sparta was eliminated in the group stage.

On 19 November 2005, he celebrated his return, being substituted on for Martin Hašek in a 4–2 win on matchday 13 of the 2005–06 season. That season, he made nine starts in the league and two in the Champions League. In the 2006–07 season, his third and final one for Sparta Prague, he made 18 appearances scoring 1 goal, playing ten times in the league and five times in the UEFA Cup. His fight against his alcoholism and arguments with coaches in his three years in Prague cost him sympathies. Having publicly voiced his intentions to leave the club, he was not allowed to attend the training shortly before his departure. Overall, he was limited to a total of 51 matches and 3 goals.^[3]

In July 2007, Šimák changed again to Germany and signed a two-year contract with Carl Zeiss Jena who at the time were competing in the 2. Bundesliga.^[4]

In summer 2008 he moved to VfB Stuttgart.^[5]

On 19 January 2010, Šimák moved to Mainz 05.^[6] After one season with Mainz, he returned to Carl Zeiss Jena, but left in 2012 after the club were relegated from the 3. Liga

In summer 2012 he returned to his hometown signing a six-month contract with newly formed FC MAS Táborsko competing in the 2. Liga hoping to move abroad again in January.^[7] In August 2014, he untied his contract with Táborsko because of health and personal issues.^[8]

Honours

Czech First League: 2005, 2007

References

^ ^a ^b "Bayer Leverkusen verpflichtet Jan Simak von Hannover 96". Rheinische Post (in German). 27 May 2002. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
^ "Bayer löst Simak-Vertrag auf". kicker Online (in German). 7 July 2004. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
^ Kolar, J.; Ulbrich, M. (30 July 2007). "Simak - Chance oder Risiko?". kicker Online (in German). Olympia Verlag GmbH. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
^ "Simak zum FC Carl Zeiss". kicker online (in German). Olympia Verlag GmbH. 26 July 2007. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
^ "Jan Simak signs for Stuttgart". vfb.de. 28 April 2008. Retrieved 28 April 2008.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "Jan Simak heads for Mainz". vfb.de. 19 January 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
^ "Bývalý reprezentant Šimák se vrací do Česka, hrát bude za Táborsko". idnes.cz (in Czech). 15 July 2012. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
^ "Šimák skončil v Táborsku. Má zdravotní a rodinné problémy" (in Czech). Aktuálně.cz. Retrieved 25 August 2014.