Luboš Kozel

Luboš Kozel
Kozel in 2019
Personal information
Date of birth (1971-03-16) 16 March 1971 (age 53)
Place of birth Vlašim, Czechoslovakia
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Jablonec (manager)
Youth career
1978–1985 Jawa Divišov
1986–1989 BS Vlašim
1989–1991 ČSAD Benešov
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991–1993 Švarc Benešov
1993–2001 Slavia Prague 142 (10)
2002 Újpest 24 (2)
2003 Bohemians Prague 9 (0)
2003 Viktoria Plzeň 9 (1)
International career
1995–1998 Czech Republic 9 (1)
Managerial career
2004–2005 Slavia Prague B (assistant)
2005–2007 Slavia Prague B
2007 Jablonec
2007–2009 Slovan Liberec (assistant)
2009–2016 Dukla Prague
2016–2017 Czech Republic U18
2017–2018 Czech Republic U19
2018–2019 Czech Republic U18
2019–2020 Czech Republic U19
2019–2021 Baník Ostrava
2021–2024 Slovan Liberec
2024– Jablonec
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Luboš Kozel (born 16 March 1971) is a Czech professional football manager and former player who is currently in charge of Jablonec. Following a playing career where he was mostly associated with Slavia Prague, he spent seven years as manager of Dukla Prague, overseeing their transition from the second-tier to the Czech First League. Kozel played for the Czech Republic national team, appearing in nine matches and scoring one goal.[1]

Playing career

Kozel played the majority of his club football at Slavia Prague, playing nine seasons of the Czech First League there. He went on to play for Bohemians Prague and Viktoria Plzeň in the top flight, amassing a total of 160 appearances in the league.[2] He also played for Hungarian Újpest. Kozel represented his country at the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup.[3]

Managerial career

In 2004, Kozel started work as assistant coach at the "B" team of Slavia Prague.[4] He later took charge of Slavia "B" as the head coach.[5]

Kozel signed a two-year contract with Jablonec in June 2007.[5] This was his first Czech First League management position. Having won just one match in the opening nine games of the season, coupled with his club's exit from the 2007–08 UEFA Cup in the second qualifying round, Kozel become the fourth manager to lose his job in the 2007–08 Czech First League.[6] However, one week later, he was appointed as assistant to Ladislav Škorpil at Liberec.[7]

Kozel was appointed manager of Dukla Prague in December 2009, taking over from Günter Bittengel.[8] In the 2010–11 Czech 2. Liga, Kozel led Dukla to the title and subsequent promotion to the Czech First League. After leading Dukla to consecutive sixth-placed league finishes in 2011–12 and 2012–13, Kozel's contract was extended for a further three years.[9] In 2016 Kozel left Dukla following the expiry of his contract. His replacement was named as Jaroslav Šilhavý.[10] In 2016, he became the coach of the Czech national under-19 team.[11]

Honours

Player

Slavia Prague

Manager

Dukla Prague

References

  1. ^ Luboš Kozel at FAČR (in Czech)
  2. ^ "Luboš Kozel". Fortuna Liga (in Czech). 15 April 2013. Archived from the original on 18 May 2013.
  3. ^ Luboš Kozel Statistics FIFA. Retrieved 6 February 2010.
  4. ^ "Kluci mi vykat nemusí, říká Kozel". Mladá fronta Dnes (in Czech). 20 January 2004. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
  5. ^ a b "Jablonci se Kozel upsal na dva roky". Mladá fronta Dnes (in Czech). 6 June 2007. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
  6. ^ Stupina, Radim (8 October 2007). "Jablonec odvolal trenéra Kozla". Mladá fronta Dnes (in Czech). Retrieved 29 January 2012.
  7. ^ Novák, Jaromír; Havlen, Michael (15 October 2007). "Liberec povedou Škorpil s Kozlem". Mladá fronta Dnes (in Czech). Retrieved 29 January 2012.
  8. ^ Novák, Jaromír (14 December 2009). "Fotbalisté pražské Dukly změnili trenéra: Bittengla vystřídal Kozel". Mladá fronta Dnes (in Czech). Retrieved 29 January 2012.
  9. ^ "Dukla prodloužila smlouvu s koučem Kozlem, chce obhájit šesté místo". Deník (in Czech). 16 July 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  10. ^ "V Dukle končí Kozel i Suchopárek, trenérem se stal Šilhavý". Mladá fronta Dnes (in Czech). Mafra. 14 May 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  11. ^ "Je FAČR odkladištěm trenérů nebo jejich zajišťovacím ústavem?". Hattrick (in Czech). Archived from the original on 31 December 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2017.