Luboš Kubík
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Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 20 January 1964 | ||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Vysoké Mýto, Czechoslovakia | ||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Midfielder, libero | ||||||||||||||||
Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
1972–1979 | Spartak Choceň | ||||||||||||||||
1979–1982 | Spartak Hradec Králové | ||||||||||||||||
Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
1981–1982 | Spartak Hradec Králové | 28 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
1982–1988 | TJ Slavia Praha IPS | 133 | (33) | ||||||||||||||
1989–1991 | Fiorentina | 50 | (8) | ||||||||||||||
1991–1993 | Metz | 70 | (14) | ||||||||||||||
1993–1995 | 1. FC Nürnberg | 40 | (5) | ||||||||||||||
1995–1996 | FK Drnovice | 14 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
1996–1997 | Slavia Prague | 14 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
1997–1998 | Lázně Bohdaneč | 2 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
1998–2000 | Chicago Fire | 71 | (15) | ||||||||||||||
2001 | Dallas Burn | 11 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
Total | 414 | (80) | |||||||||||||||
International career | |||||||||||||||||
1985–1993[1] | Czechoslovakia | 39 | (10) | ||||||||||||||
1994–1997[1] | Czech Republic | 17 | (3) | ||||||||||||||
Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||
FC Hradec Králové | |||||||||||||||||
2006 | Śląsk Wrocław | ||||||||||||||||
2006–2007 | Torquay United | ||||||||||||||||
2007 | SK Týniště nad Orlicí | ||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Luboš Kubík (born 20 January 1964) is a Czech former professional footballer and former manager of Torquay United. He played libero for the Czechoslovakia and Czech Republic national teams, winning 56 caps in total, and some clubs. Kubík is currently[when?] an assistant coach with the United States men's national soccer team.
Playing career
[edit]Kubík was born in Vysoké Mýto, Pardubice Region and began his career in 1981 with Hradec Králové, and moved to local powers Slavia Prague the following year. He made his international debut for Czechoslovakia in 1985. In 1988, Kubík and fellow Czechoslovakian international Ivo Knoflíček defected to England from a training camp in West Germany. In January 1989, they attempted to sign for Derby County as free agents, and were presented as new signings by the club's then-owner, the Czechoslovak-born Robert Maxwell, during a match against Southampton. However, both players were still under contract with Slavia Prague, who refused to allow the players to transfer.[2] Later in 1989, he was bought by Serie A club Fiorentina, and played there for two years. Kubík moved to Ligue 1 club FC Metz in 1991, and then to Bundesliga team 1. FC Nürnberg in 1993, before returning to the Czech Republic with Drnovice FK, SK Slavia Prague, and AFK Lázně Bohdaneč.
Kubík moved to Major League Soccer in 1998, joining the expansion team Chicago Fire. While helping the Fire to win both the MLS Cup and the U.S. Open Cup in their inaugural year, Kubík was named the MLS Defender of the Year. Kubík continued to be a valuable attacking force from the back in 1999, registering five goals and eight assists, and was named in the MLS Best XI for a second time.
Chicago Fire traded Kubík to the Dallas Burn during the 2001 offseason in exchange for Sergi Daniv. Kubík's final year was again beset by injuries, and he only managed to play 11 games for the Burn. Kubík retired due to injury at the end of the 2001 MLS season and returned to the Czech Republic.
Kubík was also a stalwart for the Czechoslovakian and Czech Republic's national teams, representing the former in the 1990 FIFA World Cup and the latter in 1996 UEFA European Football Championship. He played in his last international game in 1997.
Coaching and managerial career
[edit]Kubík had a brief spell working for Hradec Králové and in the summer of 2006 was appointed as manager of Polish side Śląsk Wrocław. However, he was sacked in October 2006 after just 11 league games in charge.
He was appointed manager of the English Football League Two side Torquay United on 27 November 2006 through his close friendship with Torquay chairman Chris Roberts.[3] Despite his impressive playing career, his lack of managerial experience and contacts in England was a problem, not aided by Roberts appointing Richard Hancox as Kubik's assistant. Torquay struggled under Kubik, winning just twice in 15 games, and he left club by mutual consent on 5 February 2007,[4] with Torquay deep in relegation trouble. Roberts also resigned as chairman later that month.[5] Torquay would be relegated at the end of the season, ending a 79-year spell in the Football League.[6]
Honors
[edit]Individuals
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Lubos Kubik | Goals in International Matches". RSSSF. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "Maxwell's "madcap" scheme to bring Czech duo to Baseball Ground". Derby Telegraph. 8 February 2018. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
- ^ "Czech star Kubik named Gulls boss". BBC Sport. BBC. 27 November 2006. Retrieved 19 April 2007.
- ^ "Lee given Torquay caretaker role". BBC Sport. BBC. 7 February 2007. Retrieved 19 April 2007.
- ^ "Torquay chairman Roberts resigns". BBC Sport. BBC. 21 February 2007. Retrieved 19 April 2007.
- ^ "Torquay lose Football League spot". BBC Sport. BBC. 14 April 2007. Retrieved 19 April 2007.
- ^ "1998 MLS All-Star Game". Major League Soccer. 2 August 1998. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- ^ "1999 MLS All-Star Game". Major League Soccer. 17 July 1999. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
External links
[edit]- Luboš Kubík at FAČR (also at old FAČR website) (in Czech)
- Luboš Kubík management career statistics at Soccerbase
- Living people
- 1964 births
- People from Vysoké Mýto
- Men's association football midfielders
- Czech men's footballers
- Czech football managers
- Czech expatriate football managers
- Czechoslovak men's footballers
- Czech Republic men's international footballers
- Czechoslovakia men's international footballers
- 1. FC Nürnberg players
- ACF Fiorentina players
- Chicago Fire FC players
- FC Dallas players
- FC Hradec Králové players
- FC Metz players
- 1. FK Drnovice players
- SK Slavia Prague players
- AFK Atlantic Lázně Bohdaneč players
- Torquay United F.C. managers
- Śląsk Wrocław managers
- Bundesliga players
- 2. Bundesliga players
- Czech First League players
- Ligue 1 players
- Serie A players
- 1990 FIFA World Cup players
- UEFA Euro 1996 players
- Czech expatriate men's footballers
- Czech expatriate sportspeople in Italy
- Czech expatriate sportspeople in Germany
- Czech expatriate sportspeople in the United States
- Czech expatriate sportspeople in France
- Czech expatriate sportspeople in Poland
- Expatriate football managers in England
- Expatriate football managers in Poland
- Expatriate men's footballers in France
- Expatriate men's footballers in Germany
- Expatriate men's footballers in Italy
- Major League Soccer players
- Major League Soccer All-Stars
- Czechoslovak expatriate men's footballers
- Czechoslovak expatriate sportspeople in France
- Czechoslovak expatriate sportspeople in Italy
- Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States
- Footballers from the Pardubice Region
- Czechoslovak defectors