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Pavel Vrba

Published: Wednesday 1 June 2011, 17.28CET
FC Viktoria Plzeň
Pavel Vrba
Plzeň coach Pavel Vrba ©Getty Images
Published: Wednesday 1 June 2011, 17.28CET

Pavel Vrba

FC Viktoria Plzeň

Date of birth: 6 December 1963
Nationality: Czech
Playing career: FC Baník Ostrava (twice), TJ Železárny Prostějov, RH Cheb, TJ Baník Havířov, FC Přerov
Coaching career: FC Přerov, FC Baník Ostrava (youth, assistant), Czech Republic Under-20, FK Matador Púchov, MŠK Žilina, Slovakia (assistant), FC Viktoria Plzeň

• The defender was part of the Czechoslovakia side that reached the final of the 1982 UEFA European Under-18 Championship and also appeared at the FIFA U-20 World Cup the following year; the Czechs lost in the quarter-finals to a Brazil team including Bebeto and Dunga.

• His club career did not hit the same highs, Vrba making a handful of appearances for Cheb and Baník before finishing his playing days in the lower leagues with hometown club Přerov.

• Returned to Baník as a youth coach and also went back to the U20 World Cup, taking charge of the Czech Republic in the 2003 edition. Became assistant at Baník and, despite a 7-0 loss to SK Slavia Praha in his first match in temporary charge in May 2003, the next season ended with Baník and Vrba celebrating the league title.

• That summer crossed the border into Slovakia, winning a championship as head coach of Žilina in 2007, by which time he was also working as assistant to Ján Kocián with the country’s national side.

• Moved on to Plzeň in 2008, winning the Czech Cup in his second season – when he was voted the country's coach of the year – and the league in 2011. Even better followed at the start of 2011/12, Plzeň claiming the scalps of Rosenborg BK and FC København en route to reaching the UEFA Champions League group stage for the first time.

Last updated: 31/08/11 17.13CET

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