Štajner makes Hannover switch
Monday, March 25, 2002
Article summary
FC Slovan Liberec striker Jirí Štajner has joined German second division leaders Hannover 96.
Article body
FC Slovan Liberec striker Jirí Štajner has joined German side Hannover 96 for a reported fee of €5m.
Top scorer
Štajner, currently top of the goalscoring charts in the Czech Republic, will join the German second division leaders after impressing Hannover coach Ralf Rangnick. The 25-year-old forward, with 13 league and four UEFA Cup goals to his name this term, was sent off against FK Viktoria Zizkov on Sunday but showed enough to convince Rangnick.
Czech compatriots
He had a successful spell with SK Slavia Praha and helped them reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup in 1996, before a spell in regional league football with Lounovice. He came back via second division FC MUS Most and moved to Slovan in 2000. Štajner will join fellow Czech Republic players Jan Simák and Jiri Kaufman at Hannover, although Simák is a target for 1. Bundesliga side 1. FC Kaiserslautern.
'Great ambition'
"It seems that I have signed with first club to offer for me, but I think that it is good choice because they have great ambition," said Štajner. "I hope that my compatriot Jiri Kaufman will help me during my time in Hannover."
