Václav Hladký

Václav Hladký (born 14 November 1990 in Brno) is a Czech football player who plays as a goalkeeper for League Two club Salford City. He has previously played for Zbrojovka Brno and Slovan Liberec in his homeland, and St Mirren in Scotland, and has represented his country at youth level up to under-20.[1]

Václav Hladký
Personal information
Date of birth (1990-11-14) 14 November 1990
Place of birth Brno, Czechoslovakia
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Salford City
Number 1
Youth career
1996–2003 FC Sparta Brno
2003–2004 FK Šardice
2004–2009 FC Zbrojovka Brno
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2012 Zbrojovka Brno B 45 (0)
2009 → MSK Břeclav (loan) 15 (0)
2010 → MSK Břeclav (loan) 9 (0)
2011 → FC Sparta Brno 1 (0)
2012–2015 Zbrojovka Brno 42 (0)
2015–2019 Slovan Liberec 31 (0)
2019–2020 St Mirren 47 (0)
2020– Salford City 26 (0)
National team‡
2005–2006 Czech Republic U-16 8 (0)
2006–2007 Czech Republic U-17 7 (0)
2007–2008 Czech Republic U-18 7 (0)
2008–2009 Czech Republic U-19 7 (0)
2011 Czech Republic U-20 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20:56, 9 February 2021 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 5 June 2013

Career

Zbrojovka Brno

Having signed in 2012, he spent his first year as second choice goalkeeper behind Radek Petr, but was made first choice in 2013.[2] He made his début on the opening day of 2013–14 season against FK Jablonec, managing to keep a clean sheet.[3] During his time at the club, Brno goalkeeping coach Luboš Přibyl compared him to fellow Czech goalkeeper Petr Čech.[4] On 18 October 2014, he was sent off against Sparta Prague.[5] During the 2014-15 season he was dropped from the team after a series of mistakes,[6] and by the end of the season declared he wanted to leave the club having fallen behind Dušan Melichárek as the club's number one.[7]

Slovan Liberec

After signing in 2015, Hladký was second choice goalkeeper for over two years, initially behind Tomáš Koubek, signed on loan from Sparta Prague at the same time.[8] He was selected for four league games in the autumn and was praised for his performances, which including keeping a clean sheet against Sparta Prague, and against Fastav Zlín in the Czech Cup.[9]

He would remain backup, initially behind Martin Dúbravka, and then behind Ondřej Kolář, before getting his opportunity in the spring of 2018.[10] He would be dropped the following season for Filip Nguyen, signed from second division Vlašim.[11]

St Mirren

After falling back down the pecking order at Slovan Liberec,[12] Hladký signed for St Mirren on an 18-month deal in January 2019.[13] He quickly became a fan favourite at St Mirren Park, with goalkeeping coach Jamie Langfield saying he could be the player to keep St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership.[14] He made the BBC's Scottish Premiership team of the week following his performance in a 1–1 draw with Heart of Midlothian.[15]

On 26 May, St Mirren played out a 1–1 in the play-off final against Dundee United, meaning the two teams would play a penalty shootout; Hladký saved three of the four penalties he faced as St Mirren won the shootout 2–0 and therefore staying in the Premiership.[16] Hladký dedicated the victory to his best friend Josef Šural, who died in a bus crash a month prior,[17] and credited Langfield, St Mirren manager Oran Kearney and chief executive Tony Fitzpatrick for supporting him during the difficult moments.[18]

In the summer, St Mirren rejected a £200k offer from Qarabağ, with new manager Jim Goodwin declaring him the best goalkeeper in the league.[19] In June 2020, Hladký left Saints when he rejected the offer of a new contract.[20]

Salford City

In August 2020 he joined EFL League Two side Salford City on a two year contract.[21] On his competitive début, an EFL Cup first round match against Rotherham United, he saved a penalty from Joe Mattock to send Salford through 4–2 after a shoot-out.[22]

References
  1. Václav Hladký at FAČR (in Czech)
  2. Koštuřík, Michal (18 July 2013). "Brno má novou brankářskou jedničku, bude jí mladý Václav Hladký" [Brno has a new goalkeeper number one, young Václav Hladký will be]. Blesk (in Czech). Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  3. Sedlák, Martin; Krutil, Robin (22 July 2013). "Chyběly nám lehkost a kvalita, litovali Jablonečtí po bezgólové remíze" [We lacked lightness and quality, regretted Jablonec after goalless draw]. iDNES (in Czech). Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  4. "Hladký talent jako Čech" [Hladky is a talent like Cech]. eFotbal (in Czech). 24 October 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  5. "Brno - Sparta 1:3. Góly reprezentantů poslaly vítěze do čela" [Brno - Sparta 1:3. The goals of the representatives sent the winner into the lead]. Týden (in Czech). 18 October 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  6. Krutil, Robin (24 October 2014). "Hladký renomé kazí chyby. Musí ještě vyzrát, říká trenér Zbrojovky" [Hladký reputation spoiled by errors. He still has to mature, says Zbrojovka's coach]. iDNES (in Czech). Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  7. Daněk, Jan (22 May 2015). "Kliďas vs. šlechtěná naděje. Vítězí Melichárek, Hladký chce z Brna pryč" [Peaceful vs. noble hope. Melichárek wins, Hladký wants out of Brno]. iDNES (in Czech). Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  8. Havlen, Michaal (15 February 2018). "Liberecký brankář Hladký se konečně dočkal, do jara půjde jako jednička" [Liberec goalkeeper Hladký has finally got, he will go as number one in the spring]. iDNES (in Czech). Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  9. Havlen, Michaal (25 November 2015). "Hladký vychytal Spartu, ale teď se asi vrátí na libereckou lavičku" [Hladký caught Sparta, but now he would probably return to the Liberec bench]. iDNES (in Czech). Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  10. Havlen, Michaal (15 February 2018). "Liberecký brankář Hladký se konečně dočkal, do jara půjde jako jednička" [Liberec goalkeeper Hladký has finally got, he will go as number one in the spring]. iDNES (in Czech). Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  11. Havlen, Michaal (12 November 2018). "Gólman Nguyen chytil penaltu i proti Slovácku a dál drží Liberec" [Goalkeeper Nguyen also caught a penalty against Slovakia and continues to hold Liberec]. iDNES (in Czech). Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  12. "Brankář Hladký míří z Liberce do Skotska, bude hrát za St. Mirren" [Goalkeeper Hladky is heading from Liberec to Scotland, will play for St Mirren]. iDNES (in Czech). 11 January 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  13. "St Mirren sign Czech goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky". BBC. 11 January 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  14. Macpherson, Graeme (1 March 2019). "Vaclav Hladky could keep St Mirren up, says Jamie Langfield". The Herald. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  15. "Who made Rob Maclean's Scottish Premiership team of the week?". BBC Sport. 25 February 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  16. "St Mirren 1-1 Dundee Utd: Vaclav Hladky the hero as St Mirren retain Scottish Premiership status". Sky Sports. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  17. Halliday, Stephen (26 May 2019). "St Mirren hero Vaclav Hladky dedicates starring role to late friend". The Scotsman. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  18. Alexander, Douglas (29 September 2019). "Vaclav Hladky: 'We have a better team than last season, I have a little less work'". The Times. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  19. McConnell, Alison (25 August 2019). "St Mirren goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky is best stopper in top flight, says Jim Goodwin". The Herald. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  20. "St Mirren: Captain McGinn and goalkeeper Hladký among 13 departures". BBC Sport. 2 June 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  21. "Salford Sign Czech Keeper Vaclav Hladky". Salford City FC. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  22. "Salford City 1-1 Rotherham United (4-2 on pens): Ammies through after shootout". BBC Sport. 5 September 2020. Retrieved 20 September 2020.

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