Luboš Kubík

Luboš Kubík

Personal information
Full name	Luboš Kubík
Date of birth	(1964-01-20) 20 January 1964
Place of birth	Vysoké Mýto, Czechoslovakia
Height
Position(s)	Midfielder or 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	FC 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	Czechoslovakia	17	(3)
1994–1997	Czech Republic	39	(10)
Managerial career
	FC Hradec Králové
2006	Śląsk Wrocław
2006–2007	Torquay United
2007	SK Týniště nad Orlicí
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Luboš Kubík (born 20 January 1964 in Vysoké Mýto) is a Czech former professional footballer and former manager of Torquay United, who played sweeper for the Czechoslovakia and Czech Republic national teams, winning 56 caps in total, and a number of notable clubs. He is currently an assistant coach with the United States men's national soccer team.

Playing career

Kubík was born in Vysoké Mýto, Pardubice Region and began his career in 1981 with Hradec Králové, and moved to local powers Slavia Praha the following year. He made his international debut for Czechoslovakia in 1985. In 1989, he was bought by Serie A club Fiorentina, and played there for two years. He moved to French club FC Metz in 1991, and then to Bundesliga team 1. FC Nuremberg in 1993, before returning to the Czech Republic with Drnovice FK, SK Slavia Praha, 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 5 goals and 8 assists, and was named in the MLS Best XI for a second time.

The 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 Czechoslovakia in the 1990 FIFA World Cup and the Czech Republic in Euro 96. He played in last international game in 1997.

Coaching and Managerial Career

He 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. . 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, with Torquay deep in relegation trouble. Roberts also resigned as chairman later that month. Torquay would be relegated at the end of the season, ending a 79-year spell in the Football League.

External links

• Luboš Kubík international stats at the Football Association of the Czech Republic website (Czech)
• Luboš Kubík management career statistics at Soccerbase