 Vrba in 2013 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Pavel Vrba | ||
| Date of birth | (1963-12-06)6 December 1963 (age 61) | ||
| Place of birth | Přerov,Czechoslovakia | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1973–1979 | FK Přerov | ||
| 1979–1981 | Baník Ostrava | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1981–1982 | Železárny Prostějov | ||
| 1982–1984 | RH Cheb | ||
| →TJ RH Sušice (loan) | |||
| →TJ Nýrsko (loan) | |||
| 1984–1985 | Baník Ostrava | ||
| 1985–1993 | Baník Havířov | ||
| 1993–1994 | FK Přerov | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 1994–1996 | FK Přerov | ||
| 1996–2004 | Baník Ostrava (Assistant) | ||
| 2003 | Baník Ostrava | ||
| 2004–2006 | Púchov | ||
| 2006–2008 | Žilina | ||
| 2006–2008 | Slovakia (Assistant) | ||
| 2008–2013 | Viktoria Plzeň | ||
| 2014–2016 | Czech Republic | ||
| 2016 | Anzhi Makhachkala | ||
| 2017–2019 | Viktoria Plzeň | ||
| 2019–2020 | Ludogorets Razgrad | ||
| 2021–2022 | Sparta Prague | ||
| 2022 | Baník Ostrava | ||
| 2022–2023 | Zlín | ||
| 2024–2025 | Líšeň | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Pavel Vrba (born 6 December 1963) is aCzechfootball manager and former player. He is known for applying an offensive football philosophy in the teams he coaches.[1]
As a player, Vrba played for several clubs, including Baník Ostrava. As a coach, he led several Czech and Slovak clubs, including aCzech First League record of five seasons in charge ofFC Viktoria Plzeň, whom he led to two league titles, one cup title, and three consecutive seasons of participation in theUEFA Europa League knockout stage – a record for any Czech club.[2]
Having been assistant to managerErich Cviertna, Vrba took charge ofFC Baník Ostrava for a short time towards the end of the2002–03 Czech First League after Cviertna's departure.[3] His first match in charge resulted in a 7–0 loss for Ostrava away toSlavia Prague.[4]
He won the Slovak Superleague withMŠK Žilina in the2006–07 season and led the team to second place thefollowing season.[5]
In 2010, he led Viktoria Plzeň to the victory in theCzech Cup for the first time in the club history. He was voted the Czech Coach of the Year for 2010. In the 2010–11 season of theCzech First League, he won the league with Viktoria Plzeň for the first time in the club history. Vrba was awarded the title "Czech Coach of the Year" for 2012, symbolising the third consecutive year he had won the award.[6] He led Plzeň to a second league title in 2013. In October 2013 Vrba led Plzen for a 152nd consecutive top-flight match, setting a league record.[7] Despite having a contract with Plzeň until June 2015,[7] theCzech Football Association activated a buy-out clause, paying his club 8 millionCzech koruna and he was announced as the new manager of theCzech Republic national football team in November 2013.[8] His last game in charge of the club was the2013–14 UEFA Champions League group stage tie againstCSKA Moscow which Plzeň won 2–1 with a last-minute goal fromTomáš Wágner, thus earning them a place in theEuropa League knockout stage. At the end of the match, the fans unfurled a banner reading "always remember that it wasn't wasted time".[9]
On 16 December 2019, Vrba became manager of BulgarianLudogorets Razgrad.[10]
On 3 February 2021, Vrba became manager ofSparta Prague.[11]
On 28 November 2022, Vrba became manager ofTrinity Zlín.[12]
On 18 December 2024, Vrba became manager ofLíšeň.[13] On 4 February 2025, Vrba is out as manager of Líšeň. He was dismissed after only two months, five pre-season matches.[14]
Žilina
Viktoria Plzeň
Ludogorets Razgrad
| Team | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||
| Baník Ostrava | 3 May 2003 | 17 June 2003 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 10 | −3 | 040.00 |
| Matador Púchov | 18 June 2004 | 7 April 2006 | 65 | 18 | 14 | 33 | 54 | 91 | −37 | 027.69 |
| Žilina | 1 July 2006 | 24 September 2008 | 87 | 58 | 17 | 12 | 200 | 68 | +132 | 066.67 |
| Viktoria Plzeň | 8 October 2008 | 15 December 2013 | 231 | 134 | 51 | 46 | 453 | 247 | +206 | 058.01 |
| Czech Republic | 1 January 2014 | 30 June 2016 | 25 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 41 | 36 | +5 | 040.00 |
| Anzhi Makhachkala | 30 June 2016 | 30 December 2016 | 19 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 19 | 19 | +0 | 036.84 |
| Viktoria Plzeň | 1 July 2017 | 17 December 2019 | 117 | 69 | 22 | 26 | 204 | 131 | +73 | 058.97 |
| Ludogorets Razgrad | 18 December 2019 | 25 October 2020 | 28 | 15 | 6 | 7 | 57 | 28 | +29 | 053.57 |
| Sparta Prague | 3 February 2021 | 9 May 2022 | 73 | 44 | 11 | 18 | 152 | 95 | +57 | 060.27 |
| Baník Ostrava | 18 June 2022 | 10 October 2022 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 17 | 18 | −1 | 025.00 |
| Zlín | 28 November 2022 | 23 October 2023 | 35 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 45 | 65 | −20 | 025.71 |
| Líšeň | 18 December 2024 | 4 February 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0 | !— |
| Career totals | 697 | 369 | 149 | 179 | 1,249 | 807 | +442 | 052.94 | ||
