Zdeněk Kroča
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 29 September 1980 | ||
| Place of birth | Zlín, Czechoslovakia | ||
| Height | 1.94 m (6 ft 4 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | FC Tescoma Zlín | ||
| Number | 5 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1986–2000 | FC Tescoma Zlín | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2000–2010 | FC Tescoma Zlín[1][2] | 189 | (16) |
| 2006–2007 | → Sportfreunde Siegen (loan) | 7 | (1) |
| 2010–2011 | Luton Town | 45 | (5) |
| 2011–2012 | Kilmarnock | 14 | (1) |
| 2012– | FC Fastav Zlín | 12 | (2) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14:05, 29 November 2012 (GMT). | |||
Zdeněk Kroča (born 29 September 1980) is a Czech footballer who plays for FC Fastav Zlín as a defender.
Career
Born in Zlín, Zlín Region,[3] Kroča started his career as a youth player for FC Tescoma Zlín and was promoted to the senior side in 2000. He started his first game for Zlín in the 2002–03 Gambrinus liga season, and went on to play 104 league games until the end of the 2005–06 season as the club consolidated themselves in the Gambrinus liga.[4]
Kroča was linked to a move to then-Slovak Superliga champions Artmedia Bratislava in January 2006. He played on trial in a friendly game, though Artmedia opted against signing him, stating he was too similar to players already at the club.[5]
He joined German Regionalliga Süd side Sportfreunde Siegen on loan for the start of the 2006–07 season, playing in seven matches and scoring once.[6]
Kroča signed a new contract with Zlín the next season, once again becoming a regular in the team.[5] Zlín were relegated to the Czech 2. Liga at the end of the 2008–09 season. He stayed at the club for one more year before his contract ended.
He signed for English Conference Premier team Luton Town on 4 August 2010 on a one-year contract following a successful trial period.[7] He scored on his competitive Luton debut in a 2–1 victory over Altrincham.[8] He then scored two further goals in the opening weeks of the season against Newport County and AFC Wimbledon.
Kroča signed for Scottish Premier League side Kilmarnock when his Luton contract expired on 30 June 2011. Kroča made his SPL debut on Sunday 24 July 2011 in a 1–1 draw against Dundee United at Tannadice Park. Kroča scored his first goal for Kilmarnock in a 3–2 win against Dunfermline Athletic at Rugby Park on 10 September 2011. On 18 March, he played in the 2012 Scottish League Cup Final which Kilmarnock won after beating Celtic 1–0.[9]
Kroča returned home to the Czech Republic and on 2 July 2012 signed a two-year contract with the club he had spent most of his career at, FC Fastav Zlín.[10]
Honours
- Kilmarncock
References
- ↑ Zdeněk Kroča profile at official FC Tescoma Zlín website
- ↑ Zdeněk Kroča Zlín – Fotbal iDNES.cz
- ↑ Zdenek Kroca – FC Zlin – 3. Liga – Kicker Online
- ↑ Zdeněk Kroča: eFotbal.cz – více fotbalu
- 1 2 "Artmedia turn down Zlin's Kroca". Czech Football Daily. 2006-01-25. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ↑ Linke, Gerber, Zecke die Bundesliga sagt Hallo
- ↑ "Money banks two Czechs". Luton Town F.C. 2010-08-06. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ↑ "Luton 2–1 Altrincham". BBC Sport. 2008-08-14. Retrieved 2008-08-15.
- ↑ "Celtic 0–1 Kilmarnock". BBC Sport. 18 March 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ↑ "Zdeněk Kroča concluded a two-year contract". FC Fastav Zlin. 2 July 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
