As one of the few footballers, he played for Slovan Bratislava and Spartak Trnava. After a successful career as a player, Peter Černák became a recognized coach, led MŠK Žilina, FK Pohronie and now he pulled Košice from last place.
Today the native of Handlova is celebrating a round jubilee – 50 years. “Coach, happy birthday,” FC Košice wishes him on social networks.
They broke a Košice bus
Peter Černák started playing football in Baník Handlová, where he graduated from all youth categories. However, he played only one season for the main team here, because in 1995 he went on loan to Calex Zlaté Moravce and later to NCHZ Nováky.
Černak only played in lower competitions, but the turning point in his career came in 2000, when Spartak Trnava showed interest in his services. However, Spartak did not experience the best period in those years and was even relegated to the second league. “The Trnava fans were great, but when we didn’t do well, it was worse. I remember how they smashed the Košice bus before the match. However, nothing serious happened to anyone and the match took place.” Peter Černak mentioned some time ago in interview for MY.
He left the club after the failure, but he will never forget his time in Trnava. He played there with names like Marek Ujlaky, Igor Bališ and Jaroslav Timko. “Since I was a kid, I wanted to play in the league, which I did. As a young scared boy, I got to be among the big personalities, which made me feel great.” he added.
They shocked the empty Pastures
As a 25-year-old, he returned to Novák, but due to the club’s financial problems, he went to Topoľčany and then to Prievidza. Here, too, the club was hit by financial problems, so in 2005 it returned to Zlaté Moraviec. Here his career took on a new dimension.
The triumph of Golden Moravians in the Slovak Cup 2006/2007 is memorable, when they shocked Senec as a second-division team and defeated it clearly 4:0 at Pasienky. “Although the stands were empty, it was a great feeling. After all, on the way to the finals, we knocked out then first-league teams like Petržalka and Nitra,” he recalled.
FC Senec – FC ViOn Zlaté Moravce 0:4 (0:1)– Goals: 38. and 49. Choma, 88. Černak, 90.+5 Plichta.
– ViOn: Peškovič – Pavlenda, Klabal, Greguška, Choma (90. Medera) – Ondrejka, Kuračka, Hözl, Číž (86. Juska) – Černak – Chren (83. Plichta)
A journey of 26 hours
Zlaté Moravce won promotion to the then Corgoň League and, thanks to the triumph in the cup, played in the European League. Černak was the captain of the team and the personality of the club in those years. “In the first round of the UEFA Cup at the time, we beat Kairat Almaty. The journey to the match was interesting, because we went to Kazakhstan for 26 hours. However, we were rewarded with promotion,” he revealed.
In the next round, Zlaté Moravce faced Russian Zenit St. Petersburg, where Černák’s friend Martin Škrtel was also working at the time. They later played with him in the Ráztočn jersey. “We didn’t meet on the field because Martin was injured, which was a big shame. We lost to the favorite in the end, but we went out with honor.” he added.
The quality of Černák was noticed by coach Boris Kitka, who brought him to Slovan Bratislava. In the most successful Slovak club, he won his only championship title.
“I remember the match against the Dutch Ajax Amsterdam, for which Luis Suárez played at the time. We lost 0:5 and Suárez scored four goals for us. After the unsuccessful matches, a new team began to be built in Slovan and there was no longer a place for me.” he remembered.
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He is a native of the small village of Vitanová in Orava. Through Trstená and Námestovo, he got to Ružomberok, where he caught 50 games.
The goal is rescue in the competition
He also played in the highest competition in the Czech Republic in the jersey of České Budějovice. “We had different goals in Budějovice than in Slovan. The priority was to save and we managed to keep the league twice. We told ourselves that we wanted to move in calm waters, but we always had to worry until the last round.” he smiled.
Černak ended his career in Baník Prievidza, where he became a coach from a player. After promotion to the third league, he was scouted by Žilina, where his coaching career began to gain momentum. In 2020, he became the best youth coach, later he became the main team coach.
Career of Petr Černák1994 – 1995 Baník Handlová
1995 Calex Zlaté Moravce
1996 – 1999 FK NCHZ Nováky
2000 – 2001 FC Spartak Trnava
2001 FK NCHZ Nováky
2002 – 2003 FK NCHZ Nováky
2003 – 2004 HFK Prievidza
2005 – 2007 ViOn Zlaté Moravce
2008 – 2009 SK Slovan Bratislava
2009 – 2011 SK Dynamo České Budějovice
2011 – 2014 FC Baník Horná Nitra
Champion of Slovakia: 2009
Super Cup winner: 2009
Slovak Cup winner: 2007
He currently works in Košice, where his main goal is to save in the highest competition. There is nothing else he wishes for his 50th birthday. “We all know very well what kind of situation we are in, and that is why we have to work in such a way that we manage the spring and save the Niké league for Košice. The goal is to achieve a priority rescue, but overall we want to be successful.” pre club website concluded FC Košice coach Peter Černák.
