Successful together with Žilina

Former left-back Michal Šmarda made more than 300 appearances in the Czech top flight for clubs including Hradec Králové, Sigma Olomouc, Viktoria Žižkov and Sparta Prague. As a coach, he worked at several Czech clubs and was an assistant at Sparta’s first team under Václav Kotal. He also worked alongside Pavel Hapal at Baník Ostrava and Martin Svědík at Jihlava and Slovácko.

Michal, this is your first coaching role outside the Czech Republic. Why did you choose MŠK Žilina?

“The offer from Žilina immediately appealed to me. I was invited to the match against Komárno and had the chance to speak with the club's management and head coach Vladimír Veselý. We discussed football, the club's direction and our ideas, and I felt we shared a very similar vision. That convinced me to take on this new challenge.

What did MŠK Žilina mean to you before you arrived?

“I see Žilina as a historically successful club and an important football brand in the region. The club has always played attractive football and is well known for developing young players.”

Did anyone you know help influence your decision?

“I knew some of the players from Czech football, but I also spoke with my long-time colleague and friend Pavel Hapal, who previously coached here and spoke positively about the club.”

What has been your first impression of the team?

“The squad is very talented and the atmosphere is great. I'm looking forward to getting to know the players better through training and helping the team move forward.”

How would you describe your football philosophy?

“Football is all about teamwork. I want to be successful and that requires quality, discipline and hard work. Coaching is a privilege and you have to give everything for success.”

What have you learned from the coaches you worked with throughout your career?

“I was fortunate to work with excellent coaches. Each of them taught me something different, whether it was organisation, training methodology or game principles. I hope to bring those experiences to Žilina.”

What discussions have you had so far regarding your role?

“It's still very early, but from my conversations with coach Veselý it's clear that we share a similar view of modern football and how Žilina wants to play. I'm confident we'll work well together.”

What are your goals at the Stadium under the Dubeň hill?

“I want to be successful with Žilina. Professional football is about results, but it's also about helping players improve and continuing to develop myself as a coach.”