Former Czech keeper Pavel Srníček passes away
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
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Former goalkeeper Pavel Srníček, part of the Czech Republic squad that finished as runners-up at EURO '96, has passed away aged 47 after suffering a cardiac arrest.
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Former Czech Republic goalkeeper Pavel Srníček has passed away at the age of 47. Srníček died in hospital in Poruba, Ostrava, on Tuesday, nine days after suffering a cardiac arrest while jogging in his home town.
Srníček, who was most recently goalkeeping coach at Sparta Praha, won 49 caps for his country between 1994 and 2001. He was part of the Czech squad that finished runners-up at EURO '96 in England, the country where he spent a large part of his club career.
He played for Newcastle with particular distinction from 1991 to 1998 and briefly returned for a second stint nearly a decade later. Srníček also turned out for Sheffield Wednesday, Portsmouth and West Ham United in England, as well as local club Banik Ostrava, Brescia and Cosenza in Italy and Beira-Mar in Portugal.
"We are losing not only a great man and friend, but also an excellent coach who has done a lot of genuine work for Sparta. Thank you for everything, Pavel," said Sparta Praha general manager Adam Kotalík.
Basel goalkeeper Tomáš Vaclík, previously one of Srníček's charges at Sparta, said: "Mr coach, thank you for everything! I am really sad I cannot say it to you personally. Rest in peace."
