Jiří Štajner

Jiří Štajner (born 27 May 1976) is a Czech former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or second striker. Eight years a player for Hannover 96, he is extremely popular with Hannover fans and is seen as a cult figure at the club.

Jiří Štajner
Štajner playing for Hannover 96 in 2008
Personal information
Full name Jiří Štajner[1]
Date of birth (1976-05-27) 27 May 1976
Place of birth Benešov, Czechoslovakia
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder, second striker
Youth career
1982–1990 TJ Senohraby
1990–1994 Slavia Prague
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994–1996 Slavia Prague 6 (0)
1995 → Švarc Benešov (loan) 1 (1)
1996 České Budějovice 0 (0)
1996–1997 Slavia Louňovice 23 (22)
1998–1999 MUS Most 59 (26)
2000–2002 Slovan Liberec 63 (25)
2002–2010 Hannover 96 218 (42)
2004 → Sparta Prague (loan) 14 (3)
2010–2013 Slovan Liberec 80 (32)
2013–2014 Mladá Boleslav 23 (4)
2015 Neugersdorf 13 (6)
Total 500 (161)
International career
2002–2012 Czech Republic 37 (4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Czech Republic

Štajner started his active footballing career in the youth teams of SK Dynamo České Budějovice. At a young age, he was picked up by one of the league's best teams, SK Slavia Prague. He failed to make a breakthrough at Slavia, continuing his youth career with TJ Senohraby, an amateur club close to the city where he grew up - Benešov.

In 1998, Štajner moved on to FK Baník Most in an attempt to advance his career, although his breakthrough was to come at the beginning of the new millennium after signing for Slovan Liberec, as he became known as an excellent goalscorer and attracted attention with his European performances in the UEFA Cup. In the 2001–02 season he was the Gambrinus liga's top goalscorer with 15 goals as Slovan secured the title. In the summer of 2002, Štajner was signed by German Bundesliga side Hannover 96.

Hannover 96

Štajner quickly became a favourite with coach Ralf Rangnick, although the club from the Lower Saxonian capital had to pay his former club €3.5 million, which made Štajner the most expensive player in the history of Hannover 96.[2]

At the beginning of his spell in Germany he had trouble adapting to the style of play, only becoming a regular starter in his second season. On 22 May 2003, Štajner helped cement his status as a cult hero for the club, notably scoring the decisive goal against Borussia Mönchengladbach to retain Hannover's place in the top flight. The match ended 2–2.

On 15 May 2010, he announced his return to his former club FC Slovan Liberec.[3]

In 2015, he joined Czech lower league side TJ Spartak Chrastava.[4]

International career

Štajner was a member of the Czech Republic national team, and played in the 2006 FIFA World Cup.[5]

Honours

Slovan Liberec

References
  1. "2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 21 March 2014. p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2019.
  2. Fußball Bundesliga: Jiri Stajner verlässt Hannover
  3. Bundesliga Jiri Stajner verlässt Hannover
  4. "Štajner při premiéře za Chrastavu trefil břevno, pak zašlapával drny". MAFRA, a. s. (in Czech). idnes.cz. 24 April 2015. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  5. Jiří Štajner at FAČR (in Czech)
  6. "Dvacet let poté. Jak kanonýr Lazzaro otevřel Liberci cestu do Evropy". idnes.cz. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
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