Zdeněk Kroča

Zdeněk Kroča (born 29 September 1980) is a Czech footballer who plays for FC Fastav Zlín as a defender.

Zdeněk Kroča
Personal information
Date of birth (1980-09-29) 29 September 1980
Place of birth Zlín, Czechoslovakia
Height 1.94 m (6 ft 4+1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 RAK Provodov
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)
2012–2014 FC Fastav Zlín 45 (4)
2014–2015 Uherský Brod
2015 Hulín
2015–2016 USC Altenwörth
2016–2017 SCU Kottes
2017– RAK Provodov
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:05, 29 November 2012 (GMT)

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.[9] On 18 March, he played in the 2012 Scottish League Cup Final which Kilmarnock won after beating Celtic 1–0.[10]

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.[11]

Honours
Kilmarncock

References
  1. Zdeněk Kroča profile at official FC Tescoma Zlín website
  2. Zdeněk Kroča Zlín – Fotbal iDNES.cz
  3. Zdenek Kroca – FC Zlin – 3. Liga – Kicker Online
  4. Zdeněk Kroča: eFotbal.cz – více fotbalu
  5. "Artmedia turn down Zlin's Kroca". Czech Football Daily. 25 January 2006. Retrieved 6 August 2010.
  6. Linke, Gerber, Zecke die Bundesliga sagt Hallo
  7. "Money banks two Czechs". Luton Town F.C. 6 August 2010. Retrieved 6 August 2010.
  8. "Luton 2–1 Altrincham". BBC Sport. 14 August 2008. Retrieved 15 August 2008.
  9. "Kilmarnock 3–2 Dunfermline". BBC. 10 September 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  10. "Celtic 0–1 Kilmarnock". BBC Sport. 18 March 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  11. "Zdeněk Kroča concluded a two-year contract". FC Fastav Zlin. 2 July 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
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