RADOSLAV KOVAC
Born: 27 November 1979, Prague, Czechoslovakia
Former clubs: SK Sigma Olomouc, Sparta Prague, Spartak Moscow
An experienced former Czech Republic international, Radoslav Kovac has done an important job in protecting the West Ham United defence since initially joining the club on loan in January 2009.
A memorable first goal arrived at Everton in May 2009, followed by important efforts against Portsmouth and Wigan Athletic during the 2009/10 campaign.
A veteran of the 2006 FIFA World Cup and 2008 UEFA European Championship with his country, Kovac has reached cup finals in both his home country and during his time in Russia with Spartak Moscow.
2010/11
Totalled 18 appearances in all competitions, eleven of them starts...Made 13 Barclays Premier League appearances, seven of them starts...Started three Carling Cup ties and appeared as a substitute in one other as West Ham United reached the semi-finals...Started the FA Cup fourth-round victory over Nottingham Forest on 30 January 2011, his only appearance in the competition...Made seven Barclays Premier Reserve League starts, scoring in the 4-1 victory at West Bromwich Albion on 9 February 2011.
2009/10
Completed a permanent move to West Ham United on 14 August 2009…Scored his first Boleyn Ground goal in the 2-0 home Premier League win over Portsmouth on Boxing Day 2009…Added his second goal of the season in the 3-2 home Premier League victory over Wigan Athletic on 24 April 2010…Totalled 31 Premier League appearances, 27 of them starts, and two goals…Started two League Cup and one FA Cup matches…Sent off in the 2-2 Premier League draw at Sunderland on 31 October 2009…Collected seven yellow cards in all competitions.
2008/09
Joined West Ham United on loan until the end of the season from Russian club Spartak Moscow on 30 January 2009… Made his West Ham United debut by starting the 2-0 FA Cup fifth-round replay defeat at Middlesbrough on 25 February 2009…Made his Premier League debut in the 1-0 home win over Manchester City on 1 March 2009...Scored his first West Ham United goal in the 3-1 Premier League defeat at Everton on 16 May 2009…Totalled nine Premier League appearances, eight of them starts…Booked twice.
International career
Capped by Czech Republic at U21 and senior level…Capped 15 times at U21 level…Made his full international debut in a 1-0 win over Romania in October 2004…Named in the Czech Republic squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup…Started his country's Group E clash with eventual world champions Italy at the 2006 FIFA World Cup…Scored his first senior international goal in the 1-0 2008 UEFA European Championship qualifying win over Cyprus in Liberec in March 2007…Named in the Czech Republic squad for the 2008 UEFA European Championship finals…Featured in his country's Group A victory over Switzerland at the 2008 UEFA European Championship finals…Played in the 2-2 friendly draw with England at Wembley in September 2008…Scored his second international goal in the 3-0 FIFA 2010 World Cup qualifying win over San Marino in Serravelle in November 2008…Retired from international football in January 2010 after collecting 30 caps and scoring two goals for Czech Republic.
Before West Ham United
Joined Czech club SK Sigma Olomouc in 1997…Made 127 league appearances over six seasons with SK Sigma Olomouc, scoring three goals…Joined former SK Sigma Olomouc manager Karel Bruckner at Sparta Prague in the summer of 2003…Made 46 league appearances over two seasons with Sparta Prague, scoring three goals…Finished as runner-up in the 2004 Czech Cup final…Joined Spartak Moscow in July 2005…Made 101 league appearances for Spartak Moscow over three and a half years, scoring nine goals…Played 14 UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup matches for Spartak Moscow…Finished as Russian League runner-up in 2005, 2006 and 2007 and reached the 2006 Russian Cup final.
Any other business
Played alongside Nemanja Vidic and Roman Pavlyuchenko at Spartak Moscow...Has a son called Radek...Is friends with fellow Czechs Tomas Rosicky and Petr Cech.