MFK Košice
5508993
224985220
2008-07-11T09:12:59Z
Retepretep
4608213
/* Former Players */
{{Football club infobox |
clubname = MFK Košice |
image = [[Image:mfkkosice.png|130px]] |
fullname = Mestský Futbalový Klub Košice |
nickname = Vraňare|
founded = [[1952]] ''(1. FC Košice)'' |
ground = [[Štadión Lokomotívy v Čermeli]],<br>[[Košice]] |
capacity = 9,600 |
chairman = Blažej Podolák |
manager = [[Ján Kozák (footballer born 1954)|Ján Kozák]] |
mgrtitle = Head Coach |
league = [[Corgoň Liga]] |
season = [[Slovak First Division|2007-08]] |
position = First Division, 6th |
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pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=|
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}}
'''MFK Košice''' is a [[Slovakia]]n [[football (soccer)|football]] club which famously became the first Slovak club to reach the lucrative [[UEFA Champions League]] Group Stages when they did so in the [[1997]]-[[1998]] season. Also during this Champions League campaign, MFK Košice, became the first club in the Champions League history to record a no points total in the group stage, losing 3 of their home matches and 3 of their away games.
The twice Slovak football champions (1997, 1998) were relegated from the premier division in [[2003]] after the proposed sale of the club to Italian owners in 2001 by the former owner and late VSZ steelmaking tycoon [[Alexander Rezes]] fell through. Although Rezes' dream to turn 1. FC Kosice into a top European club never came true, he managed to lift an average second division team to the first group stage of the UEFA Champions' League in 1997/98. However, the next year's failure to make the same stage of the major European competition, and failure to defend the league title, combined with the change of government which undermined the position of the Rezes clan (Alexander Rezes was economy minister of Vladimir Meciar's government in [[1994]]-97) represented the beginning of the end of the "millionaires". Their home stadium was the [[Vsesportový Areal Stadion]].
FC Kosice are best known outside their homeland for their two clashes with [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] in the [[1997]]-[[1998]] [[European Cup|European Champions League]] group stages. United beat them on both occasions. During this brief campaign in Europe's biggest club competition, Kosice suffered a tragedy when midfielder [[Milan Cvirk]] was killed in a car crash at the age of 21.
Last season, on the brink of financial collapse and relegation from the second division, the owners of 1. FC, were offered help by the president of Steel Trans Licartovce, one of the favourites to advance to the premier league this season. Steel Trans will also pay for the Cermel stadium in Kosice, where all former 1. FC teams - now under the protective wings of Ličartovce - will play their matches. Kosice, the second largest city in Slovakia, now has no club in the top two divisions (although many can remember two in the Czechoslovak federal league). Another great team from the past, [[Lokomotiva Košice]], is in the fourth division. It is quite difficult to predict the future of football in the city, whose major stadium is in a catastrophic condition and whose football officials turn a deaf ear to cries for help.
Reformed on June 17th, 2005, the club was renamed MFK Košice from FC Steel Trans Ličartovce. They ended the season gaining promotion back to the premier league.
==Honours==
* '''[[Corgoň Liga|Slovakian League]]''' ''(1993 - Present)''
** ''Winners (2):'' [[1997]], [[1998]]
* '''[[Slovakian Cup|Slovenský Pohár]]''' ''(Slovakian Cup)''
** ''Winners (3):'' [[1973]], [[1980]], [[1993]]
** ''Second Place (2):'' [[1998]], [[2000]]
* '''[[Slovakian Super Cup|Slovenský Superpohár]]''' ''(Slovakian Super Cup)''
** ''Winners (1):'' [[1998]]
** ''Second Place (1):'' [[1999]]
* '''Ceskoslovenský Pohár''' ''([[Czechoslovakia]]n Cup)''
** ''Winners (1):'' [[1993]]
==Current squad==
{{Football squad start}}
{{Football squad player|no=1|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Jozef Brudňak]]|pos=GK}}
{{Football squad player|no=2|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Stanislav Kišš]]|pos=DF}}
{{Football squad player|no=3|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Patrik Kaminský]]|pos=DF}}
{{Football squad player|no=4|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Radoslav Školník]]|pos=DF}}
{{Football squad player|no=5|nat=Serbia|name=[[Nemanja Matič]] |pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=6|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Stanislav Smrek]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=7|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Pavol Majerník]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=8|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Mikuláš Tóth]]|pos=DF}}
{{Football squad player|no=9|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Jaroslav Kolbas]]|pos=FW}}
{{Football squad player|no=10|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Jozef Majoroš]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=12|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Mário Bicák]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=13|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Róbert Cicman]]|pos=DF}}
{{Football squad player|no=14|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Miroslav Viazanko]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad mid}}
{{Football squad player|no=15|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Kamil Kuzma]]|pos=FW}}
{{Football squad player|no=16|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Martin Juhár]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=17|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Roman Šimko]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=18|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Ján Novák]]|pos=FW}}
{{Football squad player|no=19|nat=Serbia|name=[[Marko Milinkovič]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=20|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Lukáš Džogan]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad player|no=21|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Matúš Putnocký]]|pos=GK}}
{{Football squad player|no=22|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Filip Serecin]]|pos=DF}}
{{Football squad player|no=23|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Peter Bašista]]|pos=DF}}
{{Football squad player|no=24|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Pavol Jurčo]]|pos=FW}}
{{Football squad player|no=25|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Gejza Pulen]]|pos=GK}}
{{Football squad player|no=26|nat=Slovakia|name=[[Dávid Škutka]]|pos=MF}}
{{Football squad end}}
== Former players ==
* [[Kosta Bjedov]]
* [[Ján Lesniak]]
* [[Ivan Líšivka]]
* [[Pavol Piatka]]
* [[Ľuboš Vojtaško]]
==External links==
*[http://www.mfkkosice.sk Official website] {{sk icon}}
{{fb start}}
{{Corgoň Liga}}
{{Corgoň Liga Seasons}}
{{Slovak Second Division}}
{{fb end}}
[[Category:Slovak football clubs|Košice]]
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