Dušan Kuciak

Dušan Kuciak
Personal information
Full nameDušan Kuciak[1]
Date of birth21 May 1985
Place of birthŽilina, Czechoslovakia
Height1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)
Playing positionGoalkeeper
Club information
Current team
Legia Warsaw
Number12
Youth career
Žilina
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2001–2002Trenčín1(0)
2002–2008Žilina89(0)
2005→ West Ham United (loan)0(0)
2008–2011Vaslui87(0)
2011–Legia Warsaw101(0)
National team‡
2006–Slovakia10(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22 March 2015.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 9 June 2013

Dušan Kuciak (Slovak pronunciation: [ˈduʃan ˈkut͡sjak]; born 21 May 1985) is a Slovak professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for the Polish T-Mobile Ekstraklasa side Legia Warsaw and the Slovakia national team. He is the younger brother of FC Hradec Králové goalkeeper Martin Kuciak.

Club career

Dušan Kuciak was part of Žilina youth academy. Aged 16, he signed his first contract with the Slovak Superliga side AS Trenčín.

MŠK Žilina

After a two-year spell in Trenčín, he returned to Žilina, where he was the second-choice keeper, the first-choice being Ján Mucha. Despite not playing at all, he was linked by the English Premier League side West Ham, where he was loaned for 6 months. In January 2006, he returned to Žilina, and he established himself as the first-choice keeper. He won Corgoň Liga with Žilina in 2006–07 season.

FC Vaslui

On 26 June 2008, he signed a three-year contract with Romanian side FC Vaslui.[2] He was bought to replace Cristian Hăisan, while he was suspended, but Kuciak established himself quickly as the first-choice keeper. He was the only player that season, who played every minute, and the first in Vaslui's history who achieved this feat. At the end of the season, he established another record, having the most clean-sheets in Vaslui's short spell in Liga I. Also, he captained the team a few matches, while Cânu was on the bench. On 4 August, he received a red card in the Europa League match against Omonia Nicosia. On 26 September, after a conflict with team's coach, he was relegated on the bench, and seemed to lost his place in the team, but because of Hăisan's poor rating, re-established as the first-choice keeper. At the end of the season, he established another record for Vaslui, saving 4 out of 5 penalties, and also receiving only 17 goals in 23 matches. After three seasons at Vaslui, Kuciak left the club in the summer of 2011.

Legia Warsaw

Kuciak joined the Polish club Legia Warsaw in August 2011. In August 2013, he extended his contract at the club until 2016.[3]

West Ham United

In January 2013, West Ham United were reported to be in talks with the goalkeeper.[4]

International

He made his international debut for the Slovakia national team in a 2–1 away win against UAE on 10 December 2006. After a two-year absence in the national team, he was called again in 2009, because of his impressive form at Vaslui. He was named in the provisional 30-man squad for 2010 World Cup. He played in the Slovakia's second warm-up game, where he was replaced in the 85th minute, because of an injury. However, he was kept for the final 23-man squad, for 2010 World Cup, where he wore the Number 23 Shirt.

Career statistics

Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
Apps CS Apps CS Apps CS Apps CS Apps CS
Žilina 2005–06 216000000216
2006–07 35203200003822
2007–08 33135242104317
Total 89 39 8 4 4 2 1 0 102 45
Vaslui 2008–09 34134263004418
2009–10 2374331003011
2010–11 30131121003315
Total 87 33 9 6 11 5 0 0 107 44
Legia Warsaw 2011–12 27173181003819
2012–13 30140060103714
2013–14 25111083003414
Total 82 42 4 1 22 4 1 0 109 47
Career Total 258 114 21 11 37 11 2 0 318 136

Statistics accurate as of match played 3 June 2014

Career honours

MŠK Žilina

FC Vaslui

Legia Warsaw

References

  1. ↑ "In profile: Dusan Kuciak". Sells Goalkeeper Products. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  2. ↑ http://www.prosport.ro/fotbal-intern/liga-1/haisan-are-postul-amenintat-dupa-transferul-lui-kuciak-2734593
  3. ↑ "Dusan Kuciak przedłużył kontrakt z Legią Warszawa" (in Polish). RMF 24. 28 August 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  4. ↑ "ESCLUSIVA TMW - Inter, Kuciak vicino al West Ham" (in Italian). Tutto mercato. 28 January 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2014.

External links