Matěj Vydra

Matěj Vydra
Personal information
Full nameMatěj Vydra[1]
Date of birth1 May 1992
Place of birthChotěboř, Czechoslovakia
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing positionForward
Club information
Current team
Watford (on loan from Udinese)
Number20
Youth career
1997–2003FC Chotěboř
2003–2008Vysočina Jihlava
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2008–2010Vysočina Jihlava27(5)
2010Baník Ostrava14(4)
2010–Udinese2(0)
2011–2012→ Club Brugge (loan)1(0)
2012–2013→ Watford (loan)41(20)
2013–2014→ West Bromwich Albion (loan)23(3)
2014–→ Watford (loan)41(15)
National team‡
2007–2008Czech Republic U168(2)
2008–2009Czech Republic U1718(6)
2009Czech Republic U182(1)
2010–2011Czech Republic U198(1)
2011–Czech Republic U212(0)
2012–Czech Republic15(4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 25 April 2015.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 30 October 2014

Matěj Vydra (Czech pronunciation: [ˈmacɛj ˈvɪdra], born 1 May 1992) is a Czech footballer who plays as a striker for Championship side Watford on loan from Serie A club Udinese. He has also played for Vysočina Jihlava, Baník Ostrava, Club Brugge and had an earlier spell at Watford. Vydra has won caps at full international level for the Czech Republic national team.

Club career

Vydra joined Baník Ostrava from Vysočina Jihlava in January 2010 at the age of 17 for 20 million CZK.[2] He spent six months at Baník Ostrava, where he scored four goals in 14 matches.

Udinese

In June 2010 he moved to Italian Serie A side Udinese and was also voted by sport journalists the Czech Revelation of the Year for his performances in Baník Ostrava in the 2009–10 season.[3] He joined Club Brugge on loan in August 2011 but returned to Udinese having played just two games due to an injury.

Watford (loan)

In July 2012, it was confirmed he had been loaned to Watford for the 2012–13 season.[4] He scored his first goal for Watford when he netted the winner against Crystal Palace on 18 August 2012, in a game which finished 3–2.[5]

Vydra scored a goal against Leeds United on 10 November.[6] Vydra then scored goals in successive matches in the 2–0 win against Nottingham Forest on 22 December 2012 and in a 3–1 away win over Brighton & Hove Albion on 29 December 2012.[7] Vydra scored another brace on 12 January 2013 against Middlesbrough. Vydra carried on his rich vein of form by netting another goal the week after, on 19 January 2013 against Huddersfield and then netted his third goal in as many games a week later, scoring twice on 26 January 2013 in a 3–0 win away to Nottingham Forest. Vydra was in fine form, and netted another goal in his next start against Bolton on 2 February 2013. The match eventually finished 2–1 to Watford, with Vydra assisting Almen Abdi's winning goal. After three matches without a goal, Vydra netted his 20th goal of the campaign in a 2–1 win over Derby County on 23 February 2013.

On 25 March 2013 it was announced that Vydra had won the 2012/13 Championship Player of the Season award in his first season in English football.[8] Vydra won the award ahead of Glenn Murray of Crystal Palace and Blackpool's Thomas Ince. Despite going on a run in which he didn't score in 13 games,[9] Vydra went on to score twice in the semi final of the end-of-season play-offs in a 3–2 aggregate win against Leicester.[10] Vydra's season at Watford finished in disappointment as his club lost the chance to be promoted to the Premier League after losing the playoff final against Crystal Palace and he injured his ankle during the match, having to be substituted at half time.[11]

West Bromwich Albion (loan)

Vydra joined Premier League club West Bromwich Albion on a season-long loan deal on 13 August 2013.[12] He scored his first goal for the club on 21 December 2013, equalising for West Brom in a 1–1 Premier League draw against Hull City.[13] On 22 February 2014 Vydra scored his second goal for West Brom, equalising in the 1–1 draw against Fulham.[14] His third goal for the club came in a 3–3 draw against Tottenham, with Vydra scoring the game's first goal after 28 seconds.[15]

Return to Watford (loan)

On 26 June 2014, Watford announced they had re-signed striker Matej Vydra on a season-long loan from Udinese, with a view to a permanent move.[16] Vydra made a scoring return as he netted in Watford's 3–0 opening day win over Bolton Wanderers on 9 August 2014.[17] On the 25th April Matej Vydra came on as a substitute to score as Watford beat Brighton 2-0 at the Amex Stadium which secured Watford's promotion back to the premier league, thanks to results going their way.[18]

International career

Vydra played for five Czech youth national teams between under-16 and under-21 levels. In August 2012 he was called up to the Czech senior team for the first time, for a World Cup qualifying match away to Denmark and a friendly match against Finland.[19] Vydra played the first 73 minutes against Denmark, in a game that finished as a goalless draw.[20] He scored his first goal, a header, for the national team on 26 March 2013 in a World Cup qualifier against Armenia, to open the scoring in a 3–0 victory. Vydra also scored the second goal of the game, robbing an Armenian defender of the ball before slotting past the keeper. Vydra scored his 3rd goal for the national team on 5 March 2014, turning in from close range to put the Czechs 2–1 up against Norway.

International goals

Scores and results list Czech Republic's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 26 March 2013 Republican Stadium, Yerevan  Armenia 1–0 3–0 2014 World Cup qualifier
2. 2–0
3. 5 March 2014 Eden Arena, Prague  Norway 2–1 2–2 Friendly
4. 21 May 2014 Olympic Stadium, Helsinki  Finland 1–1 2–2 Friendly

Career statistics

Seasons

As of 25 April 2015
Club Season League Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Jihlava 2008–09 12200------122
2009–10 15321------174
Ostrava 2009–10 14400------144
Udinese 2010–11 2010------30
2011–12 0000--00--00
Club Brugge 2011–12 1010--00--20
Watford 2012–13 41201020--324722
Udinese 2013–14 0000--11--11
West Bromwich Albion 2013–14 2331010----253
Watford 2014–15 41151020----4415
Career total 149 47 7 1 5 0 1 1 3 2 165 51

Clubs and divisions

As of 25 April 2015
Club Years (Tier) League Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Jihlava 2008–10 (Czech Republic 2nd) 27521------296
Ostrava 2010 (Czech Republic 1st) 14400------144
Udinese 2010– (Italy 1st) 2010--11--41
Club Brugge 2011–12 (Belgium 1st) 1010--00--20
Watford 2012–13, 2014– (England 2nd) 82352040--329137
West Bromwich Albion 2013–14 (England 1st) 2331010----253
First divisions 40 7
Second divisions 109 40

Honours

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Barclays Premier League Squad Numbers 2013/14". Premier League. 16 August 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  2. ↑ Novák, Jaromír (8 January 2010). "Mladý útočník Vydra jde z Jihlavy do Ostravy za téměř dvacet milionů" (in Czech). iDNES.cz. Retrieved 9 May 2010.
  3. ↑ Novák, Jaromír (29 September 2010). "Na jaře hrál o titul, teď útočník Vydra sleduje, jak je jeho nový tým poslední" (in Czech). iDNES.cz. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
  4. ↑ "Official: Hornets delighted with a magnificent seven signings". Watford Football Club. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  5. ↑ "Crystal Palace 2–3 Watford". BBC. 18 August 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  6. ↑ "LEEDS 0, WATFORD 1 (Vydra 27)". Leeds United Official Website. 10 November 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  7. ↑ "BRIGHTON 1, WATFORD 3 (Vydra x2)". Watford Official Website. 29 December 2012. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  8. ↑ "Football League Awards: Matej Vydra named Player of the Year". BBC Sport. 25 March 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  9. ↑ "Watford boss Gianfranco Zola 'lost it' after play-off winner". BBC Sport. 13 May 2013. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
  10. ↑ "Watford 3–1 Leicester (agg 3–2)". BBC Sport. 12 May 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  11. ↑ "Vydra přišel o postup a možná i o Itálii. Ale brzy začne řešit přestup". idnes.cz (in Czech). 28 May 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  12. ↑ "West Brom sign Udinese's Matej Vydra on season-long loan". BBC Sport. 13 August 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  13. ↑ "Hull City denied victory at Hawthorns as Matej Vydra rescues West Brom". The Guardian. 21 December 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  14. ↑ "West Brom 1 Fulham 1 match report: Goalkeeper’s error denies Felix Magath opening victory". The Independent. 22 February 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  15. ↑ "West Bromwich Albion 3 Tottenham Hotspur 3: match report". The Telegraph. 12 April 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  16. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28034335
  17. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28646423
  18. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32362059
  19. ↑ "Vydra receives first Czech call up". Watford Observer. 28 August 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
  20. ↑ "Match stats: Denmark v Czech Republic". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 September 2012.

External links