In the January transfer window of 2013/ 14, 10 years ago, a young Czech Republic goalkeeping prospect, then 17 year old Jindrich Stanek signed up to join Roberto Martinez’s Everton squad for an undisclosed small sum from Sparta Prague. Wearing the #36 shirt he was brought in to contest the 3rd choice vacancy created by Slovakian goalkeeper Jan Mucha who had departed as a free agent the previous summer as Martinez arrived.
To put it into context, he was competing just for the 3rd choice and Under 21 spot as Martinez was more than satisfied with USA goalkeeper Tim Howard and Spaniard Joel Robles who had followed Martinez from Wigan Athletic in the summer of 2013. Hopes were high though that he might break through.
Seen very much as one for the future, that bright light faded quickly as, in August 2014, he made a few howlers for the Under 21s, Firstly, he sliced the ball horribly into the top corner of his own net attempting a clearance and then unnecessarily hauled down a Leicester City attacker for a penalty. The Blues won the game but young Stanek’s confidence plummeted. He made just four further appearances at that level before the next summer when he was sent on loan to non-league Hyde United for a short spell. He was released in 2016, a year before Everton signed a certain goalkeeper by the name of Jordan Pickford. Stanek returned to his homeland with the prospect only of SK Dynamo Ceska Budejovice’s B team.
Never, in his wildest dreams at that time, can he have expected the meteoric rise which has followed since then. That late summer’s night 10 years ago has been long forgotten and replaced with a journey that has taken him to top Czechia side Slavia Prague, conceding just 26 goals in 24 games last season, 5 clean sheets amongst them, and appearances in the Champions League and Europa League. To top it all off, he is now wearing the number #1 shirt as goalkeeper for Czechia in this summer’s Euros!
Of course the football level in Czechia cannot truly compare to the English Premier League but compared to some of his peers and the goalkeepers that have followed the same hopeful path as him to Goodison Park, he has certainly made a great impact. I, for one, will be keenly watching him at the Euros and wishing him well.
His team take on the heavily-fancied Portugal on Tuesday night in the Group F game so he should have plenty of opportunity to show the world, the Everton coaches and the few hundred that watched him that night in August 2014, that he has recovered well and truly made it into the top flight.
Good luck Jindrich!
