Our coaches

IGOR IUKHYMENKO

Coach

Igor Iukhimenko began his football career at the age of 8 with the legendary FC Dynamo Kyiv in 1976. His early coaches included renowned Dynamo players such as Volodymyr Onyshchenko and San Sanych Shpakov, who later discovered and invited the iconic Andriy Shevchenko to the club.

Iukhimenko played as both a central and right-wing forward, known for his incredible speed and powerful strikes with both feet. During his time with the team, he won the Kyiv Cup and was a junior champion of Ukraine.

He later played for FC Metalist Kyiv under the well-known coach and former SKA Kyiv player, Pal Palych Bogodelov. While serving in the military, he represented the Tashkent and Samarkand region teams of the Uzbek SSR in the Soviet Armed Forces Championship from 1987 to 1989. After his service, he returned to FC Metalist and concluded his playing career there in 1994.

Since then, Iukhimenko has continued to play for health and enjoyment with former players from various countries in Kyiv and, since 2011, in Prague. He derives great satisfaction from coaching, passing on his knowledge and years of experience to young talents. He has always adhered to his life credo: “In this world, we remain in the memory of our children and students.”

MARTIN FRYDEK

Coach

In 1990, Martin Frydek made his debut with one of the first major clubs in Czechoslovakia (later the Czech Republic), FC Sparta Prague. Frydek played 177 matches and scored 27 goals for the “Spartans”. He spent seven years with the team, marking his presence with a semifinal appearance in the European Cup and a quarterfinal in the Cup Winners’ Cup. During his tenure, he helped Sparta secure national championship titles in 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1997, as well as domestic cups in 1992, 1993, and 1996.

Following his participation in the UEFA European Championship in 1996, Frydek moved to Germany, where he signed with Bayer Leverkusen. He later finished his playing career with FC Semice and Dukla Prague. In European competitions, his record includes 18 matches in the European Cup (now the UEFA Champions League), 12 matches each in the Cup Winners’ Cup and UEFA Cup. He scored three goals in European competitions, one of which helped Sparta Prague advance past Marseille in the second round of the European Cup in the 1991/1992 season.

Frydek earned a total of 37 caps for his national teams, with 8 appearances for Czechoslovakia and 29 for the Czech Republic, scoring 4 goals. He was a vice-champion at the 1996 European Championship and also played a match in the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup.

Currently, Martin Frydek serves as the head coach of FC Loko Vltavin, a team in the Czech Republic’s second league.

EVA HANIAKOVA

Coach

Eva Haniakova is a former footballer and captain of the Czech national women’s football team. She currently leads the Czech Republic U17 women’s national team. Haniakova has a long-standing role at AC Sparta Praha, where she serves as the head coach of the U17 women’s team, which has achieved impressive results under her guidance. Her unique coaching methods and high-quality tactical training have produced many strong female footballers.

Eva Haniakova is a frequent participant in football conferences and masterclasses across Europe and beyond. In 2014, she was awarded the prestigious Dr. Václav Jíra Award for her invaluable contributions to the development of Czech football.