Coaches

Our coaches

MSM Football Academy in Prague works closely with top clubs in the Czech Republic, Germany, and Austria. Our coaches are distinguished by their high qualifications, extensive professional experience with leading European clubs, and their success in developing young footballers for the Czech Premier League. During daily training sessions at MSM Football Academy, they employ the same intensity, principles, and methods used by top Czech and European league teams.

The academy boasts four main coaches, along with more than five assistant coaches (both male and female) who speak English, Czech, and Russian. Training focuses on theory, physical conditioning, technique, mental development, and the transition from youth to professional football. All head coaches hold PRO or A-level coaching licenses.

We select our coaches not only for their knowledge, experience, and coaching skills but also for their commitment to creating a fun, positive, and fair team environment, delivering high-quality professional training for all players, and their passion for football as a way of life.

Coaches

Mikhail Starostyak

Coach

Mikhail Starostyak, a former professional footballer who played as a right-back, was born in the village of Hrusyatych, Lviv Oblast. He began his football journey in his hometown’s youth team. After finishing 9th grade, Mikhail moved to Ivano-Frankivsk to attend the Physical Culture College, where he continued to play for the college team.

In 1993, he joined FC Prykarpattia Ivano-Frankivsk and, two years later, became a player for FC Shakhter Donetsk. During his nine seasons with Shakhter, he played over 200 matches and won four Ukrainian Cups. In 2002, he helped Shakhter win their first Ukrainian Championship. Mikhail was also invited to the Ukrainian national team in 1997, earning 17 caps.

After his time with Shakhtar Donetsk, Mikhail spent two seasons with Russian club FC Shinnik and then another two seasons with Azerbaijani club FC Simurq, where he concluded his playing career. Following his retirement, he began coaching within Shakhter Donetsk’s structure.

Defender 1992 — 2004

Professional football player

  • 1992-1995 Prykarpattya – UA (97 games)
  • 1995-2004 Shakhtar Donetsk – UA (218 games)
  • 2004-2005 Shinnik Yaroslavl – RU (42 games)
  • 2005-2006 Kryvbas – UA (10 games)
  • 2007-2009 Simurg – AZE (63 games)
  • 1997-2004 Ukraine National team (17 games)

Coaching Career: 2010 — Present

  • 2010-2015: Shakhter Donetsk — U17, U19, U21
  • 2015-2016: Illichivets — Second team
  • 2016-2021: Shakhter Donetsk — U19, U21, Second team
  • 2021-2022: Mynai (Uzhhorod) — First team
  • 2022-Present: Niva (Vinnytsia) — First team

Licenses and Achievements:

  • UEFA Category A, B Licensed Coach
  • UEFA Category PRO Candidate
  • Ukrainian Champion 2002
  • Ukrainian Championship Silver Medalist (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004)
  • Ukrainian Cup Winner (1997, 2001, 2002, 2004)
  • Ukrainian Cup Finalist (2003)
  • State Award: Order of “For Labor and Valor” — Awarded by the President of Ukraine for significant contributions to the development of sports and physical culture in the country
  • UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador

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.”

МАРТИН ФРИДЕК

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.

ЕВА ГАНЯКОВА

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.

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Paulo Rainha da Silva

Coach

A UEFA B-level coach with a degree in Sports Science from Portugal, with experience across all age groups and competitive contexts in football. Coaching since the age of 19, the career includes roles as an analyst, assistant coach, physical trainer, and goalkeeper coach, primarily within the regional divisions of Braga. Demonstrated success includes leading FC Tadim’s senior team to a championship title in the Braga district league. Additionally, the coach has a strong foundation in Braga’s football community, beginning training at SC Braga at age 10.

International experience was gained during an Erasmus internship with the Prague Raptors academy in 2021/2022, where the coach also played for the men’s team. Currently serving as an assistant coach in the Czech Republic’s second division women’s league with the Prague Raptors. Additional expertise includes conducting individual football training sessions, coaching at multi-sport and summer sport holiday camps, and functional training certification for gym environments. Fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, and English.

Contact Us

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viktiria zizkov
aritma praga
sk slavia praga
Xplore Fitness
Федерация Футбола Праги
Jaguar
Mlada Boleslav
FK Bohemians
usti nad labem
viktiria zizkov
aritma praga
sk slavia praga