Ján Kocian is a Slovak

Slovakia

The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...

 football

Football (soccer)

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

 coach and former player.

Career

During his playing days, he made 209 appearances for FK Dukla Banská Bystrica

FK Dukla Banská Bystrica

FK Dukla Banská Bystrica is a Slovak football club from the town of Banská Bystrica. The club plays at the SNP Stadium .- History :* 1965 – Founded as VTJ Dukla Banská Bystrica* 1967 – Renamed AS Dukla Banská Bystrica...

 between 1979 and 1988 before moving on to German club FC St. Pauli

FC St. Pauli

Fußball-Club St. Pauli is a German sports club based in the St. Pauli quarter of Hamburg. The football section is part of a larger club that also has Rugby Fußball-Club St. Pauli is a German sports club based in the St. Pauli quarter of Hamburg. The football section is part of a larger club that...

, where he made another 147 appearances up to 1993.

International

He was capped 26 times by Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia national football team

The Czechoslovakia national football team was the national association football team of Czechoslovakia from 1922 to 1993. At the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the team was participating in UEFA qualifying Group 4 for the 1994 World Cup; it completed this campaign under the name...

. Playing at sweeper as the team reached the 1990 FIFA World Cup

1990 FIFA World Cup

The 1990 FIFA World Cup was the 14th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 8 June to 8 July 1990 in Italy, the second country to host the event twice. Teams representing 116 national football associations from all six populated...

 quarter-finals, Kocian was voted the country's player of the year.

Coaching career

Kocian began his coaching career with Czech side FK Drnovice

FK Drnovice

FK Drnovice is a Czech football club based in the Moravian village of Drnovice near Vyškov. The club is currently playing regional division. It was founded in 1932.-History:...

 before moving to the German clubs FC Rot-Weiss Erfurt

FC Rot-Weiss Erfurt

FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt is a German association football club based in Erfurt, Thuringia.-Foundation to World War II:The club has roots that go back to a cricket club founded in 1895. As they broadened their interests they came to be called Sport Club Erfurt...

 and Sportfreunde Siegen

Sportfreunde Siegen

Sportfreunde Siegen is a German association football club based in Siegen, North Rhine-Westphalia. The club was founded in 1899 as the football department of the gymnastics club Turn Verein Jahn von 1879 Siegen...

. He has also worked as an assistant at 1. FC Köln

1. FC Köln

1. FC Köln is a German association football club based in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia. It was formed in 1948 as a merger of the clubs Kölner Ballspiel-Club 1901 and SpVgg Sülz 07....

 and Eintracht Frankfurt

Eintracht Frankfurt

Eintracht Frankfurt is a German sports club, based in Frankfurt, Hesse that is best known for its association football club.- Club origins :...

.

He was appointed the new head coach of the Slovakia national football team

Slovakia national football team

The Slovakia national football team represents Slovakia in association football and is controlled by the Slovak Football Association , the governing body for football in Slovakia. Slovakia's home stadium is Štadión Pasienky and their head coach is Vladimír Weiss...

 on 2 November 2006, replacing Dušan Galis

Dušan Galis

Dušan Galis is a Slovak politician, a football trainer and a former Czechoslovak football player. In Czechoslovak league he played 226 matches and with 89 goals. He was capped 8 times for Czechoslovakia, scored 1 goal...

. Previously, he had worked as an assistant to former national coach Dr Jozef Vengloš

Jozef Vengloš

Dr. Jozef Vengloš is a former Czechoslovak football player and coach. He has a Doctorate in Physical Education, as well as specialising in Psychology...

 between 1993 and 1995. He was last seven months Assistant Coach from Karel Brückner by Austria

Austria national football team

The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....

 between 4 March 2009.

On 8 December 2010, Kocian was officially announced as the new head coach for the Chinese Super League

Chinese Super League

The Chinese Football Association Super League , commonly known as Chinese Super League or CSL, currently known as the Pirelli Chinese Football Association Super League for sponsorship reasons, is the highest tier of professional association football in China, operating under the auspices of the...

 team Jiangsu Sainty F.C.

Kocian lost his job in Jiangsu on 5 May 2011, after the team lost in the first round of CFA cup. He directed 5 matches in Jiangsu, got 1 draw and 4 loses.

On 28 June 2011, Kocian has been announced as the Hong Kong First Division League

Hong Kong First Division League

Hong Kong First Division League is the top division football league in Hong Kong which was established in 1908, the oldest in Asia. It does not affiliate to any football leagues in the People's Republic of China.-Competition format:...

 team South China AA's new head coach for the 2011-2012 League season by Steven Lo, the club's chairman of their football management committee.

Some mainland provincial football illiterates opined that Kocian would definitely be treasuring the chance to prove his coach ability. His coaching achievement is far from matching his player's glory.

External links

• UEFA.com article on his appointment as Slovakia's head coach