Player Profile

One of Czech Republic's brightest football stars. Smicer was a success in France with Lens after leaving his native country. He was a key player as Lens captured the French title in 1997/98 making 28 appearances and scoring seven goals. Truly the nicest guy you could ever meet but Smicer's progress at Liverpool was certainly not helped by the numerous injuries he picked up that disrupted his run in the side, but on the whole he lacked consistency. Of the 184 matches he played he was substitute on no less than 74 occasions and he was taken off in 83 of the 110 matches he started.

A highlight of Smicer's Liverpool career was his sensational last-minute winner against Chelsea on 24 March 2002 that sent the Reds top. "Vladi" seemed totally to have lost his way at Liverpool following the 2002/03 season when he sat on the bench 11 times without making an appearance and admitted his future was bleak. "I would not have been surprised had the manager said there was no place for me. Now I have one more chance - the last one. I think a few of the fans don't like me. Sometimes when you lose the ball you can hear that they are not happy," Smicer said. As Houllier departed the following season Smicer hoped for a second chance under Benítez, but he underwent an operation on a fractured cartilage in the summer of 2004 and wasn't ready for action until February 2005. He made only two starts in the 16 matches he featured in under Rafa, but ended his Liverpool career in style in the Champions League final against Milan by scoring Liverpool's second goal and in the penalty shoot-out. Smicer enjoyed the moment and lit up a celebratory cigar. "This one was enormous - it was the biggest in the world - as big as the room!," Smicer said smiling. "Every time I went to relight it, it seemed to be the same size - it lasted all night!"

As Smicer's Liverpool contract had expired he moved to France with Bordeaux where he also unfortunately struggled with injuries as well after his return to his first club in the Czech Republic, Slavia Prague. While Smicer's contribution was minimal Slavia won the national title two years running. In November 2009 Vladi Smicer announced his retirement as a player at the age of 36 and became the assistant of the Czech Republic's head coach, Michal Bilek. "My heart wants to play on, but the body will not have it," he said. Smicer still enjoys a run-out with his local team, Dolni Chabry, which is situated in the suburbs of Prague and plays in the Czech Republic's sixth division. Smicer's role with the national team has since been changed from assistant to sports manager working alongside coach Bilek.

In 2014 Smicer stood as a candidate for the European Parliament, representing a party that wanted to reduce child obesity. He has also worked with the LFC Foundation and is in the Legends players set up.