These days, most professional managers are fortunate to survive a season or two with their respective teams. But back in the early 20th century, a former Celtic player from Scotland by the name of John Madden, managed Slavia Prague for 25 years straight, from 1905 to 1930.  Madden was the clubs first proper manager – before him, the managers responsibilities fell to the teams captain -  and under his guidance, Slavia chalked up an impressive record of 134 wins out of 169 domestic matches played and 304 wins out of 429 Mitropa Cup and friendly games played. His teachings of the philosophy of Scottish football led to one of the longest managerial runs with a single club in history, and Madden became known as “The father of Czech football”.

 

No one is quite sure how the Scot wound up as manager of a Czechoslovakian football club. One theory states that he was offered the job when Celtic toured to Prague and a Czech woman he met and fell in love with convinced him to take the role. Another theory is that Slavia wanted to give the job to a Rangers player, Jacky Robertson, who didn’t want it, so he swapped identities with Madden to convince Slavia that he was Robertson. By the time Slavia realised, they didn’t care because Madden turned out to be an excellent manager. Evidence in the form of a postcard stating that Madden is “ex-Glasgow Rangers” serves to back up this version of events.

 

 In 1932, Slavia reached the Mitropa Cup final, dispatching Admira 3-1 on aggregate in the first round. In the semis, they faced Juventus. Slavia comfortably defeated them 4-0 in Prague, but it was a different story in the return leg in Turin. Slavia quickly found themselves 2-0 down and seemed to resort to time wasting tactics, which angered the hostile home crowd. When their goal-keeper Frantisek Planicka was hit by a stone thrown from the crowd, Slavia retreated to their dressing room while 1500 soldiers and police tried to quell the furious crowd. The organising committee blamed both clubs for the incident and the Cup went to Bologna by default.

 

Madden retired as Slavia manager at 65, but remained involved with the club for the rest of his life until he died in 1948. He lived in Prague for 43 years, so long he almost forgot how to speak English, survived two World Wars, and his coffin was given a guard of honour by his beloved Slavia team, draped in their shirts. At the 1934 FIFA World Cup, the Czech national team contained no less that 8 Slavia players, including one of the all-time greats: Frantisek Planicka. Slavia’s Josef Bican was a member of Austria’s famed Wunderteam at the same tournament. The World Cup was followed by a second golden era, where Slavia were crowned champions four times in a row (1940, 1941, 1942, 1943).

Achievements: Czechoslovak First League – Champions x 8
                         Czech Cup – Winners x 2
                        Mitropa Cup – Winners x1

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Star player: Frantisek Planicka DoB 2 June 1904, Prague, Austria-Hungary, nickname: The Cat of Prague

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Planicka was the goal keeper of this excellent team, and one of the most honored players in the history of Czechoslovakian football. With his club Slavia Prague, he won the Czech league eight times, 6 Bohemia Cups (a domestic Czech tournament) and the Mitropa Cup once, victorious in an incredible 742 out of 969 games. He possessed outstanding reflexes and shot-stopping skills, and was well known for his sportsmanship. He was awarded the UNESCO International Fair Play Award in 1985. Planicka is considered to be the best goalkeeper of the 1930’s. He captained the Czech national team at the 1934 and 1938 World Cups, during the latter of which the Nazis occupied Czechoslovakia. He was an extremely courageous player as well. He played in the violent ‘Battle of Bordeux’ and broke his arm in a collision with a Brazilian forward. Instead of coming off, he continued to play through the pain for the rest of the match, including extra time. In 1994, Planicka said that he would like to see Slavia win the league while he was still alive. In 1996, after a 48 year wait, they did so. Planicka celebrated and passed away just 2 months later.