Stanislav Varga facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Stanislav Varga | ||
| Date of birth | 8 October 1972 | ||
| Place of birth | Lipany, Czechoslovakia | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
| Playing position | Centre back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1982–1985 | Lipany | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1992–1998 | Tatran Prešov | 104 | (10) |
| 1998–2000 | Slovan Bratislava | 56 | (12) |
| 2000–2003 | Sunderland | 21 | (1) |
| 2002 | → West Bromwich Albion (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2003–2006 | Celtic | 80 | (10) |
| 2006–2008 | Sunderland | 20 | (1) |
| 2008 | → Burnley (loan) | 10 | (0) |
| Total | 295 | (34) | |
| National team | |||
| 1997–2006 | Slovakia | 54 | (2) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2011–2013 | Odeva Lipany | ||
| 2013–2014 | Tatran Prešov (assistant manager) | ||
| 2013–2014 | Tatran Prešov juniori | ||
| 2014–2016 | Tatran Prešov | ||
| 2018–2022 | Dukla Banská Bystrica | ||
| 2022–2023 | Sandecja Nowy Sącz | ||
| 2023–2024 | Tatran Liptovský Mikuláš | ||
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Stanislav Varga (born 8 October 1972) is a Slovak professional football manager and former player. He was most recently the manager of Tatran Liptovský Mikuláš. Varga played as a strong central defender during his career.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Time at Sunderland
Stanislav Varga joined Sunderland in 2000. He was a tall and powerful defender. His first game for Sunderland was a great one. He helped his team win 1–0 against Arsenal. He even won the "man of the match" award. In January 2001, he scored his first goal for Sunderland. This happened in a 2–0 win against West Ham.
Later, in 2002, Varga went on loan to West Bromwich Albion. He helped them get promoted to the Premier League. After returning from an injury, he found it hard to get back into Sunderland's main team. He left Sunderland in January 2003.
Success with Celtic
Less than a month after leaving Sunderland, Varga joined Celtic. Even though he played only one game at first, he was given a two-year contract. This showed how much Celtic believed in him.
The 2003–04 season was amazing for Varga and Celtic. He played in almost every game. He helped his team win two big trophies: the Scottish Premier League and the Scottish Cup. Celtic's defense was very strong, letting in only 25 goals in the league. They also set a record with 25 wins in a row. Varga also scored 7 goals that season.
In the 2004–05 season, Celtic almost won the league again. But they did win the Scottish Cup by beating Dundee United 1–0. Varga was a key player in Celtic's defense. He scored six goals this season, even one in a UEFA Champions League game against A.C. Milan. Fans at Celtic started calling him "Stan" Varga. After the 2005–06 season, he signed a new one-year contract with Celtic.
Back to Sunderland
On August 31, 2006, Stanislav Varga returned to Sunderland. He joined under the new manager, Roy Keane, who used to be his teammate at Celtic. He scored his first goal in his second time at Sunderland in October 2006.
Varga was known for his strong presence and good heading ability. He was a favorite among the fans. In January 2008, he went on a one-month loan to Burnley. This helped him get more playing time. He even made it into the Championship Team of the Week for one of his games. Sunderland released Varga at the end of the 2007–08 season.
International Career
Stanislav Varga played many times for the Slovakian national team. He played over 50 games and was even captain a few times. He was first noticed by Sunderland's manager during a friendly game against Norway. Varga played so well that he stopped famous players like Tore André Flo from scoring.
Management Career
After his playing career, Stanislav Varga became a football manager. He has managed several teams in Slovakia. He led Tatran Prešov to win the 2. Liga title in the 2015–16 season. He also managed Dukla Banská Bystrica and Sandecja Nowy Sącz. Most recently, he was the manager of Tatran Liptovský Mikuláš.
Honours
As player
Celtic
- Scottish Premier League: 2003–04, 2005–06
- Scottish Cup: 2003–04, 2004–05
- Scottish League Cup: 2005–06
Sunderland
- Football League Championship: 2006–07
As manager
Tatran Prešov
- 2. Liga: 2015–16
Dukla B.Bystrica
- 2. Liga runners-up: 2021–22
See also
In Spanish: Stanislav Varga para niños
