Sjaak Polak

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Sjaak Polak
Polak in 2017
Personal information
Date of birth (1976-02-18) 18 February 1976 (age 48)
Place of birth The Hague, Netherlands
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Left back
Youth career
ADO Den Haag
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1996 Scheveningen
1996–2001 Excelsior 132 (17)
2001–2004 Twente 92 (12)
2004–2005 ADO Den Haag 34 (5)
2005–2008 Sparta Rotterdam 80 (14)
2008–2010 Veendam 33 (6)
2009–2010RBC Roosendaal (loan) 21 (5)
2010–2012 SVV Scheveningen
2012–2013 Texas Dutch Lions 13 (2)
Managerial career
2012–2014 RSV Hoekpolder
2014–2016 Quick Boys II
2016–2017 RKSV GDA
2017–2019 VV SJC
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Sjaak Polak (born 18 February 1976 in The Hague) is a Dutch former footballer and current manager.

Club career[edit]

An outspoken wingback and freekick specialist, Polak previously played for Excelsior Rotterdam, FC Twente, and ADO Den Haag. In May 2008, Sparta announced that they would not extend his contract.[1] He joined Twente in January 2001 and went on to pick up a winner's medal when Twente won the 2001 KNVB Cup after a penalty shoot-out (in which he scored).

After that, Sjaak had several trials, in Austria for example with Austria Vienna and with Swiss club St. Gallen, but without success.[2] He ended up in Israel on trial with Maccabi Tel Aviv. Maccabi was interested in Polak's services because of Jewish descent [3]), and would not count as a foreigner for the club, thanks to the Israeli Law of Return.[4] Polak had trouble getting the necessary documentation proving his family's Jewish origins and when he was told that he would be asked to give up his Dutch citizenship, he decided to sign for BV Veendam back in his native the Netherlands.[5]

Coaching career[edit]

After ending his career in 2012, Polak started his coaching career and was appointed as manager for four-division team RSV Hoekpolder.[6]

In April 2014, Polak was appointed as manager for the reserve team of Quick Boys for the upcoming season.[7] He stayed at the club for two seasons, before he was appointed at RKSV GDA.[8] In November 2016, he was appointed manager of VV SJC for the 2017/18 season which meant, that he would continue at RKSV GDA until the end of the season.[9] Due to disappointing results, Polak was fired on 23 April 2019.[10]

Honours[edit]

FC Twente

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Westerveld en Polak volgend seizoen niet bij Sparta" (in Dutch). Sparta Rotterdam. Archived from the original on 2008-05-21. Retrieved 2008-07-13.
  2. ^ "Polak tekent bij Maccabi Tel Aviv" (in Dutch). Sportwereld.nl. 2008-07-15. Retrieved 2008-07-16.
  3. ^ Bar Dayan, Shirley (2008-07-23). בעיות באזרוחו של איסק פולאק (in Hebrew). Sport 5. Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2008-07-23.
  4. ^ Spunder, Or (2008-07-13). יאניק קאמאנן ידרוש הבהרות לגבי עתידו (in Hebrew). One.co.il. Retrieved 2008-07-13.
  5. ^ Spunder, Or (2008-08-03). סיאק פולאק חתם בליגה השניה בהולנד (in Hebrew). One.co.il. Retrieved 2008-08-04.
  6. ^ Exclusief: Sjaak Polak: "Ze wilden dat ik ging knokken op de Gazastrook", soccernews.nl, 29 January 2013
  7. ^ SJAAK POLAK NIEUWE TRAINER QUICK BOYS 2, voetbalindebollenstreek.nl, 24 April 2019
  8. ^ Zondagselectie GDA verwelkomt weer twee spelers voor volgend seizoen, haaglandenvoetbal.nl, 11 April 2016
  9. ^ Sjaak Polak volgend seizoen nieuwe trainer SJC, haaglandenvoetbal.nl, 27 November 2016
  10. ^ Sjaak Polak op non-actief gesteld als trainer van SJC, omroepwest.nl, 23 April 2019