Trpisovsky stays at Slavia – new contract brings continuity for the coaching team
Slavia Prague fans have just received the best possible Christmas gift. SK Slavia Prague have tied down head coach Jindrich Trpisovsky with a fresh long-term contract, keeping the most influential Czech club project of the last decade intact. The agreement also covers key members of his staff – assistant coach Zdenek Houstecky and goalkeeping coach Stepan Kolar – underlining that Slavia see the trio as a single, proven unit.
Trpisovsky's renewal is also a headline moment for ESAM – European Sport Agency Müller, the Czech agency that represents him, led by former youth international Jiri Müller. In Czech football circles, Müller has become one of the most visible agents in the market, operating at the intersection of domestic power and international connections.
“A reward and a commitment” – what Trpisovsky and his staff said
Trpisovsky framed the new deal as both recognition and responsibility, stressing continuity, ambition and the long-term craft of building a team.
In an official reaction carried across Czech media, Trpisovsky said (English translation): “I’m happy we reached an agreement. For all of us it’s a reward – and also a huge commitment… I wish for our work to keep bringing joy, sporting success, trophies, and of course the development of players. So that more beautiful stories can be written.”
His long-time assistant Houstecky echoed that mindset, with a message aimed directly at the supporters (English translation): “Happiness, joy – with humility we go on. We go to work… We value the trust placed in us… We want to keep being successful, to enjoy our work – and above all for the fans to enjoy it. We do football mainly for them.”
Goalkeeping coach Kolar added a lighter touch, but the same theme of continuity (English translation): “We’re all happy we can continue. Sometimes we joke that we’re a ‘factory of entertainment’ – so hopefully that entertainment, results and victories will keep going.”
That tone matched ESAM’s own celebratory message on Instagram. The agency wrote that this “isn’t just a signature on paper”, but “a journey… courage to change established ways… details that decide titles… and faith that if you build something honestly and long-term, results will come.”
Trpisovsky’s Slavia era is a modern benchmark
Trpisovsky has been in charge at Eden since December 2017, and his era has defined Slavia’s modern identity: relentless intensity, detailed preparation, and a conveyor belt of player development paired with trophies.
His honours and milestones at Slavia are repeatedly highlighted across Czech and club sources – multiple league titles and domestic cups, deep European runs (including Europa League quarter-finals) and Champions League qualification, plus repeated “Coach of the Year” recognition.
The wider point: Slavia didn’t just renew a coach. They renewed a system – a coaching group whose methods have become a reference point in Czech football and a selling point for players considering a move to Prague.
From Horní Měcholupy to Eden – Trpisovsky's coaching rise
Trpisovsky's route to the top was not the typical ex-star pathway. His senior coaching journey is commonly tracked as:
- SK Horní Mecholupy (head coach).
- Viktoria Zizkov (head coach).
- Slovan Liberec (head coach).
- Slavia Prague (head coach).
Those steps matter because they shaped his reputation: building structure at smaller clubs, proving himself in Prague’s pressure cooker at Zizkov, then delivering progressive, high-energy football in the Czech top flight at Liberec before Slavia moved decisively in late 2017.
Interest from abroad – and the Czech national team question
Trpisovsky has been linked with moves abroad more than once. There have been periods where foreign interest intensified, including stories of approaches from outside Czechia and even high-profile options that were ultimately turned down as he prioritised the Slavia project.
One report suggested he appeared on shortlists at clubs like Brighton and previously Nottingham Forest, as foreign sporting directors looked for coaches comfortable with high-intensity football, data-driven recruitment and player trading – all areas where Slavia under Trpišovský have excelled.
At the same time, his name has become central to the Czech national team conversation. In late 2025, he was widely discussed as one of the options for the national team role around the March play-off window, but Slavia and Trpisovsky's camp ultimately decided not to accept the offer.
So the pattern is clear: elite interest exists, but Slavia’s leadership – and Trpisovsky's own immersion in the day-to-day club project – have repeatedly kept him in Eden.
Who are ESAM and Jiří Müller – the agent behind the deal
ESAM – European Sport Agency Müller (often styled as European Sport Agency Müller) is based in Prague and represents a sizeable portfolio of Czech-league talent, with a strategy built on strong domestic coverage and selective international placements.
Jiri Müller is not just an intermediary in the background. He is a known public figure in Czech football’s business landscape, with long-standing links to major names – including Pavel Nedvěd – and a documented personal and professional relationship with the late super-agent Mino Raiola (Team Raiola agency nowadays).
Müller has spoken openly about how Raiola helped him (also Zdenek Grygera and his parents) during the risky early phase of launching his own agency after working under Zdenek Nehoda’s setup Nehoda Sport agency – including encouragement to get licensed and practical support that helped him stand up independently.
That context matters for ESAM’s positioning today: a strong domestic base in Czechia, paired with credibility and contacts shaped through years around high-level international dealmaking.
What comes next for Slavia and Trpisovsky
For Slavia supporters, the messaging is simple: stability at the top, continuity of the staff, and a clear “long game” approach - winning domestic titles and playing in the Champions League, or as Trpisovsky's dream is to win an European trophy one day. For Czech football, it keeps the country’s most prominent modern coach at club level – at least for now – while the national team debate remains one of the major storylines heading into 2026.
The renewal of Trpisovsky and his staff also fits Slavia’s broader stability story off the pitch: in December 2023 the club announced that Czech billionaire Pavel Tykač had agreed to take over Slavia and the Eden stadium from the previous Chinese-backed ownership, stepping in as the key strategic figure at the top and signalling a long-term commitment to keep the club strong domestically and competitive in Europe. At the same time, Jaroslav Tvrdík stayed on as chairman, remaining the main executive voice and public face of Slavia’s leadership – a continuity move that helped ensure the transition in ownership did not disrupt day-to-day running or the sporting project built around Trpišovský.
And for ESAM and Jiri Müller, it’s a statement of influence: when the biggest Czech coaching contract comes up, they are at the center of the room.
