Daniel Pudil (; born 27 September 1985) is a Czech former professional footballer who played for the Czech Republic national team and currently plays as a left back or left winger for Northern Counties East League Premier Division club Hallam.
Pudil started his youth career in the Czech Republic with Sparta Prague. He left the club aged 18 and joined FK Chmel Blà ¡any. At Chmel Blà ¡any Pudil used to play left back in defence and scored two goals in eleven appearances. After six months Pudil joined FC Slovan Liberec. Though making twelve appearances in his first season, Pudil soon became a member of the first team which would win its second league title with Pudil making 29 appearances and scoring three goals. During the season, Pudil scored the first goal of his career in a 2âÂÂ2 draw against Pà ÂÃÂbram on 7 November 2005. Throughout the season, Pudil would establish himself in the starting eleven at the club.
In 2007, he had a trial with English side Watford, but manager Aidy Boothroyd decided not to sign Pudil on a permanent contract.
In the 2007âÂÂ08 season in which he played three games for Slovan Liberec, Pudil left Liberec to join SK Slavia Praha on loan for a season and made his debut on 15 September 2007, in a 0âÂÂ0 draw against BanÃÂk Ostrava; Four days later, he made his Champions League debut in a 2âÂÂ1 win over Romanian side Steaua BucureÃÂti. On 29 September 2007, Pudil then scored his first goal in a 7âÂÂ1 win over Fastav ZlÃÂn; followed four days later when he scored his first goal in a 2âÂÂ1 loss against Sevilla and his second league goal came in a 2âÂÂ0 win over Sparta Prague six days later. In the UEFA Champions League third match in the group stage, Pudil was in the squad when Arsenal thrashed Slavia 7âÂÂ0. Six days later after the 7âÂÂ0 loss, Pudil played against his former club in a 1âÂÂ1 draw; but the next meeting soon happened again six months later, when Pudil set up a goal for ZdenÃÂk à  enkeà ÂÃÂk, to score the only goal in the game. Following Slavia Praha's Champions League elimination to UEFA Cup, Pudil set up a goal for Matej KrajÃÂÃÂk to make it 1âÂÂ1 against Tottenham Hotspur in the second leg. However, Slavia Praha lost 3âÂÂ1 on aggregate, having lost against them in the first leg. On the final game of the season, Pudil scored in a 2âÂÂ2 draw against Baumit Jablonec. At the end of the season, Slavia Praha won the league title. Due to his flamboyance and controversial lifestyle, Slavia Praha had decided against signing Pudil.
Pudil signed for Belgian club KRC Genk from FC Slovan Liberec in July 2008, after interest from Italian sides Reggina and Lecce. On the opening game of the season on 17 August 2008, Pudil made his debut for the club in a 1âÂÂ1 draw against Beerschot; then two appearances later, Pudil scored his first goal in a 3âÂÂ1 win over Zulte Waregem on 14 September 2008. However the next game, Pudil received a red card after a second bookable offence in a 1âÂÂ0 loss against Club Brugge. In his first season, Pudil scored four goals in twenty nine appearances. At Genk, Pudil had established himself in the first team during his three seasons at Genk. The next season with Pudil made 27 appearance. However, in the Europa League fourth round second leg against Lille, having loss 2âÂÂ1 in the first leg, Pudil set up a goal for Elyaniv Barda but received a red card after a second bookable offence. The next season, Pudil was involved in the squad with Genk that won the title for the second time.
He spent three seasons with the Belgian side before joining Granada on a five-and-a-half-year contract in January 2012.
After joining Granada, Pudil was immediately loaned out to Cesena for the rest of the 2011âÂÂ12 season. On 1 February 2012, Pudil made his debut, playing in defensive midfield, in a 0âÂÂ0 draw against Napoli. Eighteen days later after making his debut, Pudil scored his first goal in a 3âÂÂ1 loss against A.C. Milan. On 7 March 2012, the match didn't turn well for him when he received a red card after a second bookable offence, just one minute after receiving a yellow in a 0âÂÂ0 draw against Catania. At the end of the season, Pudil couldn't help Cesena retain their Serie A status as the club was relegated to Serie B.
Pudil then joined Watford on a season-long loan for the 2012âÂÂ13 season, joining Czech teammate MatÃÂj Vydra. In pre-season, Pudil played his first match in a friendly against Tottenham Hotspur in Lloyd Doyley's testimonial match but after playing five minutes, he came off with a suspected hamstring injury. This turned out to be a minor injury. Pudil made his Watford debut, in the second game of the season, a 1âÂÂ0 loss against Ipswich Town.
Having played as a left back for six games, Pudil was slotted into the left midfield role and assisted several goals. On 23 October 2012, Pudil received a straight red card in a 2âÂÂ1 loss against Cardiff City after violent conduct against Craig Noone. After the game, Watford appealed the decision, with support from Cardiff City and Noone himself. His three-game suspension was thus reduced to one by the FA. In the first match of 2013, Pudil scored his first goal for Watford in a 4âÂÂ3 loss against Charlton Athletic. Later in the 2012âÂÂ13 season, Pudil would go on to make 40 appearances in all competitions, and at the end of the season, Pudil would return to Granada, as his loan spell with Watford came to an end.
On 4 July 2013, Pudil announced via Twitter that he had joined Watford permanently from Granada, signing a four-year contract. Pudil's first game after signing for the club on a permanent basis came after coming on for Ikechi Anya in the 75th minute, in the opening game of the season, in a 1âÂÂ0 win over Birmingham City, while his first goal would come in a 1âÂÂ1 draw against Charlton Athletic on 14 September 2013.
On 29 August 2015, Pudil signed for Sheffield Wednesday on a season-long loan deal. He scored his first goal for Sheffield Wednesday in a 3âÂÂ1 win over Preston North End on 3 October 2015. Pudil completed a permanent move to Wednesday on 28 July 2016 for ã1,500,000. He was released by Sheffield Wednesday at the end of the 2018âÂÂ19 season.
After his release from Sheffield Wednesday in July 2019, he signed for Czech side Mladá Boleslav on a two-year deal.
Pudil signed for Czech side Viktoria à ½ià ¾kov on a one-year deal for free.
On 24 July 2022, Pudil returned to Sheffield and signed for Northern Counties East League Premier Division side Hallam - the second oldest football club in the world.
Pudil represented his country at under-19 and under-21 level. He made his senior debut in 2007 and scored his first goal at this level on 21 November 2007 in a 0âÂÂ2 away victory against Cyprus in a UEFA Euro 2008 qualifier. Pudil was a member of the Czech Republic squad that competed in UEFA Euro 2016.
In July 2022, Pudil began working for the Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme to help coach their college BTEC football side. He combined this role while playing part-time for Hallam.
Genk