Frantisek Fadrhonc

Dr. Frantisek Fadrhonc was a Czech-born football coach.

Fadrhonc was born in Czechoslovakia in 1914. He performed his coaching wonders, however, in the West, initially in Holland. After winning the Dutch championship with Willem II in 1952 and 1955, he coached SC Enschede and Go Ahead Eagles.

In 1970, he took over the National Team of Holland and was their coach as they qualified for the 1974 World Cup, besting, among others, their eternal rivals Belgium. However, it was Rinus Michels who took over in 1974 and who led them in the finals of that tournament.

Fadrhonc left Holland for Greece and AEK in the 1975 football season. He stayed until the beginning of 1978. During that period, he led AEK to the Alpha Ethniki title (1977) and the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup. In the latter campaign, he is credited with the substitution of regular goalkeeper Lakis Stergioudas with veteran Nikos Christidis in extra-time of the 2nd leg of the encounter against QPR. His move was justified when Christidis stopped two penalties and AEK went through to the semis.

Fadrhonc died in 1981.