Mario Lička (born 30 April 1982) is a Czech

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

coach and former player. He works as an assistant coach at

FC Dynamo Moscow FC Dynamo Moscow (''FC Dynamo Moskva'', , ) is a Russian professional association football, football club based in Moscow. Dynamo returned to the Russian Premier League for the 2017–18 season after one season in the second-tier Russian Footba ...

Russian Premier League The Russian Premier League (RPL; , ''Rossiyskaya premyer-liga''; РПЛ), also written as Russian Premier Liga, is a professional association football league in Russia and the highest level of the Russian football league system. It was establis ...

, where his brother

Marcel Lička Marcel Lička (born 17 July 1977) is a Czech professional football manager and former player. Playing career He made over 171 appearances in the Czech First League and 37 appearances in Polish League. Lička played international football at und ...

is serving as a manager.

Career

Early career

Lička began his footballing career at Czech club Baník Ostrava in 2002. He played at Bazaly until January 2005, making sixty-five appearances. Lička was a member of the squad of Baník Ostrava in the 2003–2004 season, when Baník won the league title. He was sold to 1. FC Slovácko where he made 28 league appearances in 2005-06 and was released in July 2006.

Southampton

He had an unsuccessful trial at

West Ham United West Ham United Football Club is a professional Association football, football club based in Stratford, London, Stratford, East London, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English f ...

and

Leeds United Leeds United Football Club is a professional football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The team compete in the Premier League, the top tier of the English football league system. Leeds United have won the League Championship th ...

before signing for Southampton F.C., following another trial. After an injury hit first couple of months at the club, Lička forced his way into manager

George Burley George Elder Burley (born 3 June 1956) is a Scottish former football player and manager. He had a professional career spanning 21 years as a player, making 628 league appearances and earning 11 Scotland caps. His most successful spell came whi ...

's plans, scoring his first goal for the club in a 1–0 win over

Stoke City Stoke City Football Club is a professional association football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England. The team competes in the , the second level of the English football league system. Founded as Stoke Ramblers in 1863, the cl ...

on 21 October 2006. However not long after he became surplus to Burley's requirements and found himself playing in the reserves. After the appointment of new manager

Nigel Pearson Nigel Graham Pearson (born 21 August 1963) is an English association football, football coach (sport), manager and former professional player. He last managed EFL Championship, Championship club Bristol City F.C., Bristol City. During his playi ...

in February 2008, Licka was given a new chance and after a series of good performances found himself playing regularly again. However after the return of former Chairman

Rupert Lowe Rupert James Graham Lowe (; born 31 October 1957) is a British politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Great Yarmouth since 2024. Elected for Reform UK, he now sits as an independent following the suspension of the party wh ...

, Pearson did not have his short-term contract renewed despite saving the club from relegation. Lowe did not offer Lička a new contract as he was also at the end of his contract.

Later career

Despite reported interest from Pearson at his new managerial post at

Leicester City Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area, and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest city in the East Midlands with a popula ...

, Lička chose to return to his homeland to play for Baník Ostrava. In June 2010 he signed for the French club Stade Brestois for three seasons. Lička subsequently played for

Slavia Prague Sportovní klub Slavia Praha – fotbal (Sports Club Slavia Prague – Football, ), commonly known as Slavia Praha or Slavia Prague, is a Czech professional football club in Prague. Founded in 1892, they are the second most successful club in t ...

Coaching career

Lička served as an assistant in SK Benešov and Sokol Hostouň. In 2022, he joined his brother Marcel as an assistant coach at

FC Orenburg FC Orenburg () is a Russian professionalism in association football, professional football club based in Orenburg. Founded in 1976, it will return to the Russian First League in the 2025–26 season. History It played professionally as Gazovik ...

. In June 2023, he followed Marcel to

. In April 2025, he was released from the club alongside his brother.

Personal life

His father Verner Lička was a very successful footballer, then manager. His brother Marcel is also a footballer, then manager.

References

External links

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Licka, Mario 1982 births Footballers from Ostrava Living people Czechoslovak men's footballers Czech men's footballers Czech Republic men's under-21 international footballers Czech Republic men's international footballers Men's association football midfielders FC Baník Ostrava players US Livorno 1915 players 1. FC Slovácko players Southampton F.C. players Stade Brestois 29 players SK Slavia Prague players Istres FC players FK Chmel Blšany players SK Benešov players Czech First League players Serie A players English Football League players Ligue 1 players Championnat National players Ekstraklasa players Bohemian Football League players Czech expatriate men's footballers Czechoslovak expatriate men's footballers Expatriate men's footballers in Italy Expatriate men's footballers in England Expatriate men's footballers in France Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium Expatriate men's footballers in Poland Czechoslovak expatriate sportspeople in Belgium Czechoslovak expatriate sportspeople in France Bruk-Bet Termalica Nieciecza players 21st-century Czech sportsmen