Sjaak Polak

Dutch footballer and manager (born 1976)

Sjaak Polak

Polak in 2017

Personal information
Date of birth|  (1976-02-18) 18 February 1976 (age 49)
Place of birth|  The Hague, Netherlands
Height|  1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s)|  Left-back
Team information

Current team

|  Lisse (head coach)
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)
2009–2010|  → RBC 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|  SJC
2023–|  Lisse
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Sjaak Polak (born 18 February 1976) is a Dutch professional football manager and former player who is the head coach of Derde Divisie club Lisse.

## Club career

[edit]

An outspoken wingback and freekick specialist, Polak previously played for Excelsior, 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]

In October 2023, Polak was appointed new head coach of Tweede Divisie club Lisse.[11] In February 2024, despite disappointing results, he extended his contract with the club until 2025.[12]

## Honours

[edit]

Twente

* KNVB Cup Winner 2000–01

## External links

[edit]

* Player profile – Sparta Rotterdam
* Career stats – Voetbal International (in Dutch)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Westerveld en Polak volgend seizoen niet bij Sparta" (in Dutch). Sparta Rotterdam. Archived from the original on 21 May 2008. Retrieved 13 July 2008.
2. ^ "Polak tekent bij Maccabi Tel Aviv" (in Dutch). Sportwereld.nl. 15 July 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
3. ^ Bar Dayan, Shirley (23 July 2008). בעיות באזרוחו של איסק פולאק (in Hebrew). Sport 5. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
4. ^ Spunder, Or (13 July 2008). יאניק קאמאנן ידרוש הבהרות לגבי עתידו (in Hebrew). One.co.il. Retrieved 13 July 2008.
5. ^ Spunder, Or (3 August 2008). סיאק פולאק חתם בליגה השניה בהולנד (in Hebrew). One.co.il. Retrieved 4 August 2008.
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
11. ^ Vliet, Marcel van (24 October 2023). "Sjaak Polak nieuwe trainer van FC Lisse". Topamateurvoetbal.com (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
12. ^ Haas, Jordan de (23 February 2024). "FC Lisse verlengt contract trainer Sjaak Polak". Bollenstreek Omroep (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2 March 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.

*[Apps]: League appearances
*[Gls]: League goals