Nejc Pečnik

Nejc Pečnik

Pečnik with Slovenia in 2009
Personal information
Full name Nejc Pečnik[1]
Date of birth (1986-01-03) 3 January 1986
Place of birth Dravograd, Yugoslavia
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Omiya Ardija
Youth career
0000–2002 Dravograd
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2002–2009 Celje 119 (21)
2008–2009 → Sparta Prague (loan) 4 (0)
2009–2012 Nacional 37 (2)
2011 → Krylia Sovetov (loan) 21 (1)
2012–2013 Sheffield Wednesday 10 (0)
2013–2014 Red Star Belgrade 44 (9)
2015 JEF United Chiba 39 (14)
2016– Omiya Ardija 5 (0)
National team‡
2005–2008 Slovenia U21 3 (0)
2009–2015 Slovenia 31 (6)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23 November 2015.
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 13 December 2015

Nejc Pečnik (born 3 January 1986) is a Slovenian professional footballer, who plays as an attacking midfielder for Omiya Ardija.

He represented Slovenia at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He was directly responsible in Slovenia's successful qualification to the 2010 World Cup, as he was the scorer of a crucial goal against Russia in the 2010 World Cup qualification playoffs.

Pečnik's older brother, Andrej, is also a professional footballer.

Club career

Celje

Born in Dravograd, Slovenia, Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia, Pečnik started his career at hometown club NK Dravograd. After showing promise in its youth teams he was signed by NK Celje, making his first division debut on 24 April 2004 against FC Ljubljana.[2]

The following year Pečnik played in only seven league matches, adding a few Cup appearances including the final against FC Koper.[3] In the 2005–06 season he managed to gain a regular place in the first team, eventually establishing himself as a key offensive player.

In 2007–08, Pečnik was Celje's top scorer with 14 league goals.[4] After five seasons he was loaned out in June 2008 to Sparta Prague,[5] but appeared rarely with the Czech first division outfit during his six-month stay, spending most of his time with the reserve squad.[6]

Nacional

After a further 15 league games with Celje, Pečnik signed with C.D. Nacional of Portugal.[7][8] On 16 July 2012, after three seasons of irregular playing time, also being loaned to Russian club FC Krylia Sovetov Samara for five months,[9] he signed a two-year deal with Sheffield Wednesday in the Football League Championship.[10]

Sheffield Wednesday

In his official debut with the Owls, on 12 August 2012, Pečnik missed a penalty and was booked before half-time, as his team trailed at Oldham Athletic 0–2. He played the full 90 minutes in an eventual 4–2 win for the season's Football League Cup.[11]

Pečnik was released by Wednesday at the end of his only campaign.

Red Star Belgrade

Pečnik agreed to a two-year contract with Red Star Belgrade from Serbia, on 1 July 2013.[12] He scored his first goal for Red Star against ÍBV in the second qualifying round of the 2013-14 UEFA Europa League.

International career

Pečnik made his debut for the Slovenian national team on 1 April 2009, in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland.[13]

He scored his first goal for Slovenia on 10 October 2009, in the same competition, a 2–0 win Slovakia. On 14 November, he scored a decisive goal in the play-offs' first leg, as the national side lost 1–2 with Russia at the Luzhniki Stadium,[14] only to win 1–0 in the second leg, taking the tie on the away goals rule and qualifying for a World Cup for the second time in the nation's history; in the final stages, he appeared twice as a late substitute, having to be however stretchered off in the match against United States.[15]

Career statistics

Club

As of 13 December 2015
Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
2003–04CeljeSlovenian League20????20
2004–0570????70
2005–062914020351
2006–0731243–355
2007–08351420–3714
2008–09Sparta PragueCzech League40002060
2008–09Sparta BSecond Division92––92
2008–09CeljeSlovenian League15300–153
2009–10NacionalPortuguese League2423080352
2010–119010–100
2011–124010–50
2011–12Krylia SovetovRussian Premier League21110–221
2012–13Sheffield WednesdayFootball League Championship10040–140
2013–14Red Star BelgradeSerbian SuperLiga2973141369
2014–1515210–162
2015JEF United ChibaJ. League Division 2391400–3914
Total Celje 119201032013123
Total Sparta Prague 40002060
Total Sparta B 92––92
Total Nacional 3725080502
Total Krylia Sovetov 21110–221
Total Sheffield Wednesday 10040–140
Total Red Star Belgrade 44941415211
Total JEF United Chiba 391400–3914
Career total 2834824416132353

International goals

Scores and results list Slovenia's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 10 October 2009 Tehelné pole, Bratislava, Slovakia  Slovakia 2–0 2–0 2010 World Cup qualification
2 14 November 2009 Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia  Russia 1–2 1–2 2010 World Cup qualification – Playoffs
3 14 November 2012 Philip II Arena, Skopje, Macedonia  Macedonia 1–2 2–3 Friendly
4 14 November 2012 Philip II Arena, Skopje, Macedonia  Macedonia 2–3 2–3 Friendly
5 14 June 2015 Stožice Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia  England 2–2 2–3 UEFA Euro 2016 Qualification
6 12 October 2015 San Marino Stadium, Serravalle, San Marino  San Marino 2–0 2–0 UEFA Euro 2016 Qualification

Honours

Celje
Red Star

See also

References

  1. ↑ "FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 4 June 2010. p. 27. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  2. ↑ "Zapisnik 26. kroga" (in Slovenian). PrvaLiga. 24 April 2004. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  3. ↑ "Publikum dočakal prvo lovoriko" (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenia. 17 May 2005. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  4. ↑ "Statistika sezone 2007/08 (Season statistics 2007/08)" (in Slovenian). PrvaLiga. May 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  5. ↑ "Nogometaš Nejc Pečnik se iz Celja seli v praško Sparto" (in Slovenian). Dnevnik. 27 June 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  6. ↑ "Nejc Pečnik" (in Czech). iDNES. Retrieved 3 December 2008.
  7. ↑ "Pečnik nasledil Cristiana Ronalda" (in Slovenian). NK Celje. 31 May 2009. Retrieved 15 July 2009.
  8. ↑ "Seduzido pela hipótese de jogar na Liga Europa" [Seduced with the chance of playing in Europa League] (in Portuguese). Diário de Notícias. 1 July 2009. Retrieved 15 July 2009.
  9. ↑ "Pecnik rescindiu" [Pecnik has rescinded] (in Portuguese). Record. 11 May 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  10. ↑ "Sheffield Wednesday sign Slovenian Nejc Pecnik". BBC Sport. 16 July 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  11. ↑ "Oldham 2 – Sheff Wed 4". BBC Sport. 12 August 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  12. ↑ FK Crvena Zvezda: Печник у Звезди наредне две године; Red Star's official website, 1 July 2013 (Serbian)
  13. ↑ "Severni Irci spodrezali slovenska krila" (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenia. 1 April 2009. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  14. ↑ "World Cup play-offs round-up". BBC Sport. 15 November 2009. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
  15. ↑ "World Cup 2010: Slovenian Nejc Pecnik breaks ankle". BBC Sport. 19 June 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2012.

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