Former Czech international and Newcastle United goalkeeper Pavel Srnicek is in a critical condition in hospital after suffering a heart attack while out jogging, Czech media and his agent said on Monday.
The DNES broadsheet daily said on its website that the 47-year-old collapsed while jogging on Sunday night in the eastern Czech city of Ostrava.
Srnicek’s agent Steve Wraith said in a post on Twitter: “I can confirm that Pavel has suffered a cardiac arrest whilst running and is in critical condition in hospital.”
“Pavel was running last night and his heart stopped, he was like that for 20 minutes then rushed to hospital he is an induced coma until wed (Wednesday).”
Srnicek spent eight years with Newcastle in England and the Premier League club were quick to offer a message of support, tweeting: “Our best wishes go to @PavelSrnicekUK, who has been taken to hospital today. Get well soon, Pav. #NUFC”.
Srnicek, now the goalkeeping coach at Czech top-flight side Sparta Prague, played 49 times for his country after beginning his career at Banik Ostrava.
He moved to Newcastle in 1991 and also played for West Ham United, Portsmouth and Sheffield Wednesday in England, as well as Brescia and Cosenza in Italy.