We bring you the first of our interviews with goalkeepers wearing BU1 gloves. Today we will ask a few interesting questions to the goalkeeper we wrote about earlier. Jan Laštůvka is one of the first big names to wear our gloves. Let's ask him a few questions, whether about his beginnings or his future…
Who is Jan Laštůvka?
A well-known pillar of Baník was born in 1982 in Havířov. He stepped into the football world 6 years later when friends brought him to the Karviná club. At the age of 18, he transferred to Baník Ostrava, where he became the first-choice goalkeeper after his first season. He remained in that position until his departure. During that time, he managed to win a title with Baník, specifically in the 2003/2004 season.
In 2004, he moved to Ukraine, as he transferred to Shakhtar Donetsk.
He spent 3 years there, playing in the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. In 2007, he also ventured to England, spending a year at Fulham and the following season, he played in the Bundesliga with our German neighbors, where he was a goalkeeper for VfL Bochum.
There, he replaced his colleague Jaroslav Drobný, who had transferred to Hertha at that time. After a year in Germany, Lašty returned to England, this time playing for West Ham, but he only made one appearance for them.
Eventually, he settled back in familiar Ukraine. In 2009, he transferred to FK Dnipro and it was a more than successful transfer. Honza played in Dnipro for a solid 7 years, appearing in over 100 matches. After his home club made it to the top league, he decided to return home.
In 2016, he reappeared in a familiar environment, this time in the jersey of the team that raised him – Karviná. Honza was helped as a newcomer to a calm mid-table position. After a very successful season, he decided to transfer to the then-strengthening Slavia. Unfortunately for him, he didn't find much trust in Prague and was forced to transfer after half a year. He decided to transfer to the team where his entire professional career began. In January 2018, he returned to Baník Ostrava.
How did you get into goalkeeping?
I started playing football as a forward, but after half a year, I somehow ended up in goal. As a kid, I played for two age categories; in the older one, I was a goalkeeper, and in the younger one, I played in attack. I must admit that I still really enjoy playing with my feet, even though I'm a goalkeeper.
Do you remember any memorable or funny moments from your football childhood?
Well, I don't recall anything significant from my childhood, but there is one moment that I will probably remember forever. In my first league match against Žižkov, I caught the ball outside the box, which resulted in a yellow card and a conceded goal. Fortunately, the guys from the team supported me that time, and we won the match.
Your jersey features the number 16; why is that?
Since I was a kid, I never liked the number one, even though I had to wear it in youth categories. When I got to play with the men, I had to choose a number as the second goalkeeper. At that time, I chose the number 16, which somehow grew on me. I wore it at Baník, then I had it in Ukraine, and I still have it now after returning to the Czech Republic.
What are you most proud of regarding your career?
Even though I've played for many clubs in my career, I'm most proud of my beginnings at Baník, specifically the year we won the title. I probably won't ever forget the celebrations. Another thing I must mention is the matches in the national team, which is a dream for every little boy.
What do you like most about being a goalkeeper?
We all know that goalkeepers are a bit crazy. They are under pressure, they can't make mistakes, and that's a big challenge. There's definitely no better feeling than preventing an opponent's goal-scoring opportunity at the end of a very tense match.
Do you also watch other goalkeepers, and who is your favorite?
When I was 18, I watched every league match. As I've gotten older, I don't watch as much, but I won't miss the big matches. Sometimes I check out some goalkeeper training online to see how others train. I follow the world's best goalkeepers, but if I had to name just one, it would be Buffon. Despite his age, he can do incredible things.
What convinced you to wear BU1 gloves?
I came across the gloves by chance after returning from Ukraine. They simply fit me perfectly. From the start, I've been using the Roll Finger cut, which suits me the best, and in terms of performance, BU gloves surpass other brands in durability and grip. Another thing is that during my time at Karviná or Slavia, other goalkeepers also grew fond of this brand, which is definitely a sign that these gloves are of high quality.
What is your personal goal for this season?
I had the option to go either to Karviná or Baník. I chose Baník, which currently doesn't have the position in the table that we would like to see. Right now, our goal is to save Baník from relegation because, in my opinion, a club with such a history deserves to be part of the top league. So it can be said that my personal goal is the goal of the entire club.
Honza, thank you very much for the interview, and I wish you and your club a lot of luck in the second half of the season. Would you like to say anything to other goalkeepers at the end?
I would like to wish everyone good luck and many clean sheets in the spring phase of the season. If you don't have BU1 gloves yet, definitely don't hesitate to try them; in my opinion, you won't regret it.
