Daniel Pudil has explained why he has returned to Sheffield after leaving Sheffield Wednesday in 2019.
Born in Prague, Daniel Pudil spent the first five years of his senior career in the Czech Republic.
He eventually arrived in England with Watford in 2012, where he went onto make 108 appearances.
Three years later, the defender joined Sheffield Wednesday on a season-long loan deal, before joining permanently the following summer.
Pudil spent four years at Hillsborough and racked up 114 appearances – scoring four goals and providing nine assists – before he was released by the Owls.
The veteran then returned to his home country with Mlada Boleslav and Viktoria Zizkov, but in 2022 he made a surprise return to Sheffield.
Pudil signed for Northern Counties East League Premier Division side Hallam FC in July 2022 – returning to England for the first time since he was let go by Sheffield Wednesday.
The defender has now explained what made him want to leave Czech Republic and come back to Sheffield.
Daniel Pudil is only earning ‘pocket money’
Speaking to Het Belang van Limburg (via Sport Witness), Pudil said: “I am very happy here in England.
“I couldn’t stay at home. And I knew the chairman of Hallam FC well. A fantastic guy and a big Sheffield Wednesday fan. He offered me some pocket money to come and play, so I did.
“You know, I can’t miss the game. I’ve been playing football since I was four years old and have never known anything else.
“As long as I can teach the team something, I want to continue doing this. But there will inevitably come a time when I will have to step aside and give youth a chance.
“I do feel that I am getting older. In my head I sometimes think that I am still only 20 years old, but after a competition my body clearly indicates that that is no longer the case.”
Since making his comeback, Pudil had started working with the Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme to help coach their College BTEC football team.
The 38-year-old clearly still loves the city and the club, and will be one of many players who Sheffield Wednesday have made a lasting impression on.
No doubt the likes of Liam Palmer and Barry Bannan will feel the same when they come to leave Hillsborough.