Jan Novák has ended his playing career at 47 and moved into coaching, joining the staff of Prostějov’s Jestřábi. In an interview with Hokej.cz, he said financial difficulties at Havlíčkův Brod contributed to his decision. He added that the club still owes him and his teammates a substantial amount for last season, and that he hopes the matter will be resolved soon.
Novák recalled winning two league titles with Slavia Prague, saying the first, in 2003, means the most to him. Slavia won the final in a seventh game in Pardubice, which ended 1-0 after Michal Sup scored. Novák also remembered representing the Czech Republic at the 2004 World Championship, where the team was eliminated by the United States in the quarter-finals.
He said he had long wanted to try coaching and now enjoys passing on his experience to defencemen. Working under Miloš Říha, a former Slavia colleague, has also given him a mentor. Novák said coaching demands extensive preparation and that, on the bench, he often has to suppress his anger rather than vent it as he did as a player.