Former Hearts keeper Zdenek Zlamal in retirement u-turn as Czech makes comeback as a midfielder

Former Hearts keeper Zdenek Zlamal has come out of retirement at the age of 36 to play again in his native Czech Republic...as a midfielder.

The veteran shot-stopper made 53 appearances for the Tynecastle side and also had loan spells at St Mirren and St Johnstone, where he celebrated a Scottish Cup final victory over Hibs.

Zlamal also turned out for Udinese, Cadiz, Alanyaspor and both Sparta and Slavia Prague before announcing he was hanging up his gloves after leaving Hearts last summer.

But he's now decided to return to football with Olomouc outfit Kozusany as a goalscoring central midfielder.

He said: "A lot of people told me I made a mistake coming back to football, but I am glad I did.

"My family, uncle and dad were all goalkeepers, but now that I'm think about it, they put me in the goals and didn't ask me at all about what position I wanted to play!

"I am not kidding. I loved being a goalkeeper, but now I enjoy the position of midfielder and I will score a lot of goals from there.

"I'm able to combine this with the family business and I am really enjoying it. But I will stay in football because I love it.

"All my foreign adventures were great. I played in Italy, Spain Turkey and Scotland. I learned the languages, got to know their culture, food and made friends. I have a lot of acquaintances in several countries. This is what I appreciate about foreign engagements and what football has given me.

"Scotland has the best memories for me because it was the last country I went to and also the most successful. I enjoyed it the most. Plus, it was my dream to play British football."