Jessica Torny joins Sparta Praag, saying budgets exceed Dutch clubs

On a crisp evening at the Stadion Letná, Jessica Torny watched Sparta Praag beat Farul Constanta 4-1 from the tribune, her first match in charge of the Czech side. The victory marked the start of a new chapter after three years at the helm of Feyenoord women.

Why the move appealed

Torny explained that Sparta Praag’s “big ambitions” – to progress deep in the Europa Cup and return to the Champions League the following season – matched her own goals. She added, “The budget, I think, is above the budgets of top clubs in the Netherlands,” highlighting financial resources as a key factor.

The Czech club currently sit second in the domestic league and are competing in the second qualifying round of the Europa Cup, offering Torny a platform to test those ambitions on the European stage.

Departure from Feyenoord

During her three‑year spell at Feyenoord, Torny guided the team to a third‑place finish, securing the club’s first ever qualification for European competition. The previous season she had also led the Netherlands under‑19 side to the World Cup semi‑finals.

Despite a contract running until the next season, she left the Rotterdam club at the end of June. “It was a difference of insight,” she said, noting that the club’s target of Champions League participation had to be realistic, and the two parties disagreed on the path forward.

Assistant coach Marc Pieters was promoted to head coach, and Torny admitted she “would have liked to stay”. She continues to follow Feyenoord, observing that they perform well in Europe but “not in the women’s league”, and wishes them “the world”.

Her first impression of Sparta Praag – a club that has been national champion twenty‑two times – was “top”. She praised the stadium’s display of large photographs of female players, saying it underscored the club’s commitment to giving women’s football a prominent stage.

Sparta Praag’s rivalry with Slavia Praag makes the Czech league highly competitive; seven of its players have earned national team call‑ups. Torny noted that while the overall level is hard to compare with the Dutch Eredivisie, “the Netherlands has better depth”. The women’s department was founded in 1975, and keeper Lisan Alkemade, who recently left Sparta Praag, has returned to PSV after a loan spell.