Football

It was clear, that without the attacking team, which missed Rosicky, Nedved, Poborsky, and consisted almost solely from Koller, we cannot score high in Euro. I don’t understand, why I am always so susceptible by the media and always start to watch the Czech football team struggling. It seemed so incredible in the first half – after the team presented no warlikeness with Switzerland (but we won 1:0) , and after the meeting with so much better Portugal (they won 3:2) the Czech team finally seemed to wake up at the match with Turkey, and actually played. For 20 minutes.

The yesterday match with Turkey? In 87th minute the Czechs were winning 2:1, but than the team lost all the concentration and energy and their game resembled collapse. The best player of the Czech team, Petr Cech, didn’t held centre, the ball came out of his gloves right in front of Turkish captain Nihata boots. And in two minutes, Nihata scored again, 3:2.

Four and half months until the match with Switzerland, which in Basile opens the football European championship for Czechs. Until the end of may, the representation coach Karel Bruckner decides about the team formation. There is quite a lot of candidates this year.

The first test of the players is the preparing tournament in Cyprus, during which the Czech team is going to battle the selection of Greek national league and Poland. 28 players got the invitation.

The Czech coach Bruckner has reputation of being conservative, so the final choice is going to include probably the goalkeeper Petr Cech and players Pospech, Ujfaluci, Plasil, Pudil, Rosicky, Baros and Koller.

The Czech Republic made a mockery of Germany’s unbeaten record in Euro 2008 qualifiers with an amazing 3-0 away win at Munich’s Allianz Arena to seal their qualification.

The Czechs overcame Germany’s defence with all three goals coming from their midfield as coach Karel Brueckner’s tactic of playing a 4-2-3-1 formation paid off.

The Czech national football team has advanced into Euro 2008, that takes place June next year in Austria and Switzerland. It is a great news not only for sport fans, but also for mangers and owners of companies.

Last time, in the European championship 2004, the Czech team was led by the same coach, Karel Brueckner, and we gained bronze. It is his third successful qualification in a row.

Over five thousand Czech fans arrived into Munich and had a great time. Such a contest was won by a Czech team in Germany for the last time in 1964 . Germany is not used to such loses – they have been beaten with a difference of three goals just six times since the WWI. Will the Czech team be able to keep its winning spirit into the end of Euro 2008?

It was their sixth trial, but finally successful. Slavia Praha, one of the Prague’s football teams, managed to enter the prestigious Champions League when Slavia won yesterday’s match over Ajax Amsterdam in Prague’s stadium Strahov.

The match ended with the result 2-1 for Slavian players. Two goals were scored by Stanislav Vlcek from Slavia Praha, one by Luis Suarez from Ajax Amsterdam. The victory was also caused by excellent performance of Czech goal keeper Martin Vaniak.

So far it was only Sparta Prague who had some success in Champion League. The groups of the Champions League will be drawn in Monaco today.

According to the survey of Millward Brown agency, safety at football stadiums is for people even more important than tickets for free. That’s why a new spectator area especially for families was opened at the Sparta stadium in Letna in Prague yesterday.

There are 500 seats that has been almost completely filled yesterday during the match of Sparta against Mlada Boleslav. Only parents with children under 16 years old can enter the place. The price of the ticket for 4 family members is 200 CZK, for another child is extra charge 50 CZK. The price includes also renting of blankets and pillows.

Parents are usually afraid to take their children to football matches full of violence, bad language and pyrotechnics. Children can support their favourite team in a group of other children and, in case they are bored watching the match, they can play many games just outside the spectator area.

Large football stadium for large international matches like Europe Championship or Champions League. This dream appeared in minds of Czech football leaders ten years ago. After many proposals about size of the stadium and a place in Prague, new resolution of Prime Minister makes some things more clear, even when they are a little bit strange.

It is planned that the stadium will be at place of present stadium of FC Sparta at Letna. National stadium will be bigger than present club stadium which will be demolished. BUT. The stadium will have only 35 000 seats instead of 50 000, because of space, even if 50 000 is a minimum for stadiums Europe Championship or Champions League. So the stadium will be smaller than original planes, but cost will be same: 2-3,5 billions crowns. It has to be said that Sazka Arena had to cost mostly 5 billions. Now it seems that cost of this another project will be 15 billions.

Letna is easily reachable by cars but it hasn’t good access to metro, and some other places can look better. In ten years there was a suggestion for Strahov, Maniny, Eden, Kacerov, Letna, Strahov and New Butovice. Last suggestion was Vysocany, because it has good access to metro and there could be space for 50 000 seat stadium. This place is verified by concerts of Paul McCartney or Carlos Santana.

Stadium at Sparta could be built in 2010, it is promised by MP that state budget will give one billion crowns for infrastructure connected with building of the stadium. Today it is 14 days to elections.

Czech Football league decorated with corruption of referees, has a new scandal. Yesterday was the match between Slavia Prague and Slovan Liberec was an unbelievable process. THe whole team of Slavia abandoned the football pitch during standard playing time in the 69th minute. This happened for the last time in Czech football league history 86 years ago.

Their leave from the pitch was made as protest against referee Jaroslav Jara, who disqualified in 60th minute one Slavia player and in 68th another plus he ordered to kick a penalty. Liberec scored. After few moments the leading of Slavia sent it’s players to dressing-room.

Referee Jara didn’t know how to solve this situation, because there is no rule what to do, when whole the team exits the football pitch. Liberec players were ready to give thanks to audience and went home, but Slavia players returned after 20 minutes. Match was finished, Liberec won 3:1.

Slavia’s protest will be investigated, as well as punishment for Slavia and it’s behavior. Slavia accepted defeat, but they can’t accept referee Jara’s directing .