Czechia – Switzerland From Slavia’s attack to Switzerland’s coach of choice. Silver “golden boy” Sobotka

Jiří Sobotka belonged to the “golden boys” from the finals of the 1934 World Cup in Italy, where the Czechoslovak team lost to the home team 1: 2 in the finals under extremely unfavorable circumstances.

And he was clearly the decoration of the silver team, according to many experts, the best midfielder at the championship. He pushed the more famous colleagues Josef Silný and Franci Svoboda out of the luxurious place, overshadowed the Austrian-Czech duo of the famous Wunderteam consisting of Mathias Sindelar (Matěj Šindelář) and Josef Bican, and the Italian world champion Angelo Schiavo did not match him.

A capable middle forward of Slavia Prague, where a Czechoslovak came from AFK in Koshir shortly after graduation as a first-year law student at Charles University – he did not finish his law, but in the second year of studies he transferred to Prague engineering, where he studied mechanical engineering – and immediately gained lead the Slavic attack. He participated in silver not only by precisely organizing offensive events, but also by scoring into the Swiss net (3: 2) in the quarterfinals.

He was an attacker of at least a European format.

But five years later, the German protectorate, closed universities, and even the best Slavia club at the time did not come up with ideas for a bright future. Sobotka first looked for her at FC Winterthur in Switzerland, then in January 1940 he went on a one-year pilgrimage to the Croatian club HNK Hajduk Split, where he worked as a playing coach and did not do badly. He tried his hand at coaching and found it to suit him.

The following year he returned to Prague to the team of stitchers, where he more or less stagnated and decided in June 1943 to accept the unmissable offer of the Zlín club SK Baťa, where he spent three successful seasons. After the liberation, in 1946, the shoemakers of Zlín went on a trip to France and returned via Switzerland. However, Ludvík Dupal and Josef Humpál remained in France, who were hired by playing coaches, as if they knew what would happen later on the political scene.

Sobotka, however, behaved differently, returned from the trip and negotiated permission from the authorities at home. The graduate mechanical engineer was employed as an official of the Patria insurance company and in June 1946 he submitted an official application for a vacancy in Switzerland. He and his wife Emilia and daughters Jiřina and Ivana headed to a new apartment on Rue Jasquet Droz 43, a town in the canton of Neuenburg, Chaux-de-Fonds. The contract was for a sports teacher, and at the same time it was based on the possibility of employment in a field that he had studied in Prague, that he would take part in repairs and renovations of abandoned salt mines, which was confirmed by the Swiss partner.

When the Iron Curtain fell between the eastern and western parts of Europe after the communist coup in February 1948, he was already firmly established in Switzerland and was able to devote himself to his coaching work.

The list of Sobotka’s coaching stands is admirable and includes a short sitting on the bench of the Swiss national team. In fact, he just jumped at a time when someone was being sought who would take office for a longer period of time with the hope of more conceptual work.

The Prague native took over the team on April 15, 1964 and in a month (ended May 10, 1964) he managed only three matches with a balance of 1-2-2, 5: 6. At first, his charges defeated Belgium at home 2: 0, but then lost to Portugal (2: 3) and Italy (1: 3). These were mostly friendly matches.

Subsequently, the Italian coach Alfredo Foni, world champion 1938, took the scepter and led him to the 1966 World Cup in England. To the success, which was at least partially laid by a Czech expert.