“What the fans have shown here are things that cannot be seen in the Czech Republic,” he shook his head. He saw defeat with honor realistically. “I would argue that Celtic and Rangers are at the level of the English league. When we beat the English teams, it will be nice, but we can’t do it now,” said Pavel Vrba.
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So how do you rate the match?
We ran into an opponent who deservedly won the Scottish league and went straight to the Champions League. Celtic means something in Europe and we had a big problem with him especially in the first half when he played in a stronger line-up. Maybe it’s a shame that we didn’t keep the 2:3 score longer, we could have gone crazy towards the end. However, the opponent deservedly won. But I would like to thank the fans. Once again they showed that Baník has a lot of support in them. This was an atmosphere I haven’t experienced in a long time, so I’m glad I was able to be there, even if they were probably not happy with the result. But that’s just the way it is.
What was the biggest problem? That you were losing balls early?
In the first half, it was clear that Celtic’s confidence was completely different from ours. They played every action, they wanted to go to the quality, to the interlude, and we, when we were under pressure, just kicked and fought for the balls. The play until the 60th minute was not accurate enough to make something of it. Then things changed a little with their rotation, we were able to go out, create a renumbering, unfortunately we didn’t finish it. In the first part, however, the high pressure was a huge problem for us, and we were unable to get out of it. That was the difference.
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How can this match benefit you?
It’s very difficult. I take it that we came across a team that means something in Europe and we still have a long way to go to match them. This is a reality that hurts, but it is true. It is a club that has a completely different budget and possibilities. This is not to say that Baník has no opportunities in the Czech Republic, but they have a budget of around two and a half billion crowns. A little different world. But it is good that we play such matches, that we see how it is in clubs that have a name and power in Europe.
Can you find other positives besides the fans?
It’s difficult… We scored two goals, we created three more chances, that’s true, but unfortunately we weren’t accurate and strong enough in those situations, like the opponent was. But let’s be fair, they had much more possession, they were more assertive, better. We tried, but it wasn’t enough. The opponent had such quality that he did it better.
What did you think of Joe Hart’s goalkeeping style, who was more out of goal than in it?
He plays like that all the time, then their position in the passing game is better because they have extra players. That’s an advantage. Of course, we could have punished them with the first option, when unfortunately we didn’t keep enough composure. I think it was still 0:0. Score a goal, maybe he should go deeper. But he catches like this all the time and we didn’t punish him.
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At the first press conference, you said that you would like to attend the annual Přerov match. That would be a different match, don’t you think?
(laughs) That would be a different story, of course. There is a difference when you play with Otrokovice and then you come across a team that is in the Champions League or regularly in Europe in the groups. Reality is different. You know that in our country, when the elite teams advance to the Champions League group, it is considered a huge success. Here it goes without saying. This then manifests itself. I experienced these matches. And when you play against Barcelona or Bayern, the difference is similar.
How was the home premiere? After the match, you missed the cabin for the first time.
I was looking for a dressing room, that’s right. I’m used to walking in a different direction than I walked this time. (smiles) But I want to praise the fans, because what they showed here are things that cannot be seen in the Czech Republic. Even though the opponent was superior to us in terms of quality, they encouraged us and were on our side. A huge thank you goes to them for that, and you can see that Ostrava is exceptional in this regard. Hopefully it will last in the season and they will be satisfied, because the results will be more acceptable.
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You wished it looked like it used to be at Bazale. Did the “white hell” kick you?
I do, and I believe the fans do too. I hope they will stick with us in the league and help us, because it is a huge support.
Now you are leaving for a training camp in Poland. Do you believe that the gaming team will continue after him?
Are we still having fun, or am I reading this as a game? I just want to say that we have some quality, Celtic have some quality, and if they’re playing you, it’s somewhere else, so your level isn’t seen as much. It’s different when you play with a team at your level or “weaker”. Then the dominance should be higher. We are going to Poland to prepare for the league as best we can, to learn from these matches and maybe take something from it. Maybe to try to play dominantly like Celtic did today.
The transfer window is not over, are you still working on reinforcements?
Yes, the transfer window is not over, but I don’t know if we have any players outright negotiated. I’ll admit it. Although we talked about some players in the first phase, but at the moment I have no idea if anything is going to happen or not. It’s more a question for the club’s management if they can bring someone else. I keep hearing some names, but we’ll see if anything comes of it.
