Last November, the national football team qualified for the European Championship with a 3-0 victory over Moldova in Olomouc. And coach Jaroslav Šilhavý announced the end. Surely you remember. An affair at the local Belmondo club also contributed to this, where representatives of Coufal, Brabec and Kuchta went to have a dilettantish steam before the match. In this setting, the era of the new coach Ivan Hašek began. what is she like
After a slow start and an embarrassing Euro, it is promising, although you would be hard pressed to find a big shift in the attractiveness of the game.
What is important, however, is that on a Tuesday night in November again in Olomouc at the sold-out Androva Stadium, the heated Czech team defeated the unpleasant Georgia 2:1, won the League of Nations group, advanced to the elite countries, and thus probably secured a play-off for the world championship.
This is what Hašek’s men are primarily concerned with, and another possible path may come in handy. Above all, however, with a back-up plan in your back, do not slack off in your concentration in qualifying for the World Cup, even the predecessor Šilhavý could talk about that.
“This was the first step. Only a partially accomplished task,” Hašek said. “The World Cup is why I got into it. That is our main goal.”
This time, Belmondo remained closed in the historic center of Olomouc, lit up with Christmas lights, although a decent celebration of football players would not irritate now.
“We remembered that,” forward Adam Hložek nodded with relief.
After the game, he shouted a victory shout with his friends in the cabin and put on a white T-shirt with the inscription: Back among the elite.
Even Hašek could snort. It looks like his crew is getting wind in their sails and maybe even on the right course. Euphoria is misplaced, waves will come, the holes in the boat may not be painted pink, but they can finally be plugged. This does not require technical geniuses, but hard workers with a clear system.
Forget the chukkas!
Hašek realized that he cannot play for beauty, but for purpose. “Every coach would like to play chukkas that look beautiful and people will applaud, but the reality is a little different. We have returned to what is our strongest point – collective style. And so far it’s paying off,” he confirmed.
After four matches without a win, the national team is on a streak of five matches without defeat. Who would have thought that after the 1:4 beating in Georgia in September?
Hašek’s position as a legend began to shake the football space again, but after years in the Arab world, he rather remained on the prestigious bench, because the respected Jindřich Trpišovský continues his Slavic mission and the president of the association, Petr Fousek, did not find the courage or the finances in the coffers for a foreign option. Probably both.
“We had the worst performance in Georgia since I’ve been with the team. When you get a four, it’s clear that no one will praise you. There have been many experts who understand this. But that’s football. Everyone can comment on it. We had to swallow the criticism and continue to work honestly,” Hašek returned to the turning point. “I believed we could turn it around and win the group. If I didn’t believe, I wouldn’t be here. When you watch the guys in training or how they prepare on video, it comes back to them. I also have to thank the analysts,” he added.
“We played fair football, we didn’t cheat anything, we’re going all the way,” praises Hašek.
“We started from the ground up. We got a set-up, I started playing as a team, stepping for each other,” Hložek described the difference in thinking, who cleverly shot under the wall against Georgia and crowned a great performance. “We knew that the footballers here are good. I’m very happy that we won the group and are advancing to Group A.”
It came out even without the punished captain Tomáš Souček, who left the national team after three years; for the first time since November 2021, when he did not play in the final of the world qualification against Estonia (2:0). Since then, he was absent in only one preparatory duel, otherwise he started in the starting line-up every time.
And also without Tomáš Choré’s tip. Centimeters, important in both limes, disappeared. Suddenly, the players in red jerseys with the lion on their chests could not help themselves so much with long balls, although they chose a simple transition when they observed that the Georgian defensive line was standing higher. Like in the third minute, when Kliment and Hložek went after the kicked ball like vultures. They robbed him, Jan Kliment, the league’s best scorer, who, as expected, replaced Choré, brilliantly passed the ball into a great chance for Pavlo Šulc, who did not hesitate.
New warriors have risen
Hašek, like Šilhavy, bets on honesty, active pressing. For connoisseurs who would like to see a quick combination perpendicular to the goal, maybe not enough, but for fans who demand maximum effort, sweaty shirts, it is at least a necessary basis to connect them with the team. With the exception of the experienced back Vladimír Coufal from West Ham, who is making his second fifty starts for the national team, and the goalkeeper Matěj Kovář from Leverkusen, Hašek is fielding players who regularly start for their clubs. A pleasant change, you know.
Midfielder Lukáš Červ is like an octopus, he swallows up a lot of space, collects second balls. After leaving for Rangers, winger Václav Černý improved and gained confidence. Tomáš Holeš, who put on the captain’s armband after Souček, is like a beacon in the middle of the defense. Stopper Václav Jemelka confirms the well-being from Pilsen and broke the waiting for victory in the national team at the tenth attempt. “He was excellent. How many fights he won,” praised Hašek.
And so we could go on. Even Alex Král, who replaced Souček in the midfield, showed why Espanyol relies on him in the Spanish league. “And why do they call him a ball thief,” Hašek added. Pavel Šulc is constantly on the move, on offer. The team works together and Kovář secures it in goal.
“The turnover of players is great. The Georgians had a similar lineup as against us at the Euros, we didn’t. Players who didn’t have much space at the European Championship have made a name for themselves,” Haška is pleased with the other options.
The foundations are laid. Thanks to them, Hašek can look back on a challenging year with hope: “That year enriched me a lot. I really appreciate this chance. It’s not easy to recognize players right away, but I don’t want to make excuses for that. The goal is the same.”
