- Title: CZECH REPUBLIC: CZECH TEAM PREPARE FOR EURO 2004 AMID DOUBTS.
- Date: 4th May 2004
- Summary: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC (RECENT) (REUTERS) 1. CZECH NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM TRAINING AT THE ROSICKY STADIUM 2. TEAM RUNNING 3. TEAM TRAINING 4. GOALKEEPER 5. GOALKEEPER STOPPING BALLS KICKED BY COACH 6. TEAM IN HOTEL LOBBY 7. REPORTERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE 8. (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) KAREL BRUECKNER, CZECH NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM COACH, SAYING "As I have already said many times, I do not want to comment about results and performances in the group. Our target is the target of all the teams and that is to advance to the next stage" 9. (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) STRIKER PAVEL NEDVED, KNOW AS 'THE CANNON OF PRAGUE', SAYING "We have a good team and there are chances (for success) for sure. But I personally would not say that we are favourites to win. We need to be fit and we need a little luck as well to make a mark in this championship" 10. VARIOUS OF TEAM TRAINING Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 19th May 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
- Reuters ID: LVAD7ECD1FYAWDUJ6PII9RRB326D
- Story Text: Czech team prepares for Euro 2004 amid doubts.
The Czech Republic soccer squad is hoping to
re-establish its European pedigree at the Euro2004
championships starting in Portugal in June, having made an
early exit from the last competition.
The team is among some people's favourites for the
tournament, but last month lost a home friendly against an
under-strength Japan 1-0 -- their second consecutive
defeat.
The Republic of Ireland beat them 2-1 in March, ending
the Czechs' 20-game unbeaten record.
In Portugal, the Czechs are in the tough Group D
alongside Germany, the Netherlands and Latvia. It's already
been called the 'group of death' and Czech qualification
for the quarter-finals is far from assured.
Until Euro 2000, the Czechs had never finished worse
than third in any European Championship for which they
qualified. They won in 1976, were runners-up in 1996 and
finished third in 1960 and 1980.
But defeats by the Dutch co-hosts and eventual winners
France sent the team packing after the group stage in 2000,
obliterating the memory of their 10 victories in the
qualifying campaign -- the first time that had been
achieved by any team.
The Czechs have some cause for confidence heading to
Portugal this summer, however, because they recorded seven
wins and one draw in qualifying.
They beat the Dutch 3-1, which was sweet revenge for
losing to them in the World Cup qualifying round.
Since 64-year-old coach Karel Brueckner took over at
the end of 2001, the side has lost only once in 21 matches,
including wins against European champions France and World
Cup semi-finalists Turkey in friendlies.
Brueckner, who took charge when Jozef Chovanec resigned
after his team failed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup,
has mainly stuck to a 4-5-1 system, leaving the towering
Jan Koller as the lone striker.
Speaking after a recent training session in Prague,
Brueckner declined to comment on possible results and
performances. "Our target is the target of all the teams and that
i
s
to advance to the next stage," said.
European Player of the Year Pavel Nedved commented: "We
have a good team and there are chances (for success) for
sure.
The man known as the 'Cannon of Prague', added: "But I
personally would not say that we are favourites to win. We
need to be fit and we need a little luck as well to make a
mark in this championship."
Coach Brueckner has abandoned the cautious game plans
of his predecessors, using speed to pressurise opponents in
their own half.
He has also stressed discipline, leaving out talented
but volatile players such as Tomas Repka and Patrik Berger.
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