POLAND: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Success is reaching the knockout stage of Euro 2012 for the Czech Republic

Record ID: 861865

  • Title: POLAND: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Success is reaching the knockout stage of Euro 2012 for the Czech Republic
  • Date: 8th June 2012
  • Summary: WROCLAW, POLAND (JUNE 7, 2012) (REUTERS) WROCLAW STADIUM CZECH TEAM INCLUDING TOMAS ROSICKY, AT TRAINING PLAYERS RUNNING CZECH COACH WITH FORMER PLAYER VLADIMIR SMICER VARIOUS OF GOALKEEPER PETR CECH TRAINING MILAN BAROS TRAINING VARIOUS OF TRAINING/ JAN REZEK COACH MICHAL BILEK FOLLOWING THE TRAINING SESSION REZEK/VARIOUS OF CZECH TEAM TRAINING COACH MICHAL BILEK WITH PLAYER TOMAS ROSICKY ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE CAMERAMAN (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) CZECH COACH MICHAL BILEK SAYING: "I think that this group is quite equal, the slight favourite is the Russian team. We don't think we are the weakest team in the group and I trust we will show our power tomorrow. Our aim is to get through the group, this would be our great success." JOURNALIST TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) CZECH COACH MICHAL BILEK SAYING: "We all trust that Milan (Baros) will be all right for tomorrow. I will have first news after training, if he can't play we have other choices." NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) PLAYER TOMAS ROSICKY SAYING: "We know that a hard team awaits us but our team is also well skilled. We had hard times in qualification and this hardened us. We are very well prepared and looking forward to tomorrows match very much." JOURNALISTS BILEK AND ROSICKY LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 23rd June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Poland
  • City:
  • Country: Poland
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA86ZR6482AJWC7UUIRO81HRWJR
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  • Story Text: Czech Republic coach Michal Bilek said on Thursday (June 7) that reaching the knockout stage of Euro 2012 would be a success for his team.
    Speaking at a news conference in Wroclaw before his team had their final training session before their opening Group A encounter against Russia on Friday (June 7), Bilek said that getting out of their group, which also includes Poland and Greece, was his first aim.
    "I think that this group is quite equal, the slight favourite is the Russian team. We don't think we are the weakest team in the group and I trust we will show our power tomorrow. Our aim is to get through the group, this would be our great success," he said.
    Striker Milan Baros' participation in the match depends on a late fitness test.
    "We all trust that Milan will be all right for tomorrow. I will have first news after training, if he can't play we have other choices," he said.
    The coach has still not decided on a starting lineup for what he expects will be a tough match against an experienced Russian side. Czech captain Tomas Rosicky has also struggled with an injury but is expected to play.
    "We know that a hard team awaits us but our team is also well skilled. We had hard times in qualification and this hardened us. We are very well prepared and looking forward to tomorrows match very much," said Rosicky at the press conference.
    Greece and co-hosts Poland kick off the tournament with the opening game also on Friday.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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