With
Euro 2012 kicking-off - it's time to profile the countries taking part, from
their footballing beginnings to the present day.
Coach: Michal Bilek
Play-off Winners
One to Watch: Vaclav Pilar
We visit the Czech Republic for our next Euro 2012 team profile. The Czech Republic has only been an independent footballing nation since the early 1990s. They played their first match against Turkey in 1994, an encounter which they won comfortably, 1-4. Prior to becoming a sovereign nation, the Czech Republic made up part of the Czechoslovakian team which competed internationally for over fifty years.
The
Czechoslovak team of yesteryear were a recognised force in international
competitions, finishing runners up in the World Cup Finals of 1934 and 1962,
and winning the European Championships in 1976. Euro 76 was held in Yugoslavia,
as it was then, it was the last time that the finals competition only included
four teams and the last time that the host nation had to qualify.
Czechoslovakia
faced Holland in the semi-finals and the stunned the Dutch by producing a
fantastic display, running out 3-1 winners after extra time. Although the Dutch
recorded one goal, they failed to score themselves as Anton Ondrus both put the Czechs ahead and scored an own
goal to equalise for the Dutch taking the tie into extra time. Two goals in the
final six minutes of the thirty secured the Czech's place in the final.
West
Germany, having defeated the hosts 4-2 (aet) in the other semi-final, would
await the Czechoslovakians in the final. Fresh from their 1974 World Cup
triumph on home soil, the Germans, who had the likes of Gerd Mueller and Franz Beckenbauer
to call upon, where the clear favourites. The hard-fought encounter ended in
stalemate after 120 minutes and so, for the first time ever, the final of the
European Championships would come down to penalties. Czechoslovakia won the
shoot-out 5-3 and were crowned champions. The game would forever be remembered
for the Panenka penalty, named after Antonin Panenka who coolly chipped his
penalty straight down the middle in the shoot-out.
Since
separation, the Czech Republic have done fairly well on the international stage
for such a relatively small country. They succeeded at their first attempt,
qualifying for the European Championships in 1996, which were held in England.
When the action got underway, however, the Czechs lost their opening group game
to Germany 2-0.
Undeterred
by this setback the Czech Republic were able to put together a magnificent run
of performances and results to become the surprise package of the tournament,
reaching the final. Unfortunately for the Czechs, they would again face the
Germans and, despite taking a 1-0 lead, they were pegged back, eventually
losing to an extra time Golden Goal, scored by Oliver Bierhoff. The
performances of the Czech team gained them a lot of admirers, and several of
their star players, such as Karel Poborsky, Patrick Berger, and of course,
Pavel Nedved, earned lucrative contracts at big European clubs on the back of
their showing in the tournament.
After
doing so well at Euro 96, Czech Republic were heavily fancied to go on and do
well at World Cup 98 in France. However, qualification did not go according to
plan as the Czechs finished the campaign in third place behind Spain and
Yugoslavia, therefore not making it to the tournament proper.
Slightly
unfortunate elimination in the group stage of Euro 2000 was followed up by yet
another failure to make the World Cup Finals in 2002. Finishing second in their
group, behind Denmark, the Czech Republic would face Belgium in a two legged
play-off; they lost both legs 1-0.
Undefeated
in qualification for Euro 2004, a very
strong Czech Republic side arrived in Portugal in great form. With the likes of
Milan Baros, Jan Koller, and, the evergreen Pavel Nedved, the Czechs took the
tournament by storm, winning all their group games, including coming from 2-0
down to beat the Netherland's 3-2 in one of the tournaments greatest ever
games. In the quarter final two goals from Milan Baros helped the Czech
Republic to a comfortable 3-0 win over Denmark. Their fabulous run saw them
make it to the semi-final, where they were cruelly beaten by an extra time
Silver Goal from, tournament winners, Greece. Milan Baros did, however, take
home the Golden Boot.
Czech
Republic qualified for their first World Cup as an independent nation in 2006.
Full of high hopes after their success at Euro 2004, the Czechs arrived in the
group stages. However, unfortunately for them and their fans, they also
departed in the group stages, and said good-bye to, the retiring, Nedved and
Poborsky. Group stage elimination at the hands of Turkey was to follow at Euro
2008, and failure to make the World Cup Finals in South Africa 2010 was the
first time the Czechs had failed to make the grade since 2002.
Czech
Republic finished second in their qualifying group, amassing 13 points and
losing three matches along the way, two of those defeats were against the
reigning World and European champions, Spain, so we can’t really hold that
against them. They won their play-off against Montenegro 3-0 on aggregate and
thus qualified for next summer’s finals in Poland and Ukraine.
The
Czechs under manager Michal Bilek are a solid, well-disciplined outfit, who are
hard to beat, if somewhat lacking in flair. They have many experienced players
such as Petr Cech in goal, Tomas Rosicky (c) in midfield, and Milan Baros up
front, as well as a couple of exciting youngsters breaking into the team.
Kadlec, Sivok and Hubnik provide solidity and reliability at the back. Rosicky,
Jiracek and Plasil add a little creativity in midfield.
A Czech youngster to look out for at the
tournament is Vaclav Pilar, he is a 23 year old attacking midfielder. Though
he's attracted tremendous interest from Wolfsburg in Germany and is likely to
sign a contract with a Bundesliga club
after the tournament, he is currently at Czech champions Viktoria Plzen.
Rated very highly in his homeland, and known for his speed and ability to
create something out of nothing, Pilar scored a tremendous goal to put the
Czechs in command of their play-off first leg.
The
Czech Republic have done well to make it to Euro 2012. They are a solid side,
if lacking somewhat in flair. At the back experience will be key and, in Petr
Cech, they have a goalkeeper who has re-found his best form, he was crucial in
Chelsea's road to Champions' League glory and he will be vital to any hopes
that his nation may hold for Euro 2012 success. The Czech midfield is capable of
brilliance on its day, however, when things don't click they can become
one-paced and predictable. For goals they will rely on Baros, although his form
for the national team has dropped off in recent times and on Tomas Necid, the
powerful, young CSKA striker who has just returned to the squad after
recovering from injury.
Czech
Republic are in group a with Poland, Greece and Russia. Whilst Russia are the
clear favourites to win the group, second place is there for whoever wants to
seize it. The Czechs are a decent outfit, capable of reaching the knock-out
stage but they will have to be at their best to see off a Polish team playing
in front of a packed home stadium and a stubborn Greece team who don't concede
many goals.
By Neil Patterson
Email: neil.b.patterson@gmail.com
Facebook: http://goo.gl/MJce0
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Neil1980
