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This article is part of the Guardian Euro 2024 Expert Network, a collaboration between some of the best media organizations from the 24 countries that made the cut. theguardian.com previews two countries each day in the run-up to the tournament, which starts on June 14.
Perspectives
It was 3am in Olomouc two days before the Czech Republic’s crucial Euro 2024 qualifier against Moldova. The national team’s assistant manager, Jiri Citri, was having one of his sleepless nights, so he left his hotel room and wandered the corridors – only to hear some familiar voices. He wasn’t sure who they were, but he could sense they were out.
When news broke the next morning that Jakub Brabec, Vladimir Koufal and Jan Kuchta (a seemingly rather mismatched trio) had gone partying at a nightclub called Belmondo, which at the time was full of lower league players partying end of its fall season, it was clear that heads would roll. The players dropped out, but after securing qualification for the Euros, national team coach Jaroslav Silhavy also left.
The 62-year-old has done a great job in his five years at the helm. His country had beaten England and draws against Belgium and Spain and, most importantly, reached the quarterfinals from the last euro. However, the style of play gradually becomes more and more harsh and predictable, while its principles are somewhat lost. Towards the end, his team selections began to raise eyebrows.
So after the Euro qualifiers he left, meaning his replacement Ivan Hasek only had the international break in March to take a closer look at the players ahead of the pre-tournament build-up. “We want to be unpredictable before the Euros,” is Hasek’s mantra, and that shouldn’t be too difficult to achieve given the circumstances. He is pragmatic at heart (“We can’t play naive football,” he says) but has surrounded himself with a talented, young coaching staff whose methods are similar to gegenpressing to many German coaches.
Hasek wants to build on club foundations from both Slavia and Sparta, which makes sense in theory. But who exactly are these players? Several Slavia players are not at their best and Sparta’s centre-back partnership is unproven at international level. The starting 11 is far from settled and neither is the system. Will it be a three or four at the back?
This is a team that is perhaps better against stronger opponents when they can react and cause problems on the counter-attack. Against weaker sides, the Czechs often struggle to come up with complex attacking moves to unlock a low block. Expect a hard-working, defensively cohesive team that will run a lot and be a force from set-pieces – much like many Czech teams of the past.