Czech Republic - Euro 2008 Team Profile

John Duerden reports...

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Road to Switzerland / Austria

The Czechs fair stormed into the tournament with only one defeat in 12 games, the one setback coming at home to Germany.

Revenge was sweet with a 3-0 win in Munich that helped propel Karel Brucker's men to first place in Group D that also contained Wales, Ireland and old friends Slovakia.

Analysis

The Eastern Europeans have still not manage to turn what is undoubted talent and pedigree into consistent success on the global stage. There is always a chance that the team ranked number four in the world can go all the way.

The talent is still there. Even without the possible return of talisman Paolo Nedved, there are still stars such as Tomas Rosicky, Milan Baros, Petr Cech who all have more than enough experience on he big stage.

Jan Koller is unlikely to last long beyond the end of the tournament but the veteran striker will be aiming to bow out on a high. The giant goal-getter has an international scoring record that is second to none and the sometimes-maligned Milan Baros has shown in the past that he is capable of rising to the occasion.

The age old problem for the Czechs is that of consistency. At times, the boys from Prague look like world-beaters but no team lines-up against them without hope. The 2006 World Cup started with an impressive victory against the USA but was followed by successive 2-0 defeats against Ghana and Italy.

Key player: Petr Cech

The Czechs have a whole host of stars to call upon but the Chelsea goalkeeper is the rock at the back. The giant goalie hasn't been quite as invincible in the 2007-08 Premier League season as he has been in the past but he is still the best goalkeeper in Europe. If Cech recaptures the form of old then any striker is going to have problems this summer.

One to watch: Pavel Nedved

Could the veteran be ready for a third international comeback? This is what he said in March: "I don't know whether I should return now. It is hard to say. I have not been there for a long time and I don't know if I could be of any use and if I could help the team." With his experience, know-how, all-round skills and presence, he probably could help the team quite a bit.

Coach

At the age of 68, Euro 2008 will be the last tournament for the venerable Bruckner. After a lifetime of service to football in the Eastern European nation, a trophy would be a fitting reward. "After 34 years as a coach I have decided to change my way of living," Bruckner said in March.

Recent Previous Tournaments

1996: runners-up
2000: round one
2004: semi-finals

Soccerphile says .....

The Czechs will be confident of making the knockout stage for the third time in four tournaments, all three games are winnable but with a lack of consistency the Achilles heel in the past then nothing can be taken for granted.

Euro 2008 Squad

Bet on Euro 2008

Goalkeepers Petr Cech (Chelsea), Jaromir Blazek (Nuremberg), Daniel Zitka (Anderlecht)
Defenders Zdenek Grygera (Juventus), Marek Jankulovski (AC Milan), Michal Kadlec (Sparta Prague), Zdenek Pospech (Copenhagen), David Rozehnal (Lazio), Rudi Skacel (Southampton), Tomas Ujfalusi (Fiorentina)
Midfielders Tomas Galasek (Nuremberg), David Jarolim (Hamburg), Radoslav Kovac (Spartak Moscow), Marek Matejovsky (Reading), Jaroslav Plasil (Osasuna), Jan Polak (Anderlecht), Tomas Sivok (Sparta Prague)
Forwards Milan Baros (Portsmouth), Martin Fenin (Frankfurt), Jan Koller (Nuremberg), Libor Sionko (Copenhagen), Vaclav Sverkos (Banik Ostrava), Stanislav Vlcek (Anderlecht)

Flights To Switzerland / Austria
Opodo

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