Danny 9 Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Back in 2006 and 2004 the Czech Republic boasted a truly outstanding side. Players like Nedved, Poborsky, Rosicky, Berger - that is a truly great group of midfielders to say the least. Only the most defensive Greek side could stop the Czechs winning Euro 2004 and only Koller's untimely injury stopped them rampaging at the last world cup. Fast forward to this year's Euros. A badly aging Koller, the absence of that rolls royce midfield, and only 2 world class defenders in Jankulovksi and Ujfalusi. The lynchpin had been supply to Koller and Baros, but not only did Bruckner not have that riches of the Nedveds etc, but he CHOSE not to use his legendary partnership up front, instead going defensive minded with just Koller or Baros alone. You then look at the midfield - Sionko, Galasek, Jarolim, Plasil etc. It's decent but not on the same planet as yesteryear's. And then finally you had Cech yesterday with the worst moment of his career (bar the injury) where he would never flap. And yet did. And cost his team. And fair play to him he admitted it. The great Czech side of the past is completely gone, and with it their best chance of winning a major honour again. This current crop are a pale imitation and wouldn't have gone much further in this tournament if they had progressed past Turkey. In the way the golden generation of Portugal - the Figos and Rui Costas - failed to win anything, it's another hard luck story for the Czechs too. Que sera sera. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boab 73 Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Czech mate for the Czechs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluejeff 16 Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Sionko looks much improved maybe we should try to get him back. Why did he never turn it on for us - was it just that he didnt get a decent run in the team? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny 9 Posted June 16, 2008 Author Share Posted June 16, 2008 Sionko looks much improved maybe we should try to get him back. He's worth at least £5M now. But bear in mind he's about 30 or 31. So that tournament was his last hurrah. Why did he never turn it on for us - was it just that he didnt get a decent run in the team? He wasn't suited to the claustrophic rigours of the SPL. There were occasional glimpses of what he could do, but it just wasn't a good marriage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlippinEck 3,705 Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 and his first hurrah, bearing in mind he was reserve to the world cup and got in due to the injury of one player and made one sub appearance. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny 9 Posted June 16, 2008 Author Share Posted June 16, 2008 and his first hurrah, bearing in mind he was reserve to the world cup and got in due to the injury of one player and made one sub appearance. Smicer I believe. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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