Sports News
Young Czech football star Milan Baros has a broken leg and will miss Saturday's international against Vienna. However, Baros has joined his team-mates in Prague and tells us why he thinks the Czechs are doing so well, how happy he is to see his old club Ostrava on top of the Czech league and how important it is for him to have another Czech player at his club, Liverpool. We also have news of rising Czech ice hockey star Jiri Hudler and Czech tennis number one, Jiri Novak, whose season is ending poorly.
Baros on Czech chances in Portugal, Ostrava, "Smica", Rosicky
Luckily, having qualified for Euro 2004 by beating the Dutch last month, the Czech football team don't need to win against Austria in Vienna on Saturday. I say luckily because two regulars are suspended and several others are out injured. Among the walking wounded are Liverpool duo Vladimir Smicer and Milan Baros. Despite having a broken leg, Baros has joined the Czech team as they prepare for the Austria match. I asked him if he was recovering in Liverpool or at home in north Moravia.
"No, now I'm here, just for the one week, because it's an international game and I want to be here with the guys and do everything like them, though it's not possible now (laughs). Then I'm going to Liverpool to start recovering again."
The Czech team has had a fantastic run - what do you think is the secret of the success of the team under Karel Brueckner?
"I think we have good team bonding in the team. We started to play different football, modern football and try to beat every team. We didn't lose...I don't know, maybe 16 games in a row. I think it's great for us now."
How do you feel when coach Brueckner leaves you on the bench and brings you on after around 60 minutes?
"Of course it's difficult for me. I think every footballer wants to play in the first eleven, you know what I mean? It's difficult but it's his choice and I have to accept it."
How far do you think the Czechs can go at next year's European Championships in Portugal? Can you go all the way?
"It's always difficult to say how far...we can go all the way to the final or we can finish in the first group. So we will see, I hope our run is going to be great in Euro 2004, I hope so."
Are you following your old club Ostrava? They're doing very well this season and are top of the Czech league.
"Yeah, it's great - since I left the club they start to be on top of the league! No, I'm joking...I watched some games on TV in England. They are playing well and I wish them all the best."
About your current club Liverpool - how important for you is it having another Czech there, Vladimir Smicer?
"Of course, because when I arrived in Liverpool I didn't speak a word of English and it was difficult. But Paddy (Patrik) Berger and Vladi Smicer were there so they helped me. It was important for me."
I know in England they call Smicer 'Vladi' - do you also call him 'Vladi' now?
"No, Smica (laughs). I call him Smica."
There is talk in the newspapers of another Czech player, your international team-mate Tomas Rosicky, also going to Liverpool. Would you like be happy if he joined your club?
"Tomas is a great player and I think it's always better for me when there's somebody there from Czech because we can speak with each other in Czech. We will see what happens with Tomas."
Under 21s recruit Huebschmann ahead of crucial game against Austria
Unlike the senior team, the Czech Under 21s need to win their game against Austria on Friday, if they are to reach the Under 21 European Championships in Portugal. The defending champions have called on Sparta Prague's Tomas Huebschmann, who is a regular in the "A" squad, to bolster their defence for the Vienna clash.
Rising Czech star Hudler features in Detroit's plans for this season
As the new ice hockey NHL season got underway, there was good news for the Czech Republic's most promising young player, Jiri Hudler. The 19-year-old, who was Detroit Red Wings' first choice in the 2002 draft, has impressed the club's management in pre-season games and has been told he figures in their plans for the coming season. And while Czech star Jaromir Jagr is famously looked after by his mother, Hudler's grandmother will be making sure he eats well in Detroit. Meanwhile, his Red Wings team-mate Dominik Hasek (38) admits to not being in the best form as he makes his return after a year out of the game.
Novak crashes out in Vienna as relatively poor season draws to an end
The Czech tennis number one, Jiri Novak, has crashed out of the Vienna Open (in which he was seeded third) in the first round, going down to Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in straight sets. That result came a week after Novak was knocked out of the Japan Open (where he was seeded fourth) in the third round. This season has not been the best for Jiri Novak, and his earnings are less than half what they were last year.
