By Sonia Oxley
PRAGUE, June 12 (Reuters) - Czech Republic risk failing to
qualify for the 2010 World Cup because they turned a blind eye
to their problems, new coach Frantisek Straka says.
Straka, appointed last month after the sacking of Petr Rada
following a 2-1 home defeat by Slovakia, told Reuters they were
paying the price for failing to plan for the retirement of a
golden era of players like Pavel Nedved and Jan Koller.
"In my opinion we are in a critical situation," Straka said
in an interview at the Czech FA's headquarters.
"None of us wanted to admit to ourselves that one generation
of players was on the way out. We forgot to give chances to
players with certain qualities and they went unnoticed.
"And so when problems with injuries or loss of form came
they didn't have players to draw on," he said in the interview
this week.
Initially favourites to win the automatic qualifying spot
from World Cup Group Three, the Czechs lie fourth with eight
points from six games. Slovakia are top with 15, followed by
Northern Ireland (13) and Poland (10).
Rather than making headlines for the stylish brand of
football that took the Czechs to the Euro 1996 final and the
Euro 2004 semi-finals, their players have been in the news for
their off-field activities.
The FA suspended six players for a breach of discipline
after the Slovakia defeat. Media reports said they had gone to a
big party after the match, the second time they had been caught
drinking until the early hours.
Striker Roman Bednar was suspended by his English club, West
Bromwich Albion, last month after newspaper allegations of his
involvement in a drugs deal.
Straka did not rule out a return for the players suspended
by the FA, who included forward Milan Baros and midfielder
Radoslav Kovac, but said the national team door was firmly shut
for Bednar.
"If someone does something as stupid as Bednar, it is the
utmost stupidity and this really shouldn't happen in top-level
sport," the 51-year-old former international defender said.
"What happened after the Slovakia match was degrading in all
respects. If they can't look at themselves in the mirror and
admit the truth, they have no business to be in the team.
'NOT KINDERGARTEN'
Asked if he had considered imposing a drinking ban on his
players to avoid similar incidents in the future, he said: "If
you're having something nice to eat and you have a small beer, I
prefer that to me running round looking at who is drinking what.
"This is not a kindergarten. I don't have to impose limits,
I think I am a big enough authority for them to know who they
are dealing with."
Straka, who spent 10 years in Germany as a player, said he
saw parallels between the Czech situation and that of Germany a
decade ago before they built a team that reached the 2006 World
Cup semi-finals on home soil.
"The German model is I think the ideal one," Straka said.
"They also had this generation problem but they realised
exactly what was happening. We, however, closed our eyes to it.
Germany had three star players to start with and they built the
team around them."
In his first match in charge, a friendly against Malta last
week, Straka fielded an experimental young side and after a 1-0
victory was pleased with what he saw.
"They showed themselves in a good light and that they can be
depended upon but that doesn't mean they will automatically get
picked," said Straka, whose team's next qualifier is away to
Slovakia in September.
"It is important to find the right mix of players who all
pull together."
Straka said the task facing Czech Republic was simple --
build a strong core.
"That strong core has to have one thing -- that the players
feel proud to represent their country and wear the team shirt.
"I always do things from the heart," he said, thumping his
chest. "Emotion, attitude and discipline are all part of it. If
you are representing the country, behave accordingly."
(Editing by Barry Moody; To comment on this story:
sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
