The shit really seems to be hitting the fan in Czech football at the moment. National manager of only eight games Petr Rada was sacked yesterday, following a 2-1 defeat to neighbouring Slovakia that has put their World Cup Qualification plans into jeopardy.
“Because of the current environment in the Federation and the media, I don’t want to represent the country anymore,” said Rada, clearly not realising that he did not have a say in the matter.
Rada’s ungracious exit was not helped by the extracurricular activities of his players. Following the Slovakia defeat, six Czech players were photographed entering a restaurant by Czech tabloid Blesk. Shortly after, a taxi pulled up, containing three ladies of the night. The party were snapped leaving the restaurant at 6.30 the following morning.
The shamed footballers are Atletico Madrid defender Tomas Ujfalusi, West Ham’s Radoslav Kovac, Reading midfielder Marek Matejovsky, Martin Fenin (Eintracht Frankfurt), Vaclav Sverkos (Sochaux) and former Liverpool star Milan Baros. All six have been indefinitely suspended from the national team.
Fenin protested his innocence by claiming “The lady was an acquaintance,” in the Czech press, and Ujfalusi has announced his retirement from international football, citing the Czech Football Federation and the critical media.
The replacement coach may have the choice to reinstate the players for their next international match in June, but it looks likely that he will have to build an entirely new team.
