Czech manager names full strength squad for World Cup
PRAGUE (AFP) - Czech Republic manager Karel Bruckner has announced his World Cup squad, giving a vote of confidence to a group of veterans who have been struggling with injuries and form.
"This squad was created for Euro-2004 in Portugal with the 2006 World Cup in mind," Bruckner told a news conference on Monday.
The squad includes all the players over whom injuries had raised questions about their participation, including strikers Jan Koller and Vratislav Lokvenc, midfielders Vladimir Smicer and Karel Poborsky and defender Zdenek Grygera.
"Koller has showed a big improvement in his health, I have no doubt about his participation," Bruckner said of the tall striker who only started playing again this month after seven months spent recovering from an injury to his left knee.
The condition of Bordeaux and ex-Liverpool player Vladimir Smicer is still an issue following an injury to his right knee which had left him sidelined for several weeks.
"Regarding Smicer, the doctors are giving fairly high gaurantees that he will by okay. If that is not the case, Libor Sionko of Austria Vienna or Rudolf Skacel of Hearts will be ready," Bruckner said.
The squad will start training sessions at Seefeld in Austria on Saturday and will play three preparatory games ahead of the World Cup. These will be against Saudi Arabia on May 26, Costa Rica on May 30 and Trinidad and Tobago on June 3.
Semi finalists in Euro 2004 and ranked second in FIFA's world list, the Czech Republic will play against the Unitd States, Italy and Ghana in its World Cup group.
The Czech Republic World Cup squad:
Goalkeepers: Petr Cech (Chelsea/ENG), Jaromir Blazek (Sparta Prague), Antonin Kinsky (Ramenskoye/RUS)
Defenders: Zdenek Grygera (Ajax/NED), Marek Jankulovski (AC Milan/ITA), Martin Jiranek (Spartak Moscow/RUS), Pavel Mares (St. Petersburg/RUS), Radoslav Kovac (Spartak Moscow/RUS), David Rozehnal (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Tomas Ujfalusi (Fiorentina/ITA)
Midfielders: Tomas Galasek (Ajax Amsterdam/NED), David Jarolim (Hamburg/GER), Pavel Nedved (Juventus/ITA), Karel Poborsky (Ceske Budejovice), Jan Polak (Nuremberg/GER), Jaroslav Plasil (Monaco/FRA), Tomas Rosicky (Dortmund/GER), Vladimir Smicer (Bordeaux/FRA)
Forwards: Milan Baros (Aston Villa/ENG), Marek Heinz (Galatasaray/TUR), Jan Koller (Dortmund/GER), Vratislav Lokvenc (Salzbourg/AUT), Jiri Stajner (Hanover/GER).
AFP
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PRAGUE (AFP) - Czech Republic manager Karel Bruckner has announced his World Cup squad, giving a vote of confidence to a group of veterans who have been struggling with injuries and form.
"This squad was created for Euro-2004 in Portugal with the 2006 World Cup in mind," Bruckner told a news conference on Monday.
The squad includes all the players over whom injuries had raised questions about their participation, including strikers Jan Koller and Vratislav Lokvenc, midfielders Vladimir Smicer and Karel Poborsky and defender Zdenek Grygera.
"Koller has showed a big improvement in his health, I have no doubt about his participation," Bruckner said of the tall striker who only started playing again this month after seven months spent recovering from an injury to his left knee.
The condition of Bordeaux and ex-Liverpool player Vladimir Smicer is still an issue following an injury to his right knee which had left him sidelined for several weeks.
"Regarding Smicer, the doctors are giving fairly high gaurantees that he will by okay. If that is not the case, Libor Sionko of Austria Vienna or Rudolf Skacel of Hearts will be ready," Bruckner said.
The squad will start training sessions at Seefeld in Austria on Saturday and will play three preparatory games ahead of the World Cup. These will be against Saudi Arabia on May 26, Costa Rica on May 30 and Trinidad and Tobago on June 3.
Semi finalists in Euro 2004 and ranked second in FIFA's world list, the Czech Republic will play against the Unitd States, Italy and Ghana in its World Cup group.
The Czech Republic World Cup squad:
Goalkeepers: Petr Cech (Chelsea/ENG), Jaromir Blazek (Sparta Prague), Antonin Kinsky (Ramenskoye/RUS)
Defenders: Zdenek Grygera (Ajax/NED), Marek Jankulovski (AC Milan/ITA), Martin Jiranek (Spartak Moscow/RUS), Pavel Mares (St. Petersburg/RUS), Radoslav Kovac (Spartak Moscow/RUS), David Rozehnal (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Tomas Ujfalusi (Fiorentina/ITA)
Midfielders: Tomas Galasek (Ajax Amsterdam/NED), David Jarolim (Hamburg/GER), Pavel Nedved (Juventus/ITA), Karel Poborsky (Ceske Budejovice), Jan Polak (Nuremberg/GER), Jaroslav Plasil (Monaco/FRA), Tomas Rosicky (Dortmund/GER), Vladimir Smicer (Bordeaux/FRA)
Forwards: Milan Baros (Aston Villa/ENG), Marek Heinz (Galatasaray/TUR), Jan Koller (Dortmund/GER), Vratislav Lokvenc (Salzbourg/AUT), Jiri Stajner (Hanover/GER).
AFP
----------------------------------------------------
Forza Pavel...
Just show everybody your calibre
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