Category: <b>Featured</b><br><br>Friday, 17 March 2006
by Paolo Menicucci from Turin
As Juventus enter the home straight Pavel Nedvěd is hitting his stride. Only once since he joined the Bianconeri in 2001 have Juve missed out on the Scudetto, and more often than not it is the midfielder who has played a decisive role in keeping the Italian crown in Turin. His winning goal away to UC Sampdoria earlier this month kept AC Milan's challenge at arm's length, while another strike against Werder Bremen proved crucial in an explosive UEFA Champions League first knockout-round tie. Nedvěd turned 33 at the start of the season, but with the FIFA World Cup to look forward to this summer the Czech veteran's appetite for the game is far from diminishing. Here Nedvěd, who was voted into the uefa.com users' Team of 2005, tells Paolo Menicucci about the secret of Juve's success and his aspirations for this summer.
uefa.com: Juve are ten points clear in Serie A and on course to win a fourth title in five seasons. What is the reason behind that dominance?
Pavel Nedvěd: Consistency is our major secret. We never waste points, sometimes we've had a bit of luck, but we're always ready to take advantage of it. I think we fully deserve our advantage and we hope to preserve it until the end.
uefa.com: What is coach Fabio Capello's greatest strength?
Nedvěd: Capello wants the best out of you in every game and every training session. He doesn't like people wasting his time and always demands the best from a player. I think he is the best coach around.
uefa.com: Is this the strongest Juve team you have been a part of?
Nedvěd: I don't know if this is the best Juve side I’ve played in. Last season we won the Scudetto, this year so far we have earned even more points but we haven't won anything yet. We still have to prove our strength. Even if we hold all the cards we need to complete a very successful season.
uefa.com: What are your goals for 2006?
Nedvěd: I want to remain injury-free for the rest of the campaign, finish the season as a winner and celebrate something important with Juventus. I also want to have enough energy to play in the World Cup.
uefa.com: Just how good is your Czech team-mate Petr Čech?
Nedvěd: I always compare him with [Juve keeper] Gigi Buffon, who I personally rate as the best goalkeeper in the world. Čech is also a fantastic goalkeeper. He is younger than Buffon and can still improve but he is already at the heights of the best goalkeeper around. I often think I'm lucky to be playing with two such great goalkeepers.
uefa.com: What do you make of the Czech Republic being drawn against Italy in the FIFA World Cup?
Nedvěd: Fortunately that game is still very far away so I'm not thinking about that yet. It will not be good for me to play against Italy. I have been playing here for ten years and it will not be easy to play against my friends or against the players I face every week. I wanted to avoid Italy for this reason, but it will be a very special game for me.
uefa.com: How do you rate the Czech Republic's chances in the FIFA World Cup?
Nedvěd: Many people are extremely optimistic in the Czech Republic ahead of the World Cup. I'm not like that, I'm more realistic and I think that our group [with Italy, Ghana and the United States] is very difficult and that all four teams can go through. It will be very balanced with small details deciding which team will qualify.
uefa.com: What advice would you give to a player just starting out on his career?
Nedvěd: Train and train. Then play football with love. The most important thing is to have fun when you work hard every day. In the end hard work always pays dividends.
uefa.com: Will you end your career in Italy or elsewhere?
Nedvěd: You never know but I enjoy life in Turin. I like the town and the people. I don't know if I will finish my career in Italy but my career is almost at the end. At the moment I'm just hoping to play until my contract with Juve expires [at the end of next season].
uefa.com: What will you do when you retire?
Nedvěd: I often think about that. I would like to work with kids, it has always been my dream. It depends on whether I stay in the world of football when I retire or not. I still haven't decided.<br><br>Source: UEFA.com
by Paolo Menicucci from Turin
As Juventus enter the home straight Pavel Nedvěd is hitting his stride. Only once since he joined the Bianconeri in 2001 have Juve missed out on the Scudetto, and more often than not it is the midfielder who has played a decisive role in keeping the Italian crown in Turin. His winning goal away to UC Sampdoria earlier this month kept AC Milan's challenge at arm's length, while another strike against Werder Bremen proved crucial in an explosive UEFA Champions League first knockout-round tie. Nedvěd turned 33 at the start of the season, but with the FIFA World Cup to look forward to this summer the Czech veteran's appetite for the game is far from diminishing. Here Nedvěd, who was voted into the uefa.com users' Team of 2005, tells Paolo Menicucci about the secret of Juve's success and his aspirations for this summer.
uefa.com: Juve are ten points clear in Serie A and on course to win a fourth title in five seasons. What is the reason behind that dominance?
Pavel Nedvěd: Consistency is our major secret. We never waste points, sometimes we've had a bit of luck, but we're always ready to take advantage of it. I think we fully deserve our advantage and we hope to preserve it until the end.
uefa.com: What is coach Fabio Capello's greatest strength?
Nedvěd: Capello wants the best out of you in every game and every training session. He doesn't like people wasting his time and always demands the best from a player. I think he is the best coach around.
uefa.com: Is this the strongest Juve team you have been a part of?
Nedvěd: I don't know if this is the best Juve side I’ve played in. Last season we won the Scudetto, this year so far we have earned even more points but we haven't won anything yet. We still have to prove our strength. Even if we hold all the cards we need to complete a very successful season.
uefa.com: What are your goals for 2006?
Nedvěd: I want to remain injury-free for the rest of the campaign, finish the season as a winner and celebrate something important with Juventus. I also want to have enough energy to play in the World Cup.
uefa.com: Just how good is your Czech team-mate Petr Čech?
Nedvěd: I always compare him with [Juve keeper] Gigi Buffon, who I personally rate as the best goalkeeper in the world. Čech is also a fantastic goalkeeper. He is younger than Buffon and can still improve but he is already at the heights of the best goalkeeper around. I often think I'm lucky to be playing with two such great goalkeepers.
uefa.com: What do you make of the Czech Republic being drawn against Italy in the FIFA World Cup?
Nedvěd: Fortunately that game is still very far away so I'm not thinking about that yet. It will not be good for me to play against Italy. I have been playing here for ten years and it will not be easy to play against my friends or against the players I face every week. I wanted to avoid Italy for this reason, but it will be a very special game for me.
uefa.com: How do you rate the Czech Republic's chances in the FIFA World Cup?
Nedvěd: Many people are extremely optimistic in the Czech Republic ahead of the World Cup. I'm not like that, I'm more realistic and I think that our group [with Italy, Ghana and the United States] is very difficult and that all four teams can go through. It will be very balanced with small details deciding which team will qualify.
uefa.com: What advice would you give to a player just starting out on his career?
Nedvěd: Train and train. Then play football with love. The most important thing is to have fun when you work hard every day. In the end hard work always pays dividends.
uefa.com: Will you end your career in Italy or elsewhere?
Nedvěd: You never know but I enjoy life in Turin. I like the town and the people. I don't know if I will finish my career in Italy but my career is almost at the end. At the moment I'm just hoping to play until my contract with Juve expires [at the end of next season].
uefa.com: What will you do when you retire?
Nedvěd: I often think about that. I would like to work with kids, it has always been my dream. It depends on whether I stay in the world of football when I retire or not. I still haven't decided.<br><br>Source: UEFA.com
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