World Cup qual - Czechs ban party players for life

Eurosport - Wed, 08 Apr 19:40:00 2009

The Czech FA banned six national team players for life after reports of late-night drinking after their embarrassing 2-1 home defeat to Slovakia.

FOOTBALL - Milan Baros - Czech - 0

National team coach Petr Rada was also sacked after a string of poor results culminated in the humiliating World Cup qualifying defeat on April 1.

The FA said it had banned forwards Milan Baros (pictured), Martin Fenin and Vaclav Sverkos plus midfielders Radoslav Kovac and Marek Matejovsky and defender Tomas Ujfalusi from the national team indefinitely.

Rada last year replaced Karel Brueckner, who led Czech Republic to the Euro 2004 semi-finals.

"The reasons for the dismissal were unsatisfactory results in the last two matches and the team performance in those matches," FA chairman Pavel Mokry said.

It was Czech Republic's first loss to their neighbours since 1997.

The result seriously dented their chances of reaching the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa.

Before that, they drew away with Slovenia.

They are fourth in World Cup qualifying Group 3 with eight points from six matches, trailing leaders Northern Ireland by five points with a game in hand.

The FA said the six players were banned for poor discipline, after media reports of a big party after the Slovakia game, the second time players had been caught drinking until the early hours.

"(The reason was) that this was repeated," Mokry said. "The players have in their contracts how they should behave in public.

"We were discussing whether to set the punishment until a certain date, or as an unlimited one. In the end, it is unlimited," said Mokry.

Matejovsky told news agency CTK: "Of course I feel very sorry about this. I had always been very happy to represent (my country) and played for the national team and tried to deliver maximum performance. I had never had problems like this."

The FA did not appoint a new coach, saying that decision would be up to the new FA leadership which will be elected at a June 27 general meeting.

The new leadership could also alter the players' ban.

Reuters

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  1. this just means that Czech Republic will be out in the­ world cup

    From larondoz, on Mon 13 Apr 11:25PM

  2. Well, I'd like to say that these "kicked"­ players would "kick" the most of Czech fans.­ I have a bit different opinion... and especially when­ we speak about results. These results show us that we­ actually don't have midfielders. I speak about­ offensive ones ( Rosicky ) and defensive, because­ Polak, and i do not understand why, doesn't play­ def midfielder in national team and Kovac is kinda­ loser. And our coach was not able to nominate and try­ other players for left and right midfielder. Also,­ results of Plasil and Rozehnal in our team are shocking­ ! Plasil should be free-kicker but he is not able to­ kick the ball higher than 1m and Rozehnal ? He loses­ everything... ball, duels with players.

    From guruhonza, on Thu 9 Apr 8:16AM

  3. they need some of them back, ujfalusi espesically

    From dodger, on Wed 8 Apr 5:52PM
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