You took Slovan with a clear goal, to save him in the first league. Is it still valid?
Certainly. The results are great and there are probably more points than we could have imagined in a pink dream. But we also know how many times it was on the edge if we could handle the match. We decided three times only at the very end, which is, of course, a very good finding for the coach for many reasons.
To what extent was the key turnaround with Mladá Boleslav, which brought the first win?
This was the most important moment for the team, because a huge rock fell from it. She didn’t win for a long time and suddenly found out that it was also possible with fighting spirit. Boleslav has a very good team and we were not in a position to trust them extra. We wanted to win, but the first half showed us that we are not so good at playing. Nevertheless, in the end we turned it in our favor, rather by force of will.
Theodor Gebre Selassie from Liberec reacts to the action on the pitch during the 13th round of the Fortuna League.
Radek Petrášek, CTK
Do you agree that luck often happened to you?
Luck certainly played its part, but as they say, he wishes those ready. And I have to say that in all cases we went for the victory really more than the opponent. Except for the match in Jablonec, where we were really lucky and the goalkeeper caught it perfectly.
Liberec goalie Milan Knobloch.
Radek Petrášek, CTK
What do you think is the main cause of Liberec’s rise?
It is clearly true that the players who came at the last minute helped us. I’m happy for them. It was not entirely easy to bring someone to the end of the transfer window, when the possibilities are no longer god knows. We hit players who were not playing well at the time or had a long break. At least three of the four we managed to quickly get into some form and physical condition that they were able to help the team. In addition to them, the performances of players who experienced a failed start here also increased with increasing confidence.
One of them is Miroslav Stoch, who, however, works again with an injury. What does it look like with him at the moment?
Mino is the one who has not yet sold what is in it and what we expect from it. But for objective reasons. He got up, unfortunately an injury came that knocked him out again and it is a question of what traces the next pause will leave him physically. It’s a shame for him, too for us.
Stoch strengthened Liberec! Perhaps I will help him move higher, says the former Slavist
How does it carry?
Not very well. According to the original forecast, it was a matter of one or two weeks, today it is already four. However, he was on another examination this week and his ankle should be fine. He has been training with us for two days now.
As a coach, did you regret the absence of such a player?
Of course, we are definitely stronger with it and we have more variants. I’m sorry for him too. He had the motivation to prove that he still has the league and I think the flashes were already there.
Matěj Chaluš from Liberec is happy with a goal that should not pay, the goalkeeper Hugo Jan Bačkovský from Bohemians is overcome on the right.
Radek Petrášek, CTK
On the contrary, Cristo Tiéhi’s performances seem to be above expectations. Do you agree?
Plechatý, Tiéhi and Júsuf are of great importance to the team and all three have improved their team’s performance. At Tiéhi, I’m very glad we hit. It’s always a lottery bet. Paradoxically, a week before my arrival in Liberec, I was at the Dukla-Opava match, where I saw him live and I didn’t like him at all. However, his performance was an exception. He then confirmed to me that it was his worst match. However, he showed us why we wanted him.
What are its advantages?
On the one hand, he can read the center of gravity of the game very well and he is terribly strong on the ball. At least he spoils and is not afraid to take the ball in a difficult position. He can handle one-on-one situations, he can turn the game around. He also has an excellent character, he is hardworking and I think he has it well laid out in his head. I’m glad he showed everything here in such a short time. I felt that such a player was not here and that we needed him.
Lubomír Tupta from Liberec celebrates.
Radek Petrášek, CTK
How satisfied are you with the progress of Jan Matoušek?
We are happy, although of course I hope to see more from him. He clearly has the potential for that. You just won’t find players with such speed prerequisites with us. With him, the head does 80 percent of the performance, even more than with the others. I told him right at the beginning that he would get his trust in me and that it was up to him. Before that, he had some health problems, and in such a situation, the psyche will exaggerate every small injury. In this, he must first defeat himself in order to believe. I see huge progress in that. When we arrived, he was slowly dying in the 60th minute, now he played almost the whole match. It is improving in this direction. However, he still has a lot of space to be much better. But I’m glad you can feel it on the field and it’s dangerous. Even though many things fail him, he radiates enormous effort and desire.
You believe in the combination style of football. Did you manage to prescribe it according to your ideas, or did you have to reduce your claims in a difficult situation?
An idea is one thing you work with with another. I definitely didn’t want to change everything from scratch. The team is composed in some way and we can’t want them to play completely different in 14 days. Of course, I want to play constructively, but sometimes I’m told that I want to have a great hold of the balloon. He and football are changing. Today, Guardiola does not play as well as 5 years ago. Now efficiency and danger are at stake. I want to play constructively, but I also want us to be able to evaluate the moment when it is good not to wait for anything. When we talked about Honza Matoušek, I probably can’t ask him to go 90 percent back for the balls and combine when his greatest strength is completely different.
From left, Jakub Fulnek from Bohemians and Christ Tiéhi from Liberec fight for the ball in the 14th round of the Fortuna League.
Radek Petrášek, CTK
Have you also changed your philosophy in the last five years?
It’s not about that. If I marry Pavel Vrba in Sparta now and 10 years ago in Pilsen, I also think it’s a difference. And it has to be, because football is evolving. The way Barcelona played eight years ago would have failed today. It is beautiful to see on it. We need to look at the best teams, how they play and how successful they are, and be inspired by them.
What have you been inspired by in the last year?
I watch the Premier League the most. Two years ago he was inspiring Liverpool, still Manchester City, of course Chelsea, today he is a very successful West Ham for what a player he has and plays in a completely different way. I try to take something from everyone. In the first place, however, we should want to play football that develops players and is constructive. So that it is not “banged” and the players feel that they are playing football. At the same time, we need to teach the player to transform a nice game so that we have 20 finishes during the match. This is probably the most difficult.
From left, Jáchym Šíp from Olomouc in the picture with Michael Rabušic from Liberec.
Radek Petrášek, CTK
Did you feel that after a failed engagement in Ostrava, you also needed to kick your coaching career again?
I don’t think this is a success yet, only partial. So far we have kicked it, but our number of points is still not enough to save. We are still in the beginning. But of course it made me happy as a coach. However, the environment here kicked me the most. I came in a situation where it fell out of the cup from Zbuzana, Liberec had one point and a goal scored. Nevertheless, I felt that everyone believed that it would change, improve and lift. Everyone did their best for the club and football, which is not always a matter of course. Maybe I didn’t feel it that way elsewhere, I don’t have to persuade anyone to do something here. In a way, everything comes into hand here. And the results only supported it.
Are you glad that you raised with Liberec almost immediately, even though you have a reputation as a coach who is more comfortable with conceptual work?
But I have already verified that it works at the national team. It depends if the players want to. To convince them, it is much easier when the results come immediately. Players win, they have bonuses, they like it and they believe in the things you are trying to get into them. You have a few meetings in the national team, you have boys at the beginning of your career, for example, three days a month, and yet we were able to transfer it to some matches even against the strongest opponents. Now, for example, I saw Scamacca for Italy, who once played against us. I remembered Dominik Plechatý playing for him for the under-19 national team in the EURO qualification and erasing it completely. This convinced me that there really weren’t enough times for players to be able to bring it to the field.
From left, Imad Rondič and Matěj Chaluš of Liberec rejoice at the goal.
Ondřej Hájek, CTK
Nevertheless, are you not afraid of the next transition period, which is usually turbulent in Liberec?
I’m not afraid. I am aware that departures and arrivals are the order of the day and that the team changes after each season. As well as the fact that there are a lot of hosting players and players whose contracts expire in the summer. But I believe that we are working on it and we will try to create a team that would put Liberec back in such positions where I think it should be.
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