“The team has shown that it can compete with very strong opponents in Europe, which is important not only for the club, but also for Czech football. At the same time, we know that there is still work to be done. Continuity of performance is important,” declared Michal Strnad in a comprehensive interview for the club’s website.
Although the greatest sporting experience after taking over the club was Viktoria Plzeň’s victory in the European League on the field of the famous AS Rome (2:1). However, he also admitted that he was very impressed by the visit to the home match with German Freiburg (0:0).
“From a personal point of view, the home duel with Freiburg left a stronger impression on me. Not so much because of the result, but because of the atmosphere in the stadium and the way the team looked on the outside. You could feel the confidence, cohesion and respect of the opponent. It is matches like this that confirm that the club is on the right path,” said Michal Strnad, who after the mentioned match also enjoyed a thank-you ceremony in front of the cauldron of Pilsen fans who called out his name.
“It was a powerful moment. Honest and spontaneous. I don’t take it personally, but as an expression of support for the club and the direction it is going. Viktorka belongs to the fans, and their reaction is confirmation for me that mutual respect works,” he was pleased with the reaction.
“Doosan Arena has an exceptional atmosphere. You can feel that the fans live for the club and that Viktoria is a matter of their hearts. It is this that creates an environment that can take the players one step further. For the owner, it is both a great motivation and a responsibility,” added Michal Strnad.
He said about himself that he is close to sports. That is why his CSG group also became a partner of the Czech Olympic Committee in the autumn and subsequently decided to support the football club from Pilsen.
And why did his choice fall on Victoria?
“It is a club with a clear identity, history and a strong relationship with the city and the region,” he described in an interview on the club’s website. A big role was also played by the fact that in the recent past the Victorians were able to assert themselves repeatedly on the European stage. “That’s a combination that makes sense. I wasn’t looking for a project for one season, but a club with the potential for long-term growth and stability. Viktorka meets these requirements,” admitted Michal Strnad, adding that he is not just looking for a first-league team.
“We want to build a modern facility in Pilsen that will not only provide first-team football players, but also children who want to play football with all the comfort and the possibility of development. This is the only way we can think about the future of Viktorka, from which I want to have a long-term successful Czech club, but also about a future in which we will help raise quality football players who will then perhaps represent us in the national team,” he indicated his vision.
“The club must have solid foundations – economic, organizational and human. Without them, no ambitions can work in the long term,” added Michal Strnad, adding that he considers the youth academy to be the foundation of everything.
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