Kozak, Šašinka, Vecheta or Kalabiška? Slovácko’s strikers are out of form, maybe a back on the pitch again against Fenerbahce

It was quite a shocking solution. Coach Martin Svědík was not satisfied with his forwards in the preparation, so in the first round against Zbrojovka Brno he put 35-year-old left back Jan Kalabiska on the top of the attack.

Yet in the last two seasons, when Slovácko climbed to 4th place in the table, the striker has always been key for them. In the first season it was Jan Kliment, who scored 10 goals, in the last one it was Václav Jurečka, who became the second top scorer in the league with 17 goals. Rigino Cicilia added six goals.

Neither of them, however, is in Martin Svedik’s squad anymore, but Slovácko has not yet managed to replace them fully.

Libor Kozák came from the Hungarian Puskás Academy, Ondřej Šašinka remains on loan from Baník and the young talent Filip Vecheta was supposed to get a bigger role. Patrik Brandner also came from České Budějovice, but he plays better on the wing.

But Svědík was not satisfied with either of them in the preparation. “It’s quite simple with forwards. They did not do well in the preparation, they have no form,” explained the coach of Slovácko the surprising move.

He placed Jan Kalabiska, a 35-year-old left-back, at the top of the attack against Brno. It was not the first time for him, seven years ago he played at the tip of Senica and became the top scorer in the Slovak league with 19 goals.

“I have been under the coach for a long time, I know what he wants from his strikers. But it’s something completely different than in defence. I had some chances, if I had converted something, it would have been happier,” Kalabiška told the club’s website.

However, he doesn’t expect to play the whole autumn at the tip of the attack. “I think of it as a temporary substitute,” he explained. Until Thursday’s game against Fenerbahce, however, this option is still in play.

Kozák has not yet acclimatised to the coach’s needs, while Šašinka and Vecheta are also not in great form. Even considering the defensive tasks, the option with Kalabiska is offered again. “We’ll see if I’ll be on offense, defense or on the bench,” Kalabiška laughed.

Source: FC Slovácko