Šilhavý chose the wrong moment to rejuvenate the national team. The cubs now need to be together

The Czech Football Association on Tuesday announced the national team’s nomination for the European Championship qualifying matches against Poland and Moldova in March. Jaroslav Šilhavy’s selection includes six newcomers, four of whom will travel to the Under-21 Euros in the summer. So while the A-team coach is thinking about the future in the way of young players, he is also calling up talent to prevent the lionesses from playing before the big tournament.

The twenty-one under Jan Suchopárek did not underestimate the preparation for the June-July tournament, in this national team window they will play friendly matches with Belgium and the Netherlands. Although these will not be competitive matches, on the other hand, they are ideal strong opponents for the team to play before the Euro.

The A team is strong even without the youngsters

Although none of the foursome Matěj Jurásek, David Jurásek, Martin Vitík, Tomáš Čvančara can be denied good form, the national team could do without each of them. Qualification for the European Championships from a similarly light group must be a given for the Czechs even without the up-and-coming youngsters.

Vitik would have been most useful to Šilhavy in the autumn, but the crisis at stopper has now been extinguished by the return of the injured Tomáš Holeš and Ladislav Krejčí. Still, if the national team sticks to the three-defender system, Vitík can think about the base given the poor form of Václav Jemelka.

In the attack, Adam Hložek, Mojmír Chytil and Jan Kuchta are in the running for a spot, while the right wing has been taken over by the excellent Václav Černý. David Jurásek is the same as Vitík – he would have been useful in the autumn, but now Jaroslav Zelený is in form. And given Šilhavy’s conservative approach, Jurásek is unlikely to break into the starting lineup, at most against Moldova.

Twenty-one is based on cohesion

From Suchopárek’s point of view, it is very surprising that he has let four of his mainstays go to the clash with the A-team. Fresh experience from the last U21 championship clearly indicated that it is too late to play at the tournament.

David Zima was called up to the A-team during the Euro 2021 Lionesses after playing the entire qualification with the U21s. The team struggled without a mainstay in defence, and the absence of a leader who doesn’t worry about anything was noticeable. The Czechs paid the price for their disjointedness and ended up in the group.

The top four will miss the Euro by a whisker

Although the youngsters will play a qualifier for the senior European Championships, the friendlies with the U21s could have ideally set them up for the summer championship. In a packed group, the Czechs will face England, Germany and Israel, and Suchopárek’s coaching team has adapted their preparation accordingly. The Belgians and the Dutch will be a real test, both of course participating in the summer Euros.

It is said that the A-team always has the advantage, but last time Zima cruelly paid for this phrase – instead of the base at the Euro he sat on the bench of the A-team. And the rest of the team also paid the price, as they fell apart without their number one stopper.

Now the situation will be different, Čvančara, Juráskové and Vitík will travel to the European Championship, but the question is whether the broken team will be able to play enough before the tournament. Two years ago it didn’t happen at all.

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