Football
Tipsport league: Petr Pálka almost won the first year as a coach, he organized the next fifteen
For the 25th year, the traditional Tipsport League winter tournament is now in its 25th year. It is named after the organizer of the bookmaker, under whose auspices it has been held since 2008. The predecessor of the event, which has expanded to respectable proportions and culminates in an international tournament in Malta, but previously operated in much more modest conditions.
The first edition is considered to be the winter tournament at the Čechie Karlín field in 1998. “We almost won it,” recalls coach Petr Pálka, who later organised fifteen editions as director.
Back then, as coach of Lázně Bohdaneč, which was financially held by local businessman Jiří Novák, the East Bohemian club broke into the elite for the first time in its history. However, he did not do very well.
“I took over a team in last place during the autumn with the task of trying to save the top competition,” recalls Petr Pálka, who earned his greatest reputation as a coach on the Hradec Králové bench.
“We finished cheeky, the victory was taken by Bohemians, who were playing in the second league,” Pálka recalls the clubs’ position. “We didn’t save ourselves in the end, Bohemka replaced us,” he points out the fickleness of football’s fates.
Eight teams took part in the tournament at Čechia Karlín (twenty teams are registered this year, and two groups are hosted by Slovakia), played in a one-on-one system, with Bohemians leapfrogging Lázně by a single point. “I just remember that the artificial grass at that time was of very poor quality,” recalls Pálka.
“I’m glad it’s still being played and the move of the summit to Malta has given it a much higher quality,” Coach Bat wishes his followers nothing but the greatest success in their endeavours.
