Miroslav Koubek could be forgiven for being a bag of nerves when Michal Sadilek sized up his penalty in Czechia’s European play-off shootout against Denmark.
If the midfielder’s kick was successful, Czechia would be back at the FIFA World Cup™ for the first time in 20 years. Failure to convert, and the Danes could still qualify at their expense.
So, what was going through Koubek’s head when the midfielder addressed the ball and a feverish Prague crowd collectively held its breath?
“Certainty,” the veteran boss told FIFA. “I was certain it would go in because I knew who was about to shoot. It was a player with excellent shooting skills. So, the only thing that mattered was that he could handle it mentally.”
Sadilek did just that, sending Denmark goalkeeper Mads Hermansen the wrong way and sparking scenes of joyous celebration.
Czechia’s qualification seemed improbable when they fell to a shock defeat against the Faroe Islands in the World Cup preliminaries last October.
While Czechia were still well placed to bank the play-off spot they ultimately secured, the result extended an indifferent run of form and led to coach Ivan Hasek’s departure. After Jaroslav Kostl’s short period as interim boss, Koubek was appointed in December, with his remit to take the nation to the World Cup.
The 74-year-old, whose long coaching career includes three spells as Victoria Plzen boss and a stint in charge of the Czechia U-19 side, explained what his priorities were upon taking the senior national team reins.
“There was room for improvement in the mindset,” he said. “Professionally, I place a lot of emphasis on good game organisation and technical aspects. That’s what I worked on from the beginning.
“They saw for themselves that the [mental] reserves were there and we managed to reveal them. It’s definitely a big encouragement for our future work.”
Indeed, Czechia’s resilience and determination were on show throughout their successful play-off campaign. Two goals down in their semi-final against the Republic of Ireland, they hit back to force a 2-2 draw before winning on penalties.
Against Denmark in the final, they were pegged back twice after going ahead but composed themselves to triumph in another shootout.
“The team has a strong spirit,” added Koubek “It has a great moral strength. We have our own style, in which we try to apply our strategy and skills. A vital part of our strategy is an organised performance. There has to be a competitive spirit and the right mindset, and that’s exactly what we had.”
Such qualities are fuelling Koubek’s confidence as he prepares to lead his team at the biggest World Cup of all time.
Czechia will compete in Group A at the global showpiece and will begin their campaign by taking on Korea Republic on the opening day in Guadalajara. They will then face South Africa in Atlanta before a showdown with co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City.
“I am truly and immensely happy to be part of it,” added Koubek. “It took Czechia 20 years to qualify for the World Cup again and it feels special. We are all enjoying the feeling. My thanks go to the players and the fans.
“Understandably, I want us to be competitive. I want us to play an interesting game style and play at a high level. I want a style that entertains people, and we naturally wish for success.”
