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Koller spitting in face I Found this article. Seems like a whole nation is trying to blame Jan Koller for the lost match against Iceland. It will now be very hard for the Czech Republic to qualify for the world Championship. Czechs in crisis after shock defeat to Iceland © Reuters Limited 2001 PRAGUE, Sept 3 (Reuters) - A stunning 3-1 defeat by Iceland at the weekend has pushed Czech football into one of its biggest crises and left the soccer-crazy country on the brink of elimination from the 2004 World Cup. Monday newspapers tried to put the defeat into context by listing the country's worst defeats ever, but most rated Saturday's loss as the lowest point for a team which finished runner-up to Germany in Euro 96. "Iceland Debacle" screamed the front page headline in the daily Pravo. "Footballers Lose in Disgrace" blared Mlada Fronta Dnes. The national team, stocked with players from some of Europe's strongest clubs, went into the World Cup Group Three qualifying match hoping to put pressure on group leaders Denmark. Instead, they saw Borussia Dortmund striker Jan Koller sent off in the first half for spitting in the face of an opponent. Bad went to worse as Iceland built a 3-0 lead before a late goal in response which did little to salvage any pride. While pondering openly what went wrong, football officials said no immediate moves will be taken. "There couldn't be a worse thing than to interfere with the team (at this point)," said Jan Obst, head of the Czech football union. Head coach Jozef Chovanec refused to point a finger at any one player, saying the team looked "chaotic" and as though "we hadn't even prepared" for the match against Iceland. But he did note that Koller had disappointed with his behaviour for the second time during the qualification round. "We can go over the work again. I can yell at them, but I can't get out there and run on the field with them," he said as the team prepared for a chance to redeem itself at home against Malta on Wednesday. "The loss (against Iceland) was a slap in the face...If we play another game like that, we can forget about advancing," he said and added that he was not considering resigning. "I am not leaving," he said. In June against Northern Ireland, Koller lost his temper on the way to the dressing room after missing several scoring opportunities and being substituted in 65th minute. Koller, who forfeited his pay for the match, apologised immediately after the match, saying he had lost control due to frustration. Chovanec is not expected to make any big changes to the lineup for Malta. Slavia Prague striker Pavel Kuka will probably start in place of Koller while Cologne midfielder Miroslav Baranek is tipped to replace the suspended Pavel Nedved. The Czechs must now beat Malta and Bulgaria, both at home, in their last two games and hope that other results go their way if they are to qualify for the 2004 World Cup |
