Brückner feels the pain
Wednesday, June 9, 2004
Article summary
Rather than watching videos of Latvia, Czech Republic coach Karel Brückner spent time in the dental chair.
Article body
Light training
As his squad returned to light training after two days off, the 64-year-old had his teeth fixed ahead of tomorrow's flight to Portugal. Brückner missed this afternoon's press conference as he recovered, leaving assistant Miroslav Beránek to deputise. "The change to the programme is no problem for the coach," said Beránek. "He has enough information about Latvia already."
Koller marriage
The Czechs utilised their freedom in a number of ways, with Vladimír Šmicer taking to the golf course, Petr Cech playing tennis and Milan Baroš visiting the cinema with his girlfriend. Jan Koller's time off was not spent so trivially, the giant striker taking time out to marry his partner, Hedvika. BV Borussia Dortmund team-mate Tomáš Rosický was also in attendance at Dobrís castle near Prague.
'Early return'
Czech captain Pavel Nedved closed himself away from the media at his weekend house in western Bohemia. "My wife always cries when I leave," said the European Footballer of the Year. "She wished me an early return which I hope will not be the case."
Lokvenc's bad luck
Finally to Vratislav Lokvenc, who will travel to the team's base in Penha Longa near Lisbon wondering what will go wrong next after his car was stolen from outside his house in Prague. The striker had sprained his ankle in the final warm-up game against Bulgaria last Wednesday and was only able to train lightly today.
