Liberec leading the Czech charge
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Article summary
Heading into the winter break, FC Slovan Liberec are well on their way to claiming the Czech championship four years after their maiden title success.
Article body
Surprise package
Liberec will have a five-point cushion when the action resumes on 12 February, having been tipped by no one for success at the start of the campaign. Not least because Miroslav Slepička, Libor Došek, Karol Kisel and Petr Lukáš were sold to AC Sparta Praha, while their only international Jan Polák left for 1. FC Nürnberg and star striker Michal Pospíšil departed for Heart of Midlothian FC.
Nine shutouts
Nevertheless, Vítězslav Lavička, who replaced Stanislav Griga as coach, has beaten the odds to guide a rejuvenated Liberec to the top of the table. They have lost just one match in 16 and have the best defensive record. In conceding only eleven goals all term, goalkeeper Marek Čech has kept nine clean sheets while, at the other end, 21-year-old Filip Hološko is the First Division's top scorer with six goals.
Goals galore
SK Slavia Praha, eight points adrift in third, have been the most attractive side to watch this season, registering 29 goals. Captain Karel Piták, with five of them, playmaker Lukáš Jarolím and the Slovakian trio of Matúš Kozáčik, Dušan Švento and Matej Krajčík have played the most significant roles under Karel Jarolím. However, the UEFA Cup hopefuls wasted the chance to take the runners-up spot when they were held 1-1 at home by second-placed FK Teplice on 10 December.
Terrible start
Sparta have not really recovered from their worst start to a campaign since 1993, when they ultimately finished ninth. Captain Karel Poborský was loaned to second-division SK Dynamo České Budějovice six rounds in, after a dispute with then coach Jaroslav Hřebík, who himself left two weeks later. Former Liberec boss Griga was subsequently appointed but has been unable to improve the club's fortunes.
Leaky defence
Sparta are 15 points behind the leaders and only five above the relegation zone. They have the weakest defence in the top flight, having shipped 27 goals, while long-term injuries to midfielders Tomáš Sivok and Kisel have further complicated matters.
Four changes
Four other sides have changed coach as Stanislav Levý replaced Ladislav Molnár at 1. FC Slovácko, Josef Mazura filled the gap left by Jiří Kotrba at 1. FC Brno, Pavel Hapal succeeded Jozef Jarabinský at FC Baník Ostrava and Přemysl Bičovský left FC SIAD Most to be replaced by Zdeněk Ščasný. Baník will also lose Under-21 forward Michal Papadopulos to Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Germany, with the winter break sure to bring many other moves.
