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Šmicer wryly comments on rumours that Spaniard De la Fuente could take charge of the Czech national team

Šmicer wryly comments on rumours that Spaniard De la Fuente could take charge of the Czech national team
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Former Czech national team captain and Champions League winner with Liverpool (2005) Vladimír Šmicer addressed rumours about the possible appointment of Spanish coach Santiago Denia as head coach of the Czech national football team in the latest episode of his podcast.

According to Šmicer, the search for a foreign coach was hardly a surprise, though he wryly pointed out the climate of distrust towards homegrown specialists that has taken hold in Czechia. “Everyone in Czechia seems to think no Czech coach is good enough for this job,” the former footballer remarked.

That said, Šmicer isn’t outright criticising the possible arrival of 52-year-old Denia, even though he notes the Spaniard has mostly worked with youth teams — leading Spain’s U17 and U19 sides to European titles, and winning the Olympic tournament with the Spanish squad two years ago. His only experience coaching a senior team came in Qatar.

“Maybe he’ll help the team find some confidence and calm. If it works, great. But Czech fans should be realistic: our national team is only ranked 49th in the world. This isn’t about one coach or one player — it’s about the overall state of Czech football. Bringing in a new manager won’t change that,” Šmicer said.

The former forward also recalled facing Denia on the pitch himself — 31 years ago, in a two-legged qualifier for a spot at the 1996 Olympics. “He was unpleasant to play against, our duels were pretty painful, and even his stare wasn’t exactly friendly. But once he failed to hold me off, and I scored against the Spaniards,” Šmicer recalled with a laugh.

The latest episode of the podcast, which Šmicer co-hosts with former footballer Robert Neumann, also discusses recent coaching changes in the France, Germany and Italy national teams, now led by Zinedine Zidane, Jürgen Klopp and Roberto Mancini, respectively.

Around Prague, based on reporting by sport.cz

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