New Czech national team coach Denia: Czech football has no major problem, I want to bring Schick back

The Czech national football team's new Spanish coach, Santi Denia, says he sees no serious problems in Czech football and expressed a desire to bring striker Patrik Schick — who recently announced his retirement from the national side — back into the fold. The coach made the remarks at a press conference in Prague on Friday.

Denia has chosen to live in an apartment just ten minutes from the Czech Football Association's headquarters in Strahov, where his office will also be based. "It's close to where the general manager of the national teams, Pavel Nedvěd, lives. My wife wants to live here too. I want to get to know the Czech players, the conditions, and life in the Czech Republic," he told reporters.

Asked about the Czech Republic's disappointing World Cup performance, the coach noted that the team's play wasn't actually the worst: a point could have been taken from Korea, victory was possible against South Africa, and the match against Mexico was simply a tough one. In his view, this comes down to small details rather than a systemic problem. Denia stressed that he respects his predecessor and prefers not to comment on past matches, focusing instead on the upcoming Nations League elite group.

"There's no big problem — Czech football is strong and has an incredible history. You won the Euros in 1976. Until 2008, Spain had just as few major trophies," the coach said, adding that the main task is finding the right players with the right fighting character.

The Spaniard acknowledged the vast difference between Spanish and Czech football — combination play versus a reliance on physicality, respectively — but pointed out that the Spanish federation spent 25 years building its model, a process he was part of himself. According to him, what matters most is choosing the right players, understanding their profiles and their league coaches, and welding the team together into a "family."

Discussing the upcoming Nations League group opponents — Croatia and, later, world champions Spain — the coach admitted the tournament will be tough, but said he sees no reason not to expect good results. The first priority, he said, is a detailed study of the national squad.

Asked about the future of Patrik Schick, who announced his retirement from the national team, as well as about captain Tomáš Souček's plans, Denia was evasive but confirmed his interest in the striker: "I don't know, we'll discuss that. I don't want to name anyone specifically, but of course we want him." Association chairman David Trunda added that one of Denia's first questions when discussing the appointment was whether they could fly out to meet Schick in person on Sunday.

Explaining his decision to accept the offer to lead the Czech national team, the coach highlighted the professionalism and sincerity of the association's leadership, as well as his affection for Prague and the Czech Republic. "This country has a wonderful history, passionate fans, and talented footballers with great potential," he said, calling the head coach position an honor and a privilege.

Denia named fighting spirit and team unity as the key principles guiding his work with the squad: the national team should function like a family, with the federation chairman acting as a father figure, and all players feeling supported and respected. He cited Pavel Nedvěd as an example. The coach also stressed the importance of open dialogue with journalists and fans, as well as striking a balance between attacking football and a solid defense.

Around Prague, based on reporting by sport.cz