The Czech Republic, Biathletes and Port Vale
Nowadays the Czech Republic is maybe better known for biathlon stars like the now retired Gabriela Koukalova and the recent world champion Marketa Davidova than footballers.
However, before the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in the early 90s, the country at times was a football powerhouse. They lost 3-1, to Brazil, in the 1962 World Cup final in Santiago de Chile. They led Italy, in Rome, with less than ten minutes to go, in the 1934 World Cup final. Furthermore Czechoslovakia won the 1976 European Championships.
During Euro 2004 the Czech Republic had won four of four matches coming in to the semi-finals versus Greece. The Czechs had beaten Latvia 2-1, Germany 2-1 and the Netherlands 3-2 in the group. In the quarter final they demolished Denmark 3-0. With four teams remaining in the tournament; the Czech Republic, Greece, the hosts Portugal and the Netherlands, several bookmakers had the Czechs as the outright favourites to win the “Henry Delaunay Trophy”. However, even if the Czech side produced a lot of chances and Tomas Rosicky hit the crossbar, the semi versus Greece remained goalless and went into extra time. Toward the end of the first half of extra time, Traianos Dellas headed home the winning goal for the Greeks. This is the first and only silver goal in a European Championships.
There has been a special relationship between Port Vale and Czechoslovakia, with Port Vale making two tours of Czechoslovakia in the 60s and even hosting the Czechoslovakian national side for a 1961 friendly at Vale Park.
The relationship between Port Vale and Czechoslovakia started with the “Lidice Shall Live” movement and the collection of funds for the rebuilding of the village of Lidice which had been razed to the ground as one of the many Nazi atrocities in Eastern Europe during World War Two.
The last few decades have seen a steady stream of quality Czech footballers plying their trade on the British Isles. Stars like Tomas Rosicky, Patrik Berger, Vladimir Smicer, Milan Baros, Karel Poborsky and Petr Cech have all made their mark in the Premier League.
Today the Czech contingent in the Premiership is smaller, but still quality players like Westham’s Tomas Soucek, who was signed last year for about a 19 million GBP fee, and Vladimir Coufal, are flying the Czech flag. Luckily new sports blogs like Sportcolumnists and websites dedicated for following particular clubs like Theoldpeacocks keep popping up, making it easy to follow the various Premiership clubs and players.
At the moment Port Vale is on a roll having won their last five League 2 matches. If they are able to keep this up, they will have won ten straight when playing Mansfield on May eighth. Mansfield’s goalkeeper Marek Stech, who has 24 appearances so far this season, is one of two Czech players in League 2. Vaclav Hladky who has played for Salford versus Port Vale on two occasion during the 2020-21 season is the other.
Even if Port Vale’s connection with the Czech Republic is not as profound as it was 50-60 years ago, it still exist.