Vladimir Smicer has been appointed as Czech Republic team manager, a day after announcing his retirement.
The former Liverpool and Sparta Prague midfielder, 36, who won 81 caps for the Czech Republic, called time on his playing career yesterday due to injury.
The Czech Football Federation confirmed on their official website Smicer would travel with the team to a tournament in the the United Arab Emirates.
He will work with coach Michal Bilek, who was appointed last month.
Former national team boss Ivan Hasek resigned after failing to lead the Czechs to qualification for the 2010 World Cup.
They finished third in Group Three behind Slovakia and Slovenia.
Smicer spent six injury-interrupted years at Anfield between 1999 and 2005, most famously scoring in their Champions League final victory over AC Milan in 2005.
He netted the Reds’ second goal as they came from 3-0 down to draw level at 3-3 and netted again in the shoot-out as they won on penalties.
He was also a member of the Czech squad which reached the semi-finals of Euro 2004 only to lose to eventual winners Greece.
According to the Mirror today, Liverpool are wanting 14m for Lucas after some top European Clubs expressed an interest.
Is this the worst made-up transfer gossip ever? Even when the Sun reported that Liverpool were interested in Didier Baptiste, it was more believable than this story.
Rafael Benitez has defended Liverpool’s use of a controversial Serbian clinic to get four of his top players fit for a crucial week that will shape the troubled Anfield club’s season.
Glen Johnson, Fabio Aurelio, Yossi Benayoun and Albert Riera have all visited the Belgrade clinic run by physiotherapist Mariana Kovacevic, having previous been ruled out for up to a month with calf and hamstring injuries and are no in-line to face Manchester City on Saturday. The unusual treatment involves massage with placenta.
Benitez said: “We knew of other players at Premier League clubs who have been to Belgrade for treatment with this lady, and we were made aware that it was very effective. (Manchester City full-back Pablo) Zabaleta told Riera about it.”
Hard to know what to make of alternative medicine. If it is effective it should be possible to scientifically demonstrate it and if you can’t it’s probably quackery. Much of it clearly is, yet some of it seems to work. Strange.
Liverpool got a draw there and barely deserved it to be honest. There was a stage when Man City were pissing all over them and got two goals to take the lead, although Ireland’s was clearly offside.
Adebayor’s goal was shocking defending. Interesting stat - Liverpool have conceded more goals from set pieces this season than Portsmouth. Sack that Pellegrino clown.
Lucas played the full 90 minutes with Aquilani on the bench again. Incredible really. The useless fuck missed a sitter right at the end as well.
[quote=“farmerinthecity”]Liverpool got a draw there and barely deserved it to be honest. There was a stage when Man City were pissing all over them and got two goals to take the lead, although Ireland’s was clearly offside.
Adebayor’s goal was shocking defending. Interesting stat - Liverpool have conceded more goals from set pieces this season than Portsmouth. Sack that Pellegrino clown.
Lucas played the full 90 minutes with Aquilani on the bench again. Incredible really. The useless fuck missed a sitter right at the end as well.[/quote]
Is Aquilani injured or what?
Ireland was definitely onside, the cunt. He was half a yard behind the man who passed him the ball, if you watch it again.
Even McAllister and Hamman said so in the studio.
Hard to know what to make of things at the moment. One way or another there’s going to be more talk about Rafa’s future, not that it’s even remotely likely he will be removed before the end of the season. I still think we’ll recover well in the second half of the season but long term you have to ask whether a change of direction is needed.
[quote=“gola”]Is Aquilani injured or what?
Ireland was definitely onside, the cunt. He was half a yard behind the man who passed him the ball, if you watch it again.
Even McAllister and Hamman said so in the studio.[/quote]
I didn’t watch the analysis but when I saw the replays live I thought he looked well offside.
Aquilani is not injured but he’s in the final stages of recovery from an injury and I don’t think Benitez will have any regrets about not throwing him in there today.
Lucas adds nothing to them. He actually can’t do anything.[/quote]
Lucas isn’t that bad, but he is easily the most infuriating player we have and an instant hate figure in games that are going wrong. It is difficult to understand how someone like him and say, Keith Andrews are at such different places in the world of professional football.
[quote=“farmerinthecity”]He is that bad if you ask me. He can’t tacke, doesn’t score, little or no creativity and prone to rash challenges giving away penalties.
He is awful.
Fond of laughing at lot on the pitch as well. What is that about?[/quote]
Yeah I don’t know what got into me there. I’ve hated him for a long time now but recently I’ve tried to give him a break and convince myself I’m being too hard on him. Sod that though, he truly is a disaster. A blight on my life if anything.
Watched the second half and the man from Cobh was running the show. Tevez made a huge impact when introduced. Apart from his goal Adebayor hardly moved. When City went 2-1 up they should have cruised home Liverpool were that bad. Some clown defending from Lescott helped them to the equaliser. Lucas could have won it at the end too.
Dont know if Liverpool fans can expect too much. Full backs Carragher and Insua - pretty shite, Skrtyle and Kyriagakos - shite, Benayoun and Gerrard - looked injured, Ngog - shite, Lucas - shite, Kuyt is playing awful, Mascherano - decent as a defensive midfielder. Did well to get a point with those.
City have too many footballers in their defence. Need a brute in there. The mix is all wrong with them. Were totally on top in midfield though and played some good stuff.
Didn’t think Ireland was running the show at all, I remember him giving the ball away to Gerrard with a stupid flick on the edge of his own box but that was the first half.
I think Lucas is having a better season than last season, but he’s clearly not good enough for Liverpool.
[quote=“Monkey Allen”]According to the Mirror today, Liverpool are wanting 14m for Lucas after some top European Clubs expressed an interest.
Is this the worst made-up transfer gossip ever? Even when the Sun reported that Liverpool were interested in Didier Baptiste, it was more believable than this story.[/quote]
Baptiste was a solid, skilful centre half. Not so good at penalties mind. Lucas doesn’t deseve to be mentioned in the same breath as him.
Gerrard pulling Babel up off the ground and telling him to get on with it