12.06.2013, 11:34
Czech Republic face Israel without Filip Jícha

The team's biggest star is not 100 per cent fit and will be sidelined for the match against Israel, but everyone in the squad hopes that he will return for the encounter with Montenegro

Czech Republic's men's national team coaches, Vladimír Haber and Jaroslav Hudeček, have to replace their team's biggest star, Filip Jicha, who is not 100 per cent fit, for the crucial final stages of the EHF EURO 2014 qualification.

"It´s such a pity and we have to fight even harder against againt Israel (on 12 June). We believe that Filip will be back for the match against Montenegro (on 15 June). He wants to be back on track as soon as possible," says Vladimír Haber.

But despite Jicha's absence, Czech Republic are looking at taking the two points away from Israel.

More responsibility will be put on the remaining Czech back court players such as Pavel Horák, Martin Stržínek or Roman Bečvář, but according to the coaching duo, the key to success will be a disciplined game in defence as well as the goalkeeping of Petr Štochl. 

Jícha's absence could also be chance for 19-year-old left back Michal Kasal. Another newcomer in the squad of 16 is 19-year-old Tomáš Babák who has signed with Swiss club St. Gallen for the upcoming season.

"We have the quality to finish our road to the EHF EURO successfully. We hope that Filip's problems are just of smaller nature, so we'll travel to Israel with only 15 players and that he will be ready again for the match against Montenegro. In that final battle team the needs its captain," underlines Jaroslav Hudecek the importance of the absent star player.

The Czech Republic team for the matches against Israel and Montenegro

Goalkeepers: Petr Stochl (Füchse Berlín, GER),  Tomáš Mrkva (Göppingen, GER)

Wings: Miroslav Jurka (HC Hlohovec, SVK), Jan Sobol (Azoty Pulawy, POL), Jiří Motl (Lovosice), Jakub Hrstka (Tatran Prešov, SVK)

Back court: Filip Jicha (THW Kiel, GER), Pavel Horak (Göppingen, GER), Michal Kasal (FC Barcelona, ESP), Roman Becvar (Empor Rostock, GER), Tomáš Babak (Jičín), Martin Strzinek (Hranice), Ondřej Sulc (US Ivry, FRA), Alois Mraz (Wetzlar , GER)

Line players: David Juricek (St. Raphael, FRA), Daniel Kubes (Melsungen, GER)

TEXT: Jan Vtípil (CHF) / ts