Miroslav Koubek, the recently appointed Czech Republic manager, has described the Republic of Ireland’s style as “island football” ahead of the World Cup playoff semi-final in Prague on March 26th.
If Ireland overcome the Czechs at the Fortuna Arena, they will face the winners of Denmark versus North Macedonia at a sold out Aviva Stadium on March 31st to secure a place at this summer’s tournament in North America.
“Ireland will come with a big heart,” said Koubek on Wednesday. “And to fight. They are a very combative team, competitive with quick transitions to attack, very aggressive, organised at the back in particular.
“They play the typical, slightly more typical island football than other teams. Where there is a possibility of combination play, we have to be careful, because the Irish know how to combine.
“It is a team that plays what its opponent allows it to play,” the 74-year-old continued. “And if the opponent allows them too much, they are very strong.
“From my point of view, they are an average team in terms of play, but with an immense heart, and extremely solid and determined. In addition, there is cohesion and they work as a team.”
When a Czech journalist was asked to translate what Koubeck meant by “island football”, he said: “It is more commonly associated with England and Scotland. It means a simple game, crosses into the penalty area for players to head. No great technique, but speed, efficiency, and fighting spirit.”
Vladimír Darida of Hertha BSC. Photograph: Martin Rose/Getty
Koubeck is expected to recall former captain Vladimír Darida, five years after his last cap against Denmark at Euro 2021, as the 35-year-old midfielder is having a strong season for FC Hradec Králové in the Czech league.
“If we approached him, it’s because we want him on the team,” said Koubek. “He’s the best midfielder in the Czech league. He has a wealth of international experience. Even in football, they say, ‘never say never’. So we hope that applies in his case. He knows we need help. He fits into our system with his style and creativity.”
Darida could sit in midfield alongside West Ham’s Tomáš Souček, who is expected to feature against Ireland despite being stripped of the captaincy following a dispute with fans after the last World Cup qualifier against Gibraltar in November. The standoff between the team and its supporters led to the Czech FA withholding bonus payments of around €2,000 for each player.
“You can always count on Tomáš, he’s a Premier League player and a big personality,” said Koubek, “Nothing has changed in terms of his importance. He respects the fact that he won’t be captain, he’s not happy about it, nor about the consequences after the end of the qualifiers against Gibraltar.
“I’ve coached about half of the players at various clubs [in the Czech Republic]. And I want the other half not to be afraid of me. Simply put, I want the ice to melt and the doors to open.”
The FAI received 6,000 ticket requests for the playoff in Prague but were given an allocation of 1,024 as the Fortuna Arena capacity is 19,370. The successful applicants will be contacted by Friday, February 13th.
Following an enormous demand for tickets from Irish fans, the Czech FA decided to update its distribution strategy, with tickets only accessible through a loyalty programme and with Czech identification.