The President Josef Dufek Expected Defeats to Come

14. 11. 2006 |  

From the second league in the first one, successes in European Cups, attacking the first position in the league standings. You were rising all the time and now you go down. Do not say that it does not matter.

"But nobody can go only upwards. I have prepared myself for such situation for long time. I expected that it could not continue forever. And development could not be different. Now it will be possible to see how strong and mature we are in fact."

You continue in battling on three fronts. And it shows now how difficult is it. Do not you change your priorities?

"We will see in winter. However, we still want to qualify from the group of the UEFA Cup. However, it should be said that we have already exceeded our plan for Europe. Our goal in league is a position qualifying us in European cups. The third position with a minimum gap between us and Liberec and Sparta is good. And we give up neither the domestic cup competition. I continue to assert that the easiest way in Europen cups leads just through the cup.

So really no disappointment?

"I was disappointed only with the performances in Brno and in Teplice. We lost the matches against Ostrava and Slavia, too, but after good performances.

Your trust in the team continues?

"Absolutely. And it applies to both the coaches and the players. This should be emphasized."

Was not the upturn of the club from Mladá Boleslav too quick? It is really gallop, from the second league during two years and against European giant clubs now.

"I do not think that there is a mistake in it. But I will say you what has stopped us: absences of key players. We have not such personalities enough and if several of them are missing, it is apparent."

Whom did you miss most?

"Abraham and the goalkeeper Miller. Absence of Abraham was very perceptible already in the preliminary round of the Champions League against Galatasaray. And now when he is injured, it can be seen again how important is he for us. Abraham is the best our summer newcomer. But Rolko plays also well."

And what about the other ones? Riegel, Mikolanda, Poláček, Nesvadba, Rajnoch, Ilongo. Is not disappointment prevailing?

"It is still to soon for such opinions. Not everybody is able to succeed in a new club just from the beginning. We counted with such development. However, it is important that fatigue can be distributed among more players."

Let us discuss one name a little bit more in details. Tomáš Poláček came from Sparta for big money. And he plays poorly. Neither is he disappointment?

"Poláček will be a top player in spring. I am convinced about it deadly. I have already verified that it mostly takes a half of a year before a player gets used to hard Uhrin's training preparation. Then he can yield from it. Poláček did not come from Sparta in good condition."

Have you got any example? A newcomer who started to shine only after this half-year?

"So look at Matějovský. When he returned from Jablonec he was far from top form. And he is one of the best players in the league at present."

Can we expect any revolutionary changes in the team again during winter?

"It is too soon for that. There is not any offer on the table so far. There are only rumours around that one would like to have this and the other that. We will see how the market will
react. And as to newcomers, we do not need any big names. We will rather look for promising players with whom wee could count in the future."

Petr Procházka, the sports editor of the Central Bohemia editorial board of MFDnes interviewed the President of FK Mladá Boleslav, Josef Dufek.