Bilek keeps cards close to his chest on Czech line-up

Published on Tuesday 2 March 2010 22:26

IF THE encounter at Hampden tonight proves as unenlightening as the Czech Republic's pre-match press conference at the national stadium last night, then Craig Levein will learn diddly squat about Scotland's forthcoming Euro 2012 qualifying opponents.

Watching Michal Bilek swat away questions was to develop the distinct impression that the recently installed Czech coach wouldn't mind were that so. The 43-year-old stepped up to his current role after seven years as under-19 coach in October, a consequence of a failed World Cup qualifying campaign that cost Ivan Hasek his job. As then with Levein, he accepted he finds himself at the "finding out" stage of his stewardship. And while the 35-times capped former midfielder claimed there would be "no secrets" in how his team shaped up and played, he wasn't in the mood for giveaways such as a line-up – except to say he will use "as many substitutes" as he is permitted.

Yet Bilek, who has former Liverpool midfielder Vladimir Smicer at his side as team manager in the national set-up, maintained this evening's friendly wouldn't be a "chess game" and he wouldn't be a pawn in the grand plays that will come when the same teams meet in October in Prague and a year later in Glasgow as they seek qualification for the Poland and Ukraine finals. "I am not thinking about something that will happen in half-a-year's time," he said. "My concentration is on the current situation."

There are parallels between the Scots and the Czechs in that the two countries do not boast many genuinely accomplished international class performers, a fact that could explain why Rudi Skacel will return to the scene of his last outing for Hearts, the attacker netting for the club in their 2006 Scottish Cup final success. For Scotland, Darren Fletcher is the exception in enjoying an exceptional day-to-day football existence and Arsenal's Thomas Rosicky holds that honour in Czech colours. Perhaps club enmities and Fletcher's relish for giving it plenty against Arsenal prevented Rosicky offering more than a platitudinous assessment of his fellow midfielder.

"He is a quality player, no doubt about that," he said. "He is in Manchester United's starting line-up so that speaks for itself. But I don't want to speak about one player. I like (James] McFadden as well," he said.

It will be "fast and furious", he ventured. "They will put pressure on us right away and I expect a good game with both teams at the start of a new eras." Should Scotland do that unthinkable and produce a "good game" in a friendly at Hampden, then we really will be in a whole new era.

Czech Republic (probable line-up, 4-1-3-2): Drobny (Hertha Berlin), Kusnir (Sparta Prague), Hubnick (Hertha Berlin), Sivok (Besiktas), Kadlec (Bayer Leverkusen); Hubschman (Shakhtar Donetsk); Plasil (Bordeaux), Rosicky (Arsenal), Skacel (Larissa); Necid (CSKA Moscow), Sverkos (Sochaux).