Opponent. Generation change Slovakia has yet delayed ...

09.09.2018 10:25

Photo by www.futbalsfz.sk

Introducing the national team of Slovakia, with which the team of Andriy Shevchenko will hold a match of the League of Nations on September 9 in Lviv.

Until January 1993, the Czech Republic and Slovakia were for a long time, almost 70 years, a single state - Czechoslovakia. And almost everything that has been said about a long history of Czech football, also applies to Slovak football. With some differences, of course.

Military sparring

Thus, before the First World War, Slovakia was part of the Kingdom of Hungary - one of the two main parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. While the lands that make up the Czech Republic (Bohemia, Moravia, Czech Silesia) had a special status. Although subordinated to Vienna.

And during the Second World War, when Germany absorbed the Czech Republic, an independent Slovak Republic was formed - a satellite and ally of the Reich. At the same time, the national team of Slovakia itself was formed, which played 1939 matches in 1944-16. Rivals were Germany (five matches) and its allies - Bulgaria (one), Croatia (seven), Romania (three).

In one company with Di Stefano, Pushkash ...

Czech football has long been considered stronger and more developed. Thus, in the vice-champions of the world in 1934, only one football player out of 22 represented a Slovak club - from Bratislava. The same picture was at the 1938 World Cup.

The ratio of Czech and Slovak footballers in the Czechoslovak national team became more competitive after the Second World War. Five players from clubs in Bratislava and one each from Zilina and Presov went to the 1954 World Cup. Moreover, Bratislava goalkeeper Theodor Reimann was among those who played for the Slovak national team in 1939-1944 (he played 14 matches out of 16). Even more Slovaks appeared at the next world championships - from Bratislava, Trnava, Presov. And among them there were real stars of the Czechoslovak national team - goalkeeper William Schreif, defender Jan Popluhar, scorer Adolf Scherer.

It was the latter in 1962 in Chile, when Czechoslovakia won silver for the second time, to score the only goal for Hungary in the quarterfinals, and then scored two goals in the semifinals with Yugoslavia (3: 1). Schreif became one of the discoveries of that World Cup, and Popluhar was invited to the world team in 1963 for a match dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Football Federation of England. Together with the top stars of that time - Alfredo Di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas, Uwe Seeler, Raymond Copa, Eusebio, Denis Lowe ...

Gold team with a predominance of Slovaks

And in 1976, when Czechoslovakia sensationally beat the formidable team of Germany (the current European and world champion) in the final of the continental championship, most of that gold bid was made by representatives of Slovak clubs. The largest delegation - seven players - was "Slovan" from Bratislava: Josef Chapkovic, Anton Ondrush, Jan Pivarnik, Marian Masny, Koloman Gog, Jan Schweglik and Alexander Wenzel.

Three were represented by Inter from Bratislava (Ladislav Jurkemik, Josef Barmosh, Ladislav Petrash), two - by FC Kosice (Yaroslav Pollak, Dusan Galis). Lokomotiv from Košice (Josef Moder) and Spartak from Trnava (Karol Dobias) were given each.

Two, Masny and Dobias, together with Popluhar, are in the top 10 guardsmen of the Czechoslovak national team, and Masny and Scherer are in the top 10 of its scorers in history.

There were, of course, Slovaks in the bronze formations of the Euro-1960 and Euro-1980 models. Among the 38-year-old winners is the current coach of the national team of Slovakia - Jan Kozak, who has confidently led the team since 2013 and has the best statistics. On average, his wards score 1,79 points per match. Second in this ranking is Josef Jankech (1,76), who worked with the national team in 1995-1998.

The Weiss and Kozak Tortures

But only Kozak and Vladimir Weiss among the coaches of the Slovak national team can boast of entering the final part of the big tournament. Weiss led the team to the 2010 World Cup, with Slovenia, Czech Republic, Northern Ireland, Poland and San Marino taking first place in the group.

And at the World Cup in South Africa, the Slovaks looked good. They did not keep the victory over New Zealand (1: 1), but won in Italy (3: 2) and reached the 1/8 finals, where they lost to the future vice-champions from the Netherlands (1: 2). The hero was Robert Wittek, who scored four goals out of five team goals.

After an unsuccessful selection for Euro 2012 (fourth place in the group) Weiss left, and a year and a half before the wheel became Kozak. And unpleasantly surprised the whole of Ukraine in the selection for Euro 2016. Then at the start the Slovaks won in Kyiv (the only goal of Robert Mack), were the leaders of the group for a long time, but then gave the first step to Spain. However, they went straight to the final tournament and also played in the 1/8 finals.

Slovakia could have counted on a ticket to the 2018 World Cup, but it turned out that it has the worst statistics among all the teams that took second place in their groups in the European zone. Therefore, Kozak's wards did not even play in the playoffs.

The drawer jumped over Hamshik

It was expected that after that failure, the Slovaks would have a serious change of generations. But we didn't see it. Only 36-year-old quarterback Jan Duritz left, the rest of the well-played veterans remained.

Eight players from the current Kozak team are 30 years old and older. The experience of Martin Skrtel (Fenerbahce), Marek Gamszyk (Napoli), Tomasz Gubocan (Marseille), Peter Pekarik (Hertha), Juraj Kucka (Trabzonspor) is more than necessary. Health, too, seems to be enough.

There are also strong middle-aged representatives - Vladimir Weiss Jr. ("Al-Gharafa"), Robert Mack ("Zenith"), Norbert Dumber ("Perugia").

Meanwhile, an ambitious change is growing, including midfielder Stanislav Lobotka (Celta) and central defender Milan Shkrinyar (Inter). At the age of 23, the latter is already given such serious advances that he surpasses even the main star of modern Slovak football - Marek Hamšík. Transfermarkt experts estimated its estimated market value at a maximum of 40 million euros (currently 35), while Shkrinyar already has a price tag of 45 million, despite the fact that attacking players always have more weight in the market than defensive players.

But in the last friendly match, on September 5 with the team of Denmark, which Slovakia confidently won with the score 3: 0, Screensaver did not participate.

Slovakia (4-3-3): Cossack, Hubochan, Shkrtel (Dumber, 83), Shatka, Mazan, Groszowski, Hamshik (Duda, 61), Kutska (Gregus, 61), Rusnak (Mak, 46), German (Durish, 46), Weiss (Pachinda, 67 ).

Adam Nemets, 11, scored in the 33th minute, and Albert Rusnak, 37, scored in the 24th. In both cases, 31-year-old Juraj Kutska was the assistant. And in the 79th minute the Danes scored an own goal.