Back to drawing board for Czechia and Pavel Nedved to lure manager for Ireland playoff

Footballing legend Nedved, as current football lead for the federation, has conceded defeat in his attempt to install Jindřich Trpišovský due to his club SK Slavia Prague putting the brakes on double-jobbing.

Pavel Nedved has conceded defeat in his attempt to install Jindřich Trpišovský due to his club SK Slavia Prague putting the brakes on double-jobbing. Pic: Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images.

Czechia are running out of time and options to appoint a manager in time for the World Cup playoff semi-final against Ireland on March 26.

Footballing legend Pavel Nedved, as current football lead for the federation, has conceded defeat in his attempt to install Jindřich Trpišovský due to his club SK Slavia Prague putting the brakes on double-jobbing.

The team ranked 44th in Fifa’s standings, 15 ahead of Ireland in the updated standing, have been without a permanent boss since Ivan Hasek was summarily dismissed within days of an embarrassing defeat to Faroe Islands.

That October defeat scuppered their ambitions to catch Croatia for the automatic ticket to next year’s World Cup finals in North America but they had enough on the Faroes and Montenegro to secure second spot and entry into the playoff series.

Trpišovský’s success as domestic champions Slavia marked him out as the favourite to land the post, despite initial links to foreign, experienced candidates such as Fatih Terim and Jurgen Klinsmann.

Seven of his players were part of the last heavily home-based squad in November and Nedved felt the familiarity would provide a boon just as the stock the national team is flagging due to friction between players and fans.

The 49-year-old former goalkeeper has suggested interest in job-sharing, even after last week’s Champions League defeat at Tottenham, but the decision was taken out of his hands.

Not alone has elevation been ruled out but Slavia have pledged funding to boost the Czechia federation’s ability to attract a high-profile coach from overseas.

Slaven Bilic is the latest contender to meet that criteria. His role in elevating his native Croatia to a world force, including home and away wins over England on the way to Euro 2012, stands the test of time and the feeling prevails that he was harshly treated when both West Ham United and West Bromwich Albion showed him the door.

His last role, with Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Fateh, ended last year.

He’s expressed his desire to make a managerial return during various punditry appearances but it’s understood an approach from Nedved didn’t progress into serious negotiations.

Although Czechia, under their previous name of Czech Republic, have featured at the last eight European Championship finals in a row, their last World Cup appearance was four years after Ireland’s, 2006.

Should they overcome Ireland in the semi, likely to be held at the quaint 19-700-capacity Fortuna Arena in Prague, they’ll be home for the final – either against Denmark or North Macedonia for a qualification spot.

“Trpišovský would be a logical and excellent alternative for the Czechia team,” admitted Nedved over the weekend.

“He is one of our most experienced and successful coaches and would certainly have undeniable authority among the players and the public. In addition, he knows the Czech football environment and, of course, individual players very well.

“It is a pity that this option could not be implemented. Our work on hiring a new coach for the Czech team continues. Further negotiations await us.”

Whereas Irish fans were left waiting for most of 2024 for the identity of their new manager, eventually Heimir Hallgrímsson, Czechia are enduring a similar wait for their incoming supremo to be anointed.