Czech Bronze with the flavour of Hungarian Goulash

It is nine o'clock in the morning, Friday, September 19. The first part of people with tuned vocal chords, cheerful mood and in some cases travel fever is boarding a bus. They had a long journey to the Hungarian capital ahead.

The first stop is Brno. The group of girls and few representatives of the stronger gender was finally joined by the players. Otherwise we would be the first to bring a mixed team. But everything comes to him who waits. And so the offenders, defenders and the goalkeeper were waiting in front of Brno Interspar full of excitement - in a word the entire Klapzuba's Eleven including the coach Jirka Krupka. "Victory," this was his answer to the question with what ambitions are we going to the third international football tournament of Provident Financial. The first year was golden for us - what else. Czechs are talented football players and know the green grounds better than closely. Last year we slightly slipped from the Olympus peak but the fifth place was still quite nice, wasn't it? After all they say: glory for the winners, honour for the defeated.

But everything is rather different this year and we are going to win! Really we weren't very far from this success. Excellent support from our fans accompanied by our bus driver and his son Vašek. Václav senior almost lost his voice and tried to cure by pints of hops beverage (well, he shouldn't carry it too far and take us back home to the Mother Prague safe on Sunday). Our boys made it to the semi-finals without considerable problems. But hell, it came to the treacherous penalty shots, where more than the skill the nerves decide. We lost to Poles on penalty shots 4:5 but the match for bronze medals was still ahead. The most important is only to come: we will play with the English for our credit and we aren't going to give them anything for free. We can beat them and beat them we will. This was confirmed and win 2:1 sent the bronze to the Czech Republic.

Celebrations didn't go to end and the sport bar Champs in the very centre of Budapest learned how Provident Financial can have a good time. But unfortunately everything nice has to end one day. But in a year the fourth year of the tournament is here and a new challenge for us to get the most valuable trophy cup. Nevertheless as the tradition dictates we have to say: Thank you boys!!!

The Czech Republic Team:

Goalkeeper: Radim Kolařík
Offenders: Tomáš Milota, Hynek Graf, Martin Přibyl
Defenders: Jiří Krupka, Miroslav Jára, Ladislav Koudela,Vladimír Sabol, David Slavík
Halfbacks: Kenny Mc Partland, Tomáš Dobeš, Miroslav Falta, Pavel Stařík, Miroslav Sitter,
Stanislav Koller, Dan Ryška
Playing coach: Jiří Krupka