Czechs can break Greek resistance

EURO 2004/Semi-Final Preview: In what has long been heralded as an era of player power, this evening's second semi-final of Euro 2004 at the Dragao stadium in Porto should provide a spiritual lift for those who prefer to worship what might be best described as the cult of the coach.

Both Karel Bruckner and Otto Rehhagel had to cope with widespread scepticism when appointed to their current posts a couple of years back. Now, as they prepare their players for this evening's encounter in Porto they are now universally hailed as the brains of two teams that have, in very different ways, shaken up this European Championship. In turn, each has beaten at least one of the pre-tournament favourites on the way to the last four.

On the face of it Bruckner's achievement has been the less surprising given the quality of the established players he inherited and the remarkable success the Czechs have had in bringing youngsters through their youth development system.

Bruckner, himself a Slovakian, came to the side with a rather modest record in the world of club coaching, having spent time at a variety of the less prestigious Czech sides, including three stints at Sigma Olomouc, the club where he passed almost the entirety of his playing career.

He subsequently worked successfully with the Czech FA as a national youth team coach before moving up the association's internal ladder and becoming the assistant to Jozef Chovanec. What he claims to have done since assuming control of the senior side in the wake of its failure to qualify for the last World Cup is to "restore communication channels," that had broken down in his predecessor's reign.

What he has also done, however, is bring a intelligence and flexibility to the role that has allowed him to get the best out of the available talent and a willingness to give the country's young stars the opportunity to prove their worth on the biggest of stages.

While the strength of the team's vastly experienced midfield has been no great surprise during the team's first four games here, the impact of younger players like Milan Baros, Petr Cech and Tomas Ujfalusi has been of critical importance to a team that has powered its way this far with four straight wins.

Rehagel's influence on the Greek team has been as profound although the veteran German coach, who enjoyed a good deal of success back home, has had a much less glittering pool of talent with which to work.

His solution has been to work on producing a tightly organised, defensive team that seeks to make life hard for more talented outfits and then catch them on the break. It is an approach that enabled a strong though hardly extravagantly talented group of individuals to score a succession of notable successes.

Against France, admittedly a rather lifeless looking side by then, it worked a treat with Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet man marked out of the game and Zinedine Zidane obliged to wander tamely and ineffectively about in midfield.

At the back they boast some very capable defenders in men like Giorgios Seitaridis, Panagiotis Fyssas and Traionos Dellas but when going forward they also have the capacity to cause even good defences severe problems as they proved last week when Theodoros Zagorakis ripped the defending champions apart down the right before cutting inside and setting Angelos Charisteas up for a well-taken close range headed goal.

Despite having already comfortably exceeded expectations back at home they showed against the French that they will not simply bow out of this competition without a fight and with nothing to lose any more they may yet give even an in-form Czech side a tough night of it. "We are confident that we can play to the same level as we did against France so why should we not play in the final?" asks Charisteas rather chirpily.

To date they have certainly coped well with Portuguese, Spanish and French attacks but the key to another, even greater upset will be their ability to do what the Germans, Dutch and Danes have all conspicuously failed to do - contain the Czech front line.

They are better-equipped for the task than might initially appear to be the case. Seitaridis, who is likely to assume some responsibility for the handling of Pavel Nedved, is both quick and a good reader of the game while in the centre Dellas is actually taller than Jan Koller.

At the other end Brucker's side has shown itself to be a little susceptible and, if the Greeks can generate their usual haul of breakaway chances, then their fortunes might end up being decided by the ability of Charisteas and, most probably, Zissis Vryzas to capitalise on what comes their way.

In midfield, though, for all their industry, it is hard to see how Rehagel's men will not gradually become overwhelmed by the abundant talents of Nedved (who will miss the final if booked again) Karel Poborsky and Tomas Rosicky. If that happens then there really should only be one outcome.

Neither coach has too much to worry about on the injury front. For the Czechs Martin Jiranek is out with a groin strain and so Zdenek Grygera should start at right back but Rene Bolf is fit again. Rehhagel, meanwhile, has Stelios Giannakopoulos fit and Vrysas back from suspension which may mean that Angelos Basinas and Demis Nikolaidis miss out.

The Greeks have never beaten tonight's opponents in six previous meetings but if Rehhagel does guide his side to another shock victory that will be the least of the causes for celebration back in his adopted homeland.

PROBABLE TEAMS

CZECH REPUBLIC: Cech; Grygera, Ujfalusi, Bolf, Jankulovski; Galasek; Poborsky, Rosicky, Nedved; Koller, Baros.

GREECE: Nikopolidis; Seitaridis, Dellas, Kapsis, Fyssas; Giannakopoulos, Katsouranis, Karagounis, Zagorakis; Charisteas, Vryzas.