2 hours ago, 25/07/2023 12:49 David Zlomek photo: FK Viagem Ústí nad Labem Interviews
CONVERSATION
You probably won’t find a more ambitious club in the Czech Republic than the one from Ústí nad Labem. Arma there has a new owner, the company Viagem took over the club. And she wants progress, now. A lot of players came, big names. As the club’s sports manager Vasil Knor says, there is nothing but progress. In an interview for eFotbal.cz, he also describes, among other things, the arrival of foreign players. In other words, watch out for Ústí!
You are among the biggest favorites of the CFL. Are you wary before the season starts, or do you accept that narrative without a problem?
“After the club was taken over by a new company that invested a lot of money in strengthening the staff, we have to accept this position. The players here have created above-standard conditions. We have no room at all to be cautious in any way. Anything but progress will be a failure.”
In general, do you have any medium-term outlook? Where would you like to be in four years?
“We want to advance in the first season. Then it will probably be necessary to look around for a year or two in the second league. Although the owner did not give us any specific time frame, he would like to try the first league within five years.”
Besides, it’s really busy around you. How do you feel about this? Would you rather have peace or are you happy for increased popularity?
“I’m glad for that. I haven’t stopped since we got a new owner. My phone rings in one piece. It’s lively, busy here. Agents call us daily, people ask questions, everyone in Ústí is now interested. It’s on the right track. I’m also happy that the fans perceive that we are trying to get the club where it belongs.”
By the way, are you visible in the media, is this also reflected in the number of permanent tickets sold, for example?
“I can’t answer that, it’s not my concern. But we certainly want to ensure that every match is full. That’s why we changed the kick-off time. Now it is as it was before.’
You “took over” the titular sponsor, the company Viagem, with your prybras. How did the negotiations go?
“It was like ball lightning. From the information I have, it happened very quickly indeed.’
You chose Branislav Sokoli for the coaching position. Why was he chosen?
“I chose him myself. I also acted under other names, but I had excellent references for Mr. Sokoli. Even if I look at his engagements, the experience he has, it’s great. He has big ambitions, he was very interested in how we want to grow as a club. He didn’t mind at all that, as a coach who worked abroad, he was going to the third league. He immediately caught my attention during the interview and we agreed on everything very quickly. In preparation, he shows what qualities he has.”
You have added several league players to your squad. Zoubele, Mareš, Hyčka… was their relationship with the region the key to their arrival?
“Certainly. When I approached Lukáš Zoubele, he told me that I was the first manager from Ústí who contacted him. He was surprised. He is from there, but in all this time no one from Ústí has ever asked him if he would ever be interested. We didn’t want to bring players here from Prague and actually the whole country, we wanted guys who have a relationship with the club. Hyčka and Mareš also started playing great football here. They have a relationship with the club and the city.”
In addition, several interesting young players have arrived. It can be read from this that the cooperation with Teplice is working as it should. Am I getting the right impression?
“Definitely. Cooperation is seamless. I’ve been trying to take care of my relations with them since last season. It’s going the right way. It is also in the interest of Teplice that we play in the second league. It will help them.”
A hot case is Denis Laňka, who trains with you, but cannot play because of a bribery conviction. What is his role?
“We just decided to end our cooperation with him, at least until he can play again. He’s been with us so far, but since we’ve got enough guys here, he’s not needed. It doesn’t make much sense for him to be here, training at 100 percent, but then he wouldn’t be able to play. When he has no punishment, we will open this topic with him again.”
You got three foreign fighters, Vyško’s Ismael Dao especially stands out. Could you introduce not only him, but also Ukrainian Spychko and Nigerian Bankole?
“The negotiations were long. All three are from the same agent. I dare to say that they are really second league players. Stopper Spychka has quality even for the first league. He came from Slovakia, where he played all the matches in the first league in the spring. Brno and teams from the second Polish league were interested in him. That’s a huge boost. Right after the first practice, the older guys came to me and said we have to sign him right away. Dao has signed a long-term contract here, he is a young player with amazing movement. One on one is elusive. Bankole spent five years in Slovakia, he is a typical number six, a striker, he cleans it up. They are great guys with a great personality, they fit right in.”
Do you consider the cadre to be closed?
“Not yet. Only six players remain from last season. The rest went to host, possibly to B. Filip Gedeon from Sparta also trains with us, he also worked here in his youth. Excellent central midfielder, I see him staying hopefully. Nineteen-year-old Dominik Lewandowski, a Pole who was brought up to play football in Germany, also joined the team. He chose us for further development, but one more foreign player who played here in the first league will join.”
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2023-07-25 10:49:00
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