BILEK QUITS

Czech Republic manager Michal Bilek recently quit the national team in the middle of the World Cup 2014 qualifying campaign. The football Association has moved in to appoint Josef Pesice as the interim manager until the end of the World Cup qualifying campaign. Czech Republic have been on a very poor run of form in recent years. Despite having a very talented squad that includes the likes of Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech and Arsenal midfielder Thomas Rosicky, there have been unable to make any inroads compared with teams in and around them.

This led to the manager Michal Bilek quitting his job only recently. This left the national team without a manager ahead of crucial qualifying matches against the likes of Italy. Pesice has been appointed as the interim, and he will be hoping to secure the job on a permanent basis. Pesice is not new to the national team job because he has been the assistant to the former manager even in the last match for Bilek – against Italy. Czech Republic lost the match 2-1 after an error from Cech. The Chelsea goalkeeper was quick to acknowledge his error, which led to the goal.

Czech Republic are currently fourth in the table with just nine points. They are four points below the final qualification spots.

“I have asked Josef Pesice to perform the job of head coach for the (qualification) games in Malta and Bulgaria,” said Czech FA head Miroslav Pelta after confirming the appointment. “I had to palm the first ball away, this is my fault. We have to win in other games,” said the Chelsea goalkeeper after the match against Italy. Czech Republic took the lead in the 19th minute through Kozák, but Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini equalised after 51 min. Milan striker Mario Balotelli scored the winner shortly afterwards.

CECH QUESTIONS CITY

Manchester city have been one of the big spending clubs in Europe over the last five years. They have recently replaced Chelsea as the big spenders in the Premier league, but they have only two trophies to show for their expenditure in the last five years. They have once again spent close to £ 100 million in this summer trying to reclaim the Premier league trophy. Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, who was one of the first big-money signings at this club, has questioned the continuous spending of the Middle East owners in the pursuit of trophies.

City are one of the club’s facing the prospect of being eliminated from the European competitions as a result of not obliging with the UEFA financial fair play regulations. Cech has revealed that he is interested as to seeing how city cope with the pressure in the coming season. Unlike in the past, he believes that there will be at least five teams challenging for the Premier league title this season. Manchester United, Manchester city, and Chelsea are the obvious contenders, but he reckons that Arsenal and Tottenham will also have a chance to put up a title challenge as well.

Chelsea’s season starts this match against Premier league newcomers Hull city on August 17.

“I am thinking: ‘You have got a lot of players, let’s see how you are going to deal with it’. City keep spending money and bringing in players so obviously they have the intention of challenging for the title. Manchester United will challenge for the title and I believe that Liverpool and Tottenham will want to improve. Arsenal will want to prove everybody wrong. They will be wanting to prove that they are still hungry for success because the manager is under pressure for results,” said the 30-year-old Czech Republic goalie.