Soucek, right, has emerged as a star for both West Ham and his countryIt was September 2018 and Jaroslav Silhavy had just been appointed the manager of Czech Republic. The Czechs had suffered a heavy 5-1 loss to Russia in a friendly a week earlier. They had failed to get beyond the group stage in the 2016 European Championship, not winning a single game. “I know it won’t be simple,” the then 56-year-old Silhavy said. “But these days, what is simple?”SponsoredIt was not exactly a rousing rallying cry, but it typifies the Plzen-born Silhavy, as he bids to upset Scotland and England.

Source: The Times June 07, 2021 15:56 UTC