The Czech who keeps bouncing back 2 Edition

You can't keep a good man down, twenty years on and Ivo Viktor is again ready for action, this time against Scotland. Photograph: Richard O'Rourke The best goalkeepers have a presence that inspires immediate confidence in their judgment and reliability, and Ivo Viktor is no exception. He w...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inSunday herald (Glasgow, Scotland)
Main Authors O'Reilly, Dominic, Football Writer
Format Newspaper Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Glasgow (UK) Gannett Media Corp 06.06.1999
Subjects
Viktor, Ivo
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Summary:You can't keep a good man down, twenty years on and Ivo Viktor is again ready for action, this time against Scotland. Photograph: Richard O'Rourke The best goalkeepers have a presence that inspires immediate confidence in their judgment and reliability, and Ivo Viktor is no exception. He was captain during his days in the Czechoslovak team and his presence helped intimidate the West Germans into defeat in the final of the European Champion-ships in 1976, their only loss in a penalty shoot-out. Last year the Czech FA turned to Jozef Chovanec and Ivan Hasek, two prominent members of the team which reached the last eight of the 1990 World Cup, as the new coaching team. Yet, even though the new men belonged to a younger generation, Viktor was asked to stay on - his experience and authority seen as far too valuable to lose. "The foreign-based players have settled down and benefited from their international experience," said Viktor. "They are keen on succeeding again while the Czech-based players are in the same position as some of their team-mates before Euro 96 and can see the riches to be made. With respect to our opponents we are also in a much easier qualifying group".