Euro 2016 Group D Preview and Predictions for Czech Republic

With our first official instalment of Euro 2016 little over a month away right in the here and now, we’ve decided to continue our Group D preview and predictions for this summer’s highly anticipated competition, with a closer look at the Czech Republic and everything Pavel Vrba’s side can really expect to achieve at the upcoming tournament…

 

Chances of success:

It doesn’t really matter how you chose to evaluate the approaching Group D proceedings at Euro 2016 this summer, for even the most optimistic of Czech Republic fans will seemingly be left biting their nails one way or another.

The likes of Spain, Croatia and Turkey each provide the Czechs with formidable enough competition even at the best of times – and whilst Pavel Vrba’s proud outfit must remain as confident as much as they seemingly can among the upcoming group-stage face-off – it nonetheless remains particularly difficult to envisage the Czech Republic ever making it through to the knock-out stages of the competition when all is said and done.

 

Ones to watch:

Although each of Jaroslav Plasil, Matej Vydra and Theodor Gebre Selassie should admittedly offer the Czechs a nice blend of technical excitement and professional reliability looking ahead to Euro 2016 this summer, Pavel Vrba’s current squad isn’t exactly brimming with well-established talent with all things fairly considered.

As Arsenal’s Tomas Rosicky has nonetheless struggled with intense injury concerns throughout the course of the 2015/16 domestic campaign thus far however, it seems as if another current Gunners star – in the shape of Petr Cech – will once again represent the Czech Republic’s most recognised force on paper.

 

From the dug-out:

Whilst Pavel Vrba isn’t widely known outside the realms of modern day Eastern European football management, the 52-year-old tactician does admittedly arrive with a few significant showcases of silverware to his name, including five individual ‘Czech coach of the Year’ awards over the past few consecutive seasons.

The Czech Republic can therefore chance upon a certain sense of security with Pavel Vrba firmly calling the shots, even if their upcoming duties among Euro 2016’s potential ‘group of death’ will nevertheless prove far easier said than done.   

 

Czech Republic’s Euro 2016 predictions:

It simply doesn’t take much to discount the Czech’s chances of really doing the business among the upcoming Euro 2016 proceedings in France next summer if we’re all being honest – that much seemingly goes without saying.

It remains distinctly difficult to imagine this outfit successfully traversing Group D without a few more recognised faces on board, but as Pavel Vrba’s side admittedly displayed several clear signs of intent throughout the prior qualifying campaign for the upcoming competition, maybe the best is ultimately yet to come for the Czech Republic at Euro 2016…