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Mended Šmicer returns to Slavia

Back from serious injury, midfielder leads his club into the 2007-08 season

By František Bouc
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
August 1st, 2007 issue

Once Vladimír Šmicer agreed to move some 500 bottles of wine from France to Prague, Slavia Praha knew they had lured the midfielder back to the club for the upcoming season.
After signing a contract with Slavia, which will return him to the club after 11 years playing abroad, Šmicer got down to the important task of moving his wine collection.
“Over the years I spent in France, I’ve put together a reasonable collection,” Šmicer said. “In fact, a passion for wine is what distinguishes me now from who I was 11 years ago.”
The 34-year-old player is set to become a new icon in the Gambrinus liga as Slavia kicks off the 2007-08 season with a game against FK Jablonec 97 Aug. 5.
Šmicer becomes — after Pavel Kuka, Karel Poborský and Tomáš Řepka — the fourth world-class Czech player who has opted to return to the Gambrinus liga after earning recognition abroad.
When Šmicer left the Gambrinus liga in 1996, the soccer league was full of would-be stars who would later bloom abroad, like Poborský or Pavel Nedvěd.
Šmicer left Slavia after the club won its first Gambrinus liga title in 47 years. The club subsequently celebrated its best-ever result in the UEFA Cup, advancing to the semifinals.
“It was a dream season for Slavia and for the whole of Czech soccer,” Šmicer said.
In June 1996, the national soccer team stunned Europe after it advanced to the final at Euro ’96 in England. The success kicked off a major exodus of players from the country.
Šmicer didn’t have to wait for notice at Euro’96. He signed a contract with the French club RC Lens prior to the championship.
“The offer was good, and I wanted to travel to England with a clear head, without any worries about where I would play in the next season,” Šmicer said.
With RC Lens, Šmicer became an internationally known player. He later transferred to England’s Liverpool, with whom he won the Champions League in 2005. Along with fellow countryman Patrik Berger, he became the first Czech to win the prestigious club competition. Since then, only AC Milan’s Marek Jankulovski has recorded such a victory.
Šmicer says the Champions League win represents another triumph in what he calls his “lucky career.”
Šmicer’s luck stopped last year, after he moved from England back to France and joined Girondins Bordeaux. Šmicer suffered a serious knee injury that sidelined him for more than a year. As a result, he missed the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
“This was the worst moment of my career,” Šmicer said. “I even considered retiring.”
After a long recovery, Šmicer did not extend his contract in Bordeaux and entered talks with Slavia.
“I thought I would never play here again, but I realized the club’s interest was just enormous,” he said.
Even while playing abroad, Šmicer did not hide that he was a Slavia loyalist. Last year, when former Sparta captain Tomáš Sivok said he would be disgusted at donning a Slavia jersey, Šmicer announced he would find it difficult to play with Sivok on the national team. The players quickly buried the hatchet, however.
Šmicer’s return to Slavia has sparked joy among the club’s supporters. It also pleased the country’s soccer experts.
“The Gambrinus liga needs players like [Šmicer],” said agent Pavel Paska. “They can help restore its image.”

František Bouc can be reached at fbouc@praguepost.com


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