Prague, Nov 19 (IANS) Czech Football Association (FACR) chairman Miroslav Pelta confirmed Monday that Pavel Vrba will be the new coach of the Czech national team. He said Vrba will take up the post on January 1, 2014.
Vrba is the main candidate for the post vacant since Michal Bilek resigned after Czech team suffered a defeat against Italy in a World Cup qualifier in September, all but losing a chance to advance to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, reported Xinhua.
Vrba, 49, has worked with Czech football club Viktoria Plzen since 2008. The club announced on Monday that Vrba decided to end his contract with it and may be named the new coach of the Czech national team. Vrba’s contract with Plzen is to expire in June 2015, but it included a clause under which the club must let him go.
“The date on the application of the clause, added to the contract on the basis of Vrba’s demand in its latest prolongation, was delivered to the club representatives, dated November 15,” said Viktoria Plzen’s spokesman Pavel Pillar.
“The full wording of the addendum says Vrba’s work in Viktoria Plzen will end December 15.”
Viktoria Plzen is disappointed at Vrba’s departure.
“Viktoria insisted on Vrba’s staying with the club. Given the concluded contracts we respect this step of his, although in the light of mutual communication from the past weeks I cannot deny a tremendous disappointment,” said the club’s general manager Adolf Sadek.
Vibra’s position as the new coach of Czech national team is yet to be approved by the FACR Executive Committee, but it is only a technical matter.