Pospisil to use Bednar call-up as further motivation

ENVY isn't an emotion Michal Pospisil encounters too often, but the mild-mannered Czech would be forgiven for suffering the odd pang of jealousy on this of all days.

Roman Bednar, whom Pospisil has been partnering at club level this season whilst Edgaras Jankauskas struggles for premium fitness, is preparing to make his international debut for the Czech Republic this evening on the banks of the country's Morava River. By contrast, his compatriot has been left with only the murky River Forth for comfort.

Pospisil remained in Edinburgh this week after Karel Bruckner, the Czech national coach, called on Bednar for tonight's friendly with Serbia & Montenegro in Uherske Hradiste, retribution for the striker's four goals in six games since Hearts' campaign got underway.

Never one to indulge in begrudging admiration, Pospisil exudes genuine delight that his colleague's international career is beginning to take off at the relatively youthful age of 23. Indeed, Bednar is viewed by many Czech Republicans to be the natural successor to the giant Jan Koller, who he has joined in Bruckner's squad.

After his contributory role in providing two of Bednar's four strikes - at Dunfermline and the first against Celtic - Pospisil can't deny a yearning to join his countryman and become a full internationalist. "I think it's a good sign that Bruckner has taken a Hearts player into his squad because it shows he is watching us," said Pospisil pensively.

"It's now up to me to hold down a place with Hearts, score some goals, and maybe soon Roman and I could be playing together for our country. That is my wish but I still have to improve. Of course I'm happy for Roman because I hope he has benefited a little bit from my work, sending him passes that have led to goals. That helps the team, me, and obviously him. He deserves the call into the Czech squad and this is the next step for him."

Bruckner has opted to refresh the Czech squad following their surprising elimination from World Cup Group E in June. The hub of the national team has been dismantled and ageing talisman Pavel Nedved will confirm his international retirement after tonight's match. Recent Rangers signing Libor Sionko could partner Bednar in attack against the Serbians and another possible debutant is defender Tomas Zapotocny, a former team-mate of Pospisil's at Slovan Liberec.

One notable absentee from the squad, at least in a Hearts context, is Rudi Skacel. The midfielder's insistence on a transfer to Southampton appears to have done little for his international career. Skacel was overlooked by Bruckner for Germany and has been bypassed again in the build-up to the European Championship campaign, where the Czechs will confront neighbours Germany and Slovakia as well as the Republic of Ireland and Wales in qualifying Group D.

Skacel still had the good grace when contacted by the Evening News to offer his congratulations to Bednar. "I haven't seen many of Hearts' games but it's great for him to be scoring and I am happy to hear he is doing well,"

said the man who scored 17 goals for Hearts last season before a spectacular fall-out with majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov. "It seems he is in the Czech squad on merit so that's fantastic for him. I hope it continues and I can see him having a great season."

Pospisil would concur, even if he does lament his own lack of recognition at full international level. The striker amassed more than 20 under-21 caps for the Czechs and achieved the pinnacle at that level four years ago when his country took the Under-21 European Championship, beating France on penalties in the final in Basle. His colleagues at the time in a side coached by Miroslav Beranek included players like Petr Cech, Milan Baros, Zdenek Grygera and Skacel.

Some have made a successful transition from under-21s to full squad. Others, of course, are still awaiting their opportunity. "I know a lot of players in the current squad because they are around my age and played in 2002," continued Pospisil. "Some of the older players are finishing their international careers so I think it's time to build a new team after the World Cup.

"Roman is in really good shape and that's why he is there. He isn't exactly like Koller, because Koller is bigger and more powerful. Roman has better movement and I would say he is the type of striker whose style is in between that of Koller and Baros. He can play as a target man but he also has the pace to run in behind defenders."

Pospisil would dearly love to watch Bednar make those instinctive runs tonight from a position alongside him in Bruckner's attack. But there's no sign of the green-eyed monster, only a proud Czech eager to stamp his own mark on international football.

Taken from the Scotsman