Flashscore published a major interview with former Czech defender David Rozehnal covering Czech youth football, EURO 2004, PSG, Lille and players including Cristiano Ronaldo and Eden Hazard.
Work with the Czech age group
Rozehnal has been with this Czech age group since the under-16s, Flashscore noted. He said he mostly watches the defensive phase during training and sits in the stand with the analyst during matches.
Flashscore noted that the Czech under-20 national team beat Switzerland 5-2 at a tournament in Portugal, then lost 0-2 to Poland and 0-5 to Portugal.
Asked what the matches told him, Rozehnal said: "That we are competitive. If the team gives 100%, stays focused and does what coach Jilek asks of them, we can stand up to better opponents in Europe."
Asked whether he is part of the coaching staff, Rozehnal said: "I would not want to describe myself as an assistant, even though the boys address me that way."
EURO 2004 memories
Rozehnal said EURO 2004 was his first major tournament. He was part of the Czech team that won bronze at EURO 2004.
Asked whether being in Portugal brought back memories of EURO 2004, when the Czech team won bronze, Rozehnal said: "Even though we played in a different stadium, of course it did. They are good memories. It was my first major tournament."
PSG, Paris and Cristiano Ronaldo
Rozehnal said Dortmund was also discussed before he moved to PSG, but he ended up joining PSG.
He said: "Dortmund was also discussed a lot at the time, but it ended up being PSG and I was happy. Suddenly I was at the Parc des Princes. Another level again. From a footballing perspective, I liked Paris the most."
Rozehnal also said he arrived in Germany for the World Cup having played 60 matches that season. He said that in his second season at PSG he played as a central midfielder.
On the dressing room, Rozehnal said: "Most of the boys in the PSG dressing room were very friendly. Pedro Pauleta told me in the sauna about a certain Cristiano Ronaldo , who was just starting out with the national team."
Rozehnal said: "I regretted leaving a good team with great fans, where I had shown what I could do, to go to Newcastle, which everyone around me said was the best choice, but I did not feel it."
Asked about the current PSG under Luis Enrique, Rozehnal said: "I like it a lot." He also said he saw PSG kit man Nacerdine Sekai celebrating their Champions League victory.
Lille and Eden Hazard
Rozehnal played five seasons at Lille, longer than at any other club. He said Lille won the double with him at the club, and that Eden Hazard was just coming to the fore there.
Rozehnal said: "It was obvious after his first year, and he polished his game even further after that. Great mentality, normal person. He never acted like a star."