Czech Republic team
Czech Republic Head coach Stewart Bernard selected a new look team for the Olympic Qualifier which feature hosts Germany, Cuba, Czech Republic and India competing for one vacancy at 2012 London Olympic Games.
He substituted the experienced setter Tichaceli by the two other setters Boula and Habr and added 5 new players Tomas Hysky, Ales Spravka, Jiri Karl, Karl Linz and Vladimir Sobotka to the squad aiming to refresh the team against the Giants Cuban and German teams in the qualifiers.
“We prepared to this competition through our participation in the European League as we played during the last weekend in Romania where we defeated the hosts 3-0, Turkey 3-0 and Netherlands 3-1 before we played three friendly matches against France where we lost them all,” Said Czech coach Bernard.
“We had to divide our team so that the top squad comes here for the Olympic qualifier and the second team continues the European league. Here we will face strong and experienced teams like Germany and Cuba and even the outsiders India are a strong team to combat.”
Under the flag of Czech Republic the country that was a part of the ex Czechoslovakia, the national volleyball team didn’t achieve the Olympic Qualifying dreams while the ex Czechoslovakia had a brilliant history of 5 consecutive qualifications to the Olympic Games in 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976 and 1980 and gaining the silver and bronze at Tokyo 64 and Mexico 68 respectively
