Defensive performance against Spain went against coach Pavel Vrba’s usual style

17 June ~ Disappointment at conceding a late goal against Spain has given way to a more positive mood in the Czech Republic, with everything still to play for against Croatia today. Having taken an atypically defensive approach against Spain, coach Pavel Vrba has promised to return to his trademark attacking style for the remaining group games. Sparta Prague midfielder Borek Dockal, the Czechs’ leading scorer in qualification, is expected to return to the starting line-up.

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Coming soon… United stars face their toughest clash yet! #IndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/hmnBjUWbAM

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) June 14, 2016

BIRKIR BJARNASON!
1-1#EMÍsland pic.twitter.com/Ugbg3XCees

— Síminn (@siminn) June 14, 2016

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Joachim Löw back at it again… pic.twitter.com/UthFvT8t8h

— CaughtOffside (@caughtoffside) June 14, 2016

The extraordinary rise of La Liga’s smallest team
by Euan McTear
Pitch Publishing, £9.99
Reviewed by Phil Ball
From WSC 352 June 2016

Buy this book

The Eibar story is de facto a wonderful one, easy pickings for a half-decent author. Euan McTear, an ardent young blogger now resident in Belfast, had dabbled with journalism in Scotland and then spent time in Barcelona, using his residency there as the springboard for documenting Eibar’s maiden season in Spain’s top flight. McTear goes on to demonstrate with unbridled affection the vicissitudes of his adopted club’s foray into the limelight, and although the book was published with somewhat indecent haste (three months after the conclusion of the 2014-15 season), the rookie author comes over as genuine.

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