Talks start on Nedved return for Euro 2008

A top Czech football association official said Thursday that he believed national manager Karel Bruckner had begun talks to bring back Juventus midfield star Pavel Nedved into the national squad for the Euro 2008 championships.

“I believe that some communication is going on there…But the situation is not so advanced that I could say that Nedved is returning to the national squad,” first deputy president of the Czech and Moravian Football Federation Vlastimil Kostal said in an interview with radio station Frekvence 1.

The Juventus midfielder, with 18 goals from 91 caps to his name, called time on his international career after the 2006 World Cup.

But pressure has mounted for the 2003 European Footballer of the Year to return to the national fold especially in the light of doubts whether Arsenal midfield star Tomas Rosicky will recover in time for the championships from a long term injury.

“Of course there is a chance that both of them could play in the European Championships,” Kostal added.

Chelsea keeper Petr Cech added to growing calls for Nedved's return on Thursday. He told the Dnes newspaper: “Pavel is part of the team, he's always made an important contribution to it. We're in real need of a player with such experience and blessed with such skills.

“His presence at the Euro would naturally be welcome, that's obvious,” noted Nuremberg's Czech striker Jan Koller.

The Czech Republic start their Group A campaign against co-hosts Switzerland on June 7, with Portugal on June 11 and Turkey four days later.

Separately, Kostal said that four people were currently in the frame to replace Czech manager Brucker, who has announced he will quit following the European Championships.

They are former Sparta Prague, Racing Strasbourg and St. Etienne manager, Ivan Hasek; current manager of the under-21 team Vitezslav Lavicka, FK Teplice manager Petr Rada and Slavia Prague manager Karel Jarolim.

An announcement will be made during the championship or soon after Czech interest ends, he said.