After EMF Euro we sat down to talk all thing Czech Minifootball with striker Robin Demeter
Jihlava sent a single representative to the European Minifootball Championship. And Robin Demeter brought a bronze medal from Székesfehérvár in Hungary. Just like two years ago from Montenegro. “Both bronzes have been tremendously difficult, the competition rises up. The medals have their importance and it´s a success, “said the striker from Jihlava.
He didn´t play as many matches as in Herceg Novi two years ago, but he wasn´t bothered. He managed to score one goal. “The year before I scored more goals in the tournament and I also played more matches but in Hungary there were a lot players and we’re all on the same level. Everyone wanted to play, so the coaches substituted us a lot. We went there to make a team success, not as individuals to show off, “said the twenty-six year old forward.
The Czech team lost its chance to play for the gold in the semifinals with a later European champion from Kazakhstan, who defeated them 0:3. Players then were shaking down the disappointment before the match for the bronze. “It was complicated. We wanted to go to the finals and we lost the most important match but we didn´t want to allow what happened last year when we came home without a medal. We hung together before the battle for the third place and we managed it, “stated Demeter.
In this match the Czech team defeated Montenegro 2:0 and Demeter with his teammates also had to withstand many provocations of the opponent. “I am kind of a nervous player but before the game we said that our possible arguing or shoving could only help Montenegro. We knew that they would probably try to play like this, so we mostly controlled ourselves, even though it was tremendously difficult, “he admitted.
He could not enjoy extending of the bronze medal celebrations in the Czech Republic, because he left Hungary in the early morning after the tournament to play a match for his football team. “On Saturday after the announcement of the winners, we celebrated our medal quite thoroughly. When the football season is over, we will certainly have more time to meet and continue,” Demeter hopes.
He hopes that he will repeat the successful crusade of the Czech national team at the next European Championship, which Brno hosts in June 2017. “We went to Hungary with a promise that if we make some success, most of us have an open door to the home championship. We all have it in our minds. Who wouldn´t want to play at the first European championship in the Czech Republic? “, he asks.
Jihlava enters the second year of the national minifootball DRFG super league on the pitch of Příbram. Last year due to a bad start they finished as the third team. “We really want to catch the start this year, even though it is complicated for many players to play both types of football. If the best players from Jihlava are ready to play we must reach a better place than the third one. We certainly have quality”, believes Robin.
He is looking forward to the second year of this competition. „I really like the system. It is much easier for the coaches to choose players for the national team because they can see the best ones on the pitch against each other. The matches are broadcast on TV and the competitionreally helps minifootball. I hope this year will be better than the last one“, says Demeter.