Returning from abroad to the Czech Republic? After leaving the Bundesliga, I missed one thing, says the expert

They were of a similar age. Jarolím came to Mladá Boleslav from abroad at the age of 34, Novák is a year younger. “I spent almost my entire playing career in the Bundesliga. Full stadiums, great facilities, great interest from the fans,” described Jarolím, who played in Bayern, Nuremberg, Hamburg and briefly stopped in Evian, France.

“The driving force for an older player is motivation and stomped stands. When you arrive at the stadium in Germany, everywhere is full. The same with the warm-up. When a lot of people come, you don’t have a problem with motivation. This is exactly what I missed after returning to the Czech Republic,” explained Jarolím.

“When I came home, it wasn’t about the money. I wanted to have fun and win when the spectators in the stands were missing. I heard about players who were not valid after returning from abroad, but I did not allow it. I had my approach and I was able to prepare professionally,” emphasized Jarolím. “Over time, it was important for me to reach out to the younger players and help them off the field as well. I hope I left some trace in Boleslav in the end.”

But back to Novák, who played the last sharp match this January. Is Olomouc the ideal address for him? “It could fit Philip there. “Coach Jílek prefers constructive football, and Sigma has skilled players who try to play offensively,” commented Jarolím.

“It was different for me in Boleslav from the beginning: physically demanding football was played there and I didn’t really get into the game much. But over time it changed. They started playing more on the ground and combining,” recalled Jarolím. “If Filip is physically well prepared in Olomouc, he will have no problem and can help the team a lot.”

A week ago, Novák sat out the entire match in Jablonec (1:1) among the substitutes, and on Sunday, Sigma will have a home game against second-placed Slavia. Wouldn’t he benefit from a warm-up start against a paper weaker opponent? “I wouldn’t even think about that. It would be pointless to distinguish between Slavia and teams from the lower part of the table,” said Jarolím. “If Filip is 100% ready for the match, it doesn’t matter who he plays against. In addition, a lot of people could come to Slavia, and some could come especially because of Novák.”