Twenty outfield players and three goalkeepers. This was the standard number in the nominations for the top tournaments of the European and World Championships.
In the summer of 2021, when even the sports world was still paralyzed by the coronavirus pandemic, the European Football Union (UEFA) allowed teams to have three more players in their squads, so that in the event of an infection, coaches would not find themselves in difficult situations.
Twenty-six players in the nomination could also be participants of the World Cup in Qatar in 2022. Although the Covid era has passed, the championship was played in November and December.
This year’s Euro was supposed to be a return to twenty-three-member nominations, so UEFA had already set it up earlier. But Dutch coach Koeman came up with the idea that more players should be allowed again.
His proposal aroused a lot of positive reactions, the Czech representative also supports it. Hašek will be there when the topic will be discussed next week with the participation of all twenty-four participants in the championship.
“Coach Koeman came up with the request to increase the number of nominees first and others are joining him. I have had several consultations on the subject at UEFA. We also unequivocally support his idea of a larger number of players,” Petr Fousek, president of the domestic association and member of the UEFA executive committee, told the ČTK agency.
When the Czech national team defeated Norway and Armenia in the preliminary matches in March, coach Hašek also talked about the nomination, which he will have to officially announce in June. And until then, the national team will play at most a preparatory duel with Malta.
“It will be a very difficult decision. We have to go to the players more to see them, talk to them, monitor their health. The nomination is definitely not done. We will try to select players who will be in the best shape and as prepared as possible,” noted Hašek.
On Monday, he will have the opportunity to add his voice to the demand that the number of nominees be greater than twenty-three. Of course, every coach would welcome a greater choice.
