Prague is beautiful at this time of year. Emerging from a bitter enough winter, the weather here has turned pleasant again and the evenings are beginning to stretch out a little.
There is a tangible sense of optimism and confidence in the air too that the Czech national team can knock the Republic of Ireland out of World Cup contention next Thursday in the Fortuna Arena and advance to a playoff final against either Denmark or North Macedonia.
For the travelling Irish fans lucky enough to have tickets for the game, a scene of hostility awaits them at the home of Slavia Prague.
I know this because I was camped in the opposition dugout only a couple of weeks ago with the rest of Sparta Prague’s coaching team as the city derby and top-of-the-table clash unfolded. We got our noses in front in first-half stoppage-time before losing our way in the second half and allowing Slavia back in the game.
Tomáš Chorý, the Czech international and Slavia’s go-to striker, did the damage – grabbing two goals and assisting for the third.
I hope Ireland experience an entirely different outcome at the Fortuna Arena next Thursday night.
I’ll miss the game as I’ll be in Bergamo with Northern Ireland trying to plot the downfall of hosts Italy in another one-legged semi-final playoff affair.
Back in the noughties, I was fortunate enough to represent the Republic of Ireland at youth level right through to under-21. I finished up under Don Givens. So, I’d love Heimir Hallgrímsson’s team to be leaving Prague with their World Cup dream intact.
Sparta Prague assistant coach Diarmuid O’Carroll (left) represented Ireland up to under-21 level during his playing days. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Putting my own patriotic bias aside, though, the Irish lads have their work cut out against a side I’ve come to know and respect since hooking up with Sparta last summer.
To begin with, the Fortuna Arena is the most inhospitable environment for visiting teams.
With a capacity of just under 20,000, it’s not huge, but it’s a proper modern stadium. Compact, no gaps, full to the brim. Almost vertical tiers that feel like human walls when you’re at pitchside. And it’ll be loud – especially among the Ultras, who are housed behind one of the goals.
While Ireland will be buoyed by their incredible wins over Portugal and Hungary in this rollercoaster qualification campaign, they’re facing an opponent that expects to progress to the playoff final.
The level of player across the Czech squad makes them slight favourites, plus they’re at home. They’ll fancy this tie, no question.
They’ve got a lot of players who are playing at the top level – not necessarily the English Premier League, but the top tiers in Germany and Italy. And they have good attacking options.
They have players who are used to playing in the Champions League and Europa League, so they won’t be spooked by this occasion.
Of course, Ireland also have players with experience of playing in European competitions and the Czechs might underestimate the level of this team.
Czech fans light flares during their team’s World Cup qualifier match against Croatia at Fortuna Arena, Prague, last October. Photograph: Marko Lukunic/Pixsell/MB Media/Getty Images
Many of the Irish boys aren’t well known across Europe but they’re still good players in their own right. The camaraderie and the traditional Irish spirit will be a leveller.
The Czech squad boasts several young players who’ve come through the ranks at Slavia. Given the venue, they’ll try and feed into that.
The noise generated by the home crowd should only count for so much. Of far greater significance will be the on-pitch aggression. It’ll be a physical, up-and-at-them type of game.
Culturally, the Czech people are mentally strong. It’s a working country, they’re used to grafting; there is no soft culture here.
All their players are well able to look after themselves. The Czech boys are brilliant that way. Very together, very focused on the basics – a manager’s dream, really. They’ll put sweat into the jersey.
They have an experienced crew at the back. Our own Jaroslav Zeleny of Sparta has had two close-up encounters with Troy Parrott‘s AZ Alkmaar in the Uefa Conference League over the last week and knows what level of player the Czech defence is facing.
I like Zeleny. He’s 33, a good player, cultured left foot, previously had a spell with Slavia Prague and has quite a few caps at this stage of his career and won’t be fazed by the occasion.
He’s a very mellow kind of guy. He generally plays left of a back three for the national team. He mightn’t be up against Parrott directly in Prague next week, but he can advise his teammates.
David Jurasek will look to take the ball forward for Czech Republic against Ireland next Thursday. Photograph: Michal Cizek/AFP via Getty Images
He’ll tell them Parrott likes contact and he’s a game runner. You need to be keeping an eye on him in the box as some of his runs certainly hurt us across the two legs. Parrott just has a well-rounded skill set.
Of course, the Czechs carry significant attacking threats themselves. Their coach, Miroslav Koubek, is a wily operator.
Toss a coin between a 3-4-3 and 3-5-2.
What we know is Koubek doesn’t harbour lofty ideas of playing through midfield. He prefers a more vertical style of football and plays to the strengths of his playing pool.
West Ham’s Tomáš Souček and Lukas Provod of Slavia are good players but the Czech style is generally to miss midfield.
They simply don’t have a creative, ball-playing type of player. What they have got is stoppers, number 10s, plenty of legs and physicality – but they don’t have an elite-level creative midfielder.
If they had someone like Stanislav Lobotka of Slovakia, they’d be a top team.
The Czechs have other ways of ushering the ball into the final third of the pitch. For sure, Hallgrímsson will have done his homework on David Jurasek, a powerful left wingback.
Jurasek has Bundesliga experience and is currently in good form with Slavia. A great left foot who won’t turn down a cross.
No matter who the Czechs play in attack, Jurasek will supply them with opportunities.
The Czech attack is where Ireland must be vigilant.
[ Patrik Schick: The dangerous Czech striker Ireland must stop in PragueOpens in new window ]
Patrik Schick of Bayer Leverkusen is a top, top player – a major threat to Ireland’s hopes. Schick is in the same mould as Chorý of Slavia who’s flying in the Czech Liga. Both are big, imposing strikers who won’t shy away from a tackle.
Schick is definitely ahead of Chorý in terms of ability and is sure to start in attack.
Going on club form, Pavel Šulc will probably nail one of the other attacking berths as he’s scored 10 goals in 21 games for Lyon this season.
I’d imagine it’ll be Šulc and Schick in attack – but don’t rule out Šulc playing behind Chorý and Schick.
It’s so hard to call a winner in Prague next Thursday. I think it’ll be 2-1 either way. It depends on who wins the set-piece battle.
If Ireland come out on top in set-plays, they win the game. If they don’t, they’ll lose the game. It won’t be vintage, possession-based football or a game for the purists.
It’ll be a physical, rugged affair, a lot of box entries, a lot of crosses and set-plays.
Whoever deals with their own box best will win the game.
I’m just hoping it’ll be Ireland.
– Killarney native Diarmuid O’Carroll played at every level up to under-21 for the Republic of Ireland. He is assistant coach with Sparta Prague and Northern Ireland