16 Czechoslovakians #11: FK Teplice

 

Relieved though I am that this next team will require no copied and pasted accents from Google or Wikipedia for their name, a long journey to the other side of the country would provide the necessary difficulties. Having both got through the last round of the Czech Cup, a place in the Quarter Finals was at stake for Teplice and Zbrojovka Brno.

 

Thus far, Teplice have seen off Viktoria Žižkov (2-1 AET) and Viagem Příbram (0-3), where Zbrojovka have seen off Slovan Rosice (0-4), and FC Silon Táborsko (a late 1-2 success). The sides have already played in the league in Brno this season, with neither side coming out on top in a frustrating 2-2 draw.

 

The record is fairly even over the last 30 years, though more recent history tends to favour the draw. The Czech Cup of 2021 in fact saw this exact fixture played, in which Teplice emerged 2-0 victors. Given Zbrojovka’s recent away wobbles, getting through to the Quarters could be a tough ask. Given that the cup is a route to the Europa League, progression could further the huge incentive on offer for either side.

 

Prediction wise, I fear a repeat of the score line when these teams met last in the Czech Cup, though the reverse of that would naturally be most welcome.

 

The Road to Teplice

Given that the journey wasn’t exactly the shortest, it wasn’t exactly the easiest either. The initial 9am RegioJet bus got me to Prague by midday, from which I’d taken the metro to Holešovice. The direct bus to Teplice had sold out, meaning a bus to Most followed by a brief train would complete the arduous journey.

 

The city of Teplice is well worth visiting, although with only an hour to kick off (and an early departure back home the following day), I had only a brief time to explore before the game. I took in the delights of the centre of the city after checking into my fairly budget hotel near the station, as well as the creatively named Curry House after the game.

 

On leaving the following day, the town felt oddly familiar on my walk to the bus station, almost British in places. It was as if it was a blend of many various towns and cities visited in all my years following Stevenage – a bit of St Hellier, Leeds, Carlisle and probably countless others.

After the Game

The game itself was a classic cup tie in which Zbrojovka took barely a minute to take the lead through Jakub Přichystal. Teplice were level just before the 10 minute mark through Matěj Hybš in a frantic opening to the game.

 

The next goal came in the 80^th minute and looked to be decisive, as Alois Hyčka made it 2-1 to the hosts. A sending off for Endl looked to put the nail in the Zbrojovka coffin, but a late, late penalty converted by Jakub Řezníček (the last kick of the game) meant extra time beckoned.

 

The ten men of Zbrojovka grabbed that winner through goal-machine Jakub Řezníček, seeing them go a step closer to something potentially historic.

 

Who are ya?

Based in the Western side of Czech Republic, Teplice are managed by one of the National Teams Euro 2004 stalwarts in Jiří Jarošík – himself a former youth product of the club. Skláři (or Glassblowers in English) were formed in 1945 some 77 years ago, the club have a fascinating and notable history involving a couple of the big boys of the European stage.

 

Before the war, Teplice played host to Teplitzer FK, though they were dissolved in 1939. Following the war, a new club called FK Teplice emerged, gaining promotion to the First League as soon as 1948. They would stay there for five seasons under various monikers before relegation, which would lead to eleven years of always being the bridesmaid but never the bride in the 2^nd tier.

 

The next fifteen years in the top tier were relatively successful, with a trip to GKS Zagłębie Wałbrzych in Europe in 1971 (a 4-2 aggregate defeat) and a Czechoslovak Cup win in 1977. They also moved into current stadium Na Stínadlech in 1973 – an 18,221 capacity arena. Their fifteen year stay came to an end, however in 1979.

 

In the second tier, the first two seasons saw title wins without playoff success, though promotion was eventually achieved after a title win in 1983. As seems to be customary with promotions in this country, it was followed by a relegation the following season. Another relegation would occur in 1991, though this time it was down to the third tier. They were back up to the second tier in 1993, then the top tier in 1996.

 

Teplice have very much been a Czech League mainstay ever since, and it could well be one of the first teams you think of bar the big guns of Prague when thinking of Czech football. They finished a record high of 2^nd in 1999, occasionally finishing in the top five in the last 25 years or so. Nowadays, the club have been languishing in the bottom half for around four seasons.

 

As well as their trip to Poland in 1971, Teplice also have European Cup pedigree, though they are yet to trouble a group stage. They lost to Dortmund 2-0 on aggregate in the 1999-2000 Champions League Playoff, though they saw off Ferencvaros (4-2) before Mallorca (1-5) sent them packing.

The 2003-04 UEFA Cup saw Teplice beat the likes of Kaiserslautern (3-1) and Feyenoord (3-1), before a 3^rd round exit at the hands of Celtic (1-3). In 2005/06, they saw off Partizan Misk (3-2) in the same competition, before succumbing to Espanyol (1-3). Their final European adventure to date was a brief one with Israeli side Hapoel Tel Aviv – a 2-3 aggregate defeat meant no Europa League Group Stage football would come to Teplice in 2009/10.

 

The club certainly have a long way to go to get back to the European adventures, but things can change in no time at all in football.