Will you still join Slovan?
It’s unlikely. I talked to coach Hoftych and we agreed that due to my minor injury, I have a horse from the match with Brno, and the fact that I signed a contract elsewhere, I probably won’t start again. Of course, I’m still preparing one hundred percent, but it probably wouldn’t be fair for me to ruin the season for the boys if the match didn’t work out for me.
In the autumn, you wanted to get another chance in Slavia. When did you find out it wouldn’t happen?
In today’s Slavia, almost every football player would like to play, but not everyone will succeed. I’ve felt for a long time that I’m out of the game and that the chance probably won’t come. But I still have to thank the club for introducing me to big football. Four years ago, Mr. Šilhavý brought me with Mr. Chytrý, and I was mainly convinced by Mr. Tvrdík. Even though I was only there for practically a year, I learned how to make great football and what it means to be in a big club. It was school for me. And that I got injured and dropped out of the team? It just happens. I tried to prove that I have Slavia, but unfortunately I didn’t succeed.
Football defender Jugas is leaving for Poland, he will play for Krakow
–
The last time you appeared in a stitched jersey was almost three years ago. Don’t you regret now that you didn’t transfer earlier and go to guest appearances?
Certainly not. Again, I met a lot of other teammates and other environments in Boleslav, Jablonec and Liberec. Yes, I do have a business card of a traveling player, but I got to know how other clubs do football, made new contacts and met a lot of other players. Including such personalities as Marek Matějovský, Tomáš Hübschman or most recently Michael Rabušic. I just wandered around waiting for a chance, but I certainly don’t regret it.
In the end, you played only 43 matches for Slavia. When signing the three-year contract in 2017, you may have been expecting a larger portion, weren’t you?
I actually played only the first season. When I evaluate it retrospectively, I played it above standard. I was one of the basic building blocks. Unfortunately, the title was not successful at that time. We only managed to win the home cup. And then I got injured in preparation for a long time. There were other players, a lot of competition, and they wouldn’t let me go. I couldn’t come back, which is definitely my part of the blame. But I don’t regret it. Slavia doesn’t refuse and I’m glad I was there.
If you could change one thing about your work in Eden to play more there, would you find anything?
Definitely yes. I know exactly when I got hurt. It was in pre-match training, when we practiced shooting. Even as I picked up the balloon, I thought something was wrong. But I still fired and tore my muscle. I know that if I felt the same way with the interval of those three years, I would definitely not shoot and would rather kick it in the car … But at that time I was a young janek and wanted to do everything to the fullest. And you see how it turned out. Maybe it would end a week later anyway … But that’s probably the only moment I would change in my work in Slavia.
You are no longer a young Janek, you celebrated your 29th birthday in May. Did you feel that you had the best time for a foreign engagement?
Of course, dropping out of Slavia was sad, but on the other hand, I probably had one last chance to try abroad. In addition, I have been working in the league for 21 years and I know the environment well. Poland is known for its infrastructure and quality stocks, I think this is a slightly underestimated competition. When I saw the background that Cracovia had, I was thrilled. I have never seen such conditions for training in my life. I’m really looking forward to it.
–
Lukáš Juliš from Sparta Prague and Jakub Jugas
Vlastimil Vacek, Right
What role did it play for you to get closer from Krakow?
We certainly did not look for a club by distance, although with all due respect it is better to be in Krakow than to play in Gdansk. Availability was a big plus for the wife and daughter, the family will have it more accessible. I’m glad, but it wasn’t the basic building block for which we would go there.
What was the basic building block?
Unequivocally interested coach and management. I talked to the coach first on the phone and then in person and I felt that he really wanted me. The interest of the coach and other people from Krakow was very specific, which was the basis for me.
Frydrych scored for the first time in the Polish league, Pekhart scored twice
–
Your former partner from Slavia, Michal Frydrych, plays for the rival Wisla Kraków. Did you discuss the transfer together?
Sure, we’ve been in touch for a long time. When it surfaced that I was transferring to a competing club, he immediately called me and said that they would treat me nicely in a mutual match … (laughs) We know each other from Slavia, we are friends. At the beginning, of course, he offered me a helping hand. If I need anything, I should contact him. I will definitely use his offer. But we probably don’t donate anything on the field. I’m looking forward to what it will look like.
The Krakow derby is called the Holy War.
Unfortunately, this season was played without spectators, but it is a very sharp derby. I think it’s comparable to Sparta’s match with Slavia. When I saw Krakow Stadium, just across the park is Wisla Stadium. I have never experienced rival stadiums so close. And given how fanatical the fans are in Poland and especially in Krakow, I think it will be a very heated match and it will be another great career experience that one will not simply experience.
When do you start in a new club?
They start on June 15, but since I have a contract in Slavia until the last of June, we still have to agree on whether to release me fifteen days earlier. But it’s already at my manager’s meeting with Slavia. I don’t think there will be any major problem in this.
– .
