Chance League (soccer)

Liberec’s historic 0:5 defeat in the Podještědský derby against Jablonec came to a dramatic end, as disgruntled fans rallied behind the terrified players. What happened at the Nisa stadium before midnight on Saturday?

“Theo (Gebre Selassie, sporting director) had a very important speech in the booth and then all the players came to the business lounge, which is the lower VIP area where the players and coaches are going after the game. Honza Nezmar (CEO) and I tried to talk a little about their souls. I will not reproduce what Honza said, but something to the effect that I have never been as disappointed as I was that night,” admitted Slovan owner Ondřej Kania in an interview published by the North Bohemian club on Sunday night.

When the football players were on the carpet, blue and white supporters tried to get to them. “A group of fifteen, maybe twenty fans were overwhelming the place where we were with the players. Because they also wanted to talk to their souls, which I completely understand. Myself, Theo and then Honza gradually approached them and convinced them that the players themselves were so low in their minds after showing what they had been told and he saw that it was almost eleven in the evening attacking their place a very large group of fans,” Kania described the hot moment.

“Obviously we have young players, they are not mature enough to handle it themselves. In the end, we managed to convince the fans to let us speak to their hearts, and I really thank them. I think it was enough of a reminder for the players,” said Kania, who took over the club six months ago and was looking to finish fifth this season. But , after ten games, Liberec is only in tenth place, while Jablonec is in fifth place, losing five points after a big defeat 0:5.

“We all know that sometimes in life you have to be overcome. We got a bullet in the head, we are alive by some miracle,” said Kania, who officially took over the club half a year ago at the beginning of April.

“Liberec suffered a historic defeat that it does not remember. It is more devastating for me and my wife. It was indeed a very difficult evening, not only for us, but for everyone. It is probably useless from my position to return to the football side in any way, because on the one hand I do not understand it, but I think it is not worth even talking about it, the result in itself is telling. It was a real problem for our club and I have no choice but to apologize to all the fans on behalf of the club,” said Kania, promising to do everything to ensure that Slovan do not get experience like this again under his leadership.

“I told the players that I know that I am a winner in life, I was able to overcome big obstacles and I have always won in the end and I don’t see that in any of them and that I am I would be very happy if they proved me wrong. It is very disappointing for me. I don’t see a single reason why a group of players and coaches like this wouldn’t have what it takes to be winners, although there is no sign of that after Saturday,” said a disappointed Kania. He went on to ‘ to express his confidence in the coaching staff led by Radoslav Kováč, saying that general manager Jan Nezmar will decide on changes eventually if he assesses that a cut is necessary.

Meanwhile, Kania temporarily suspended major marketing events planned at the club. “So far it looks like the quality and quantity of the brand has unfortunately overtaken the quality of the product. Honestly, it was about 50/50 that it would happen, but we couldn’t have imagined it in this devastating way. We will definitely eliminate any major planned marketing activity as it would be completely inappropriate for us to draw attention to myself in any way at this time. We all have to close ourselves in our environment and work hard to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” Kania ordered and invited the fans to the next home match with Slovácko.