Pavel Nedved Leads Czechia's Manager Search

Pavel Nedved, the current football lead for the Czechia federation, has conceded defeat in his attempt to install Jindřich Trpišovský as the team's manager.

The team ranked 44th in Fifa’s standings has been without a permanent boss since Ivan Hasek was dismissed in October.

Trpišovský's success as domestic champions Slavia marked him out as the favourite to land the post, despite initial links to foreign candidates such as Fatih Terim and Jurgen Klinsmann.

Nedved felt the familiarity with Trpišovský would provide a boon for the national team, which is flagging due to friction between players and fans.

The 49-year-old former goalkeeper has suggested interest in job-sharing, even after last week’s Champions League defeat at Tottenham, but the decision was taken out of his hands.

Slaven Bilic is the latest contender to meet the criteria for a high-profile coach, with his role in elevating Croatia to a world force, including home and away wins over England on the way to Euro 2012.

Czechia will face Ireland in the World Cup playoff semi-final on March 26, and should they overcome Ireland, they'll be home for the final-either against Denmark or North Macedonia for a qualification spot.

“Trpišovský would be a logical and excellent alternative for the Czechia team,” admitted Nedved over the weekend.

He is one of our most experienced and successful coaches and would certainly have undeniable authority among the players and the public.

Nedved's work on hiring a new coach for the Czech team continues, with further negotiations awaiting them.

The team's last World Cup appearance was in 2006, and they have featured at the last eight European Championship finals in a row.

Czechia secured second spot and entry into the playoff series after enough wins over the Faroes and Montenegro.

The quaint 19-700-capacity Fortuna Arena in Prague is likely to host the semi-final against Ireland.