Off to Macedonia for a month

I will be in southeastern Macedonia for a month, so expect this blog to take a Macedonian turn for a few weeks.  I plan on writing a number of posts about football in the country.  As of now, I hope to go watch Turnovo in the first division, Belasica Strumica in the 3rd division, visit a few grounds around southeastern Macedonian, and watch the Women's European Champions League qualifiers in Strumica.

July 14, 2012 - Friendly - HFK Olomouc 2 Zlín B 2

July 14, 2012 - Friendly
HFK Olomouc 2 Zlín B 2 in Hodolany
Attendance - 45


This was my 2nd trip to see a match at Hodolany, so I won't write too much about it.  HFK Olomouc play in the 2nd tier, while Zlín B play in the 3rd tier.  My old report on Hodolany can be found here.

July 7, 2012 - Friendly - Sigma Olomouc 1 Brno 1

July 7th, 2012 - Friendly (in Slatinice)

Sigma Olomouc 1 Brno 1

Attendance - 300

Admission - 20kc

This friendly was played in Slatinice, which is a spa village south of Olomouc.  Sigma actually are playing almost all of their 'home' games in the village.  The pitch was in perfect condition, but I must say the game was quite boring. I have been to Slatinice many times in the past ,with the first being in 2002 when I went to see a friendly between HFK Olomouc and Brno.

Another look at the old SK Prostějov stadium

I went to take a look at the old SK Prostějov stadium a little over a year ago, so I thought it was about time I went again to see what has happened.  The pitch still looks like it is in use for training, but only for the youth teams.  The situation of the stadium is getting worse and worse, and there is really nothing positive coming in the future.  I still do not understand why SK could not renovate this stadium instead of building the new one just down the road.

July 5, 2012 - Basketball friendly - Czech Republic U20 86 Austria U20 56

July 5th, 2012
International Basketball Friendly in Prostějov
Czech Republic U20 86 Austria U20 56
Attendance - 20

I almost never watch club basketball, but when it comes to international basketball, I will always try to watch it.  However, when I got to the stadium it seemed I was the only one who was bothered enough to sit in a stuffy over heated gym.  The local newspaper reported attendance of 420, which I can only assume was a typo, as only 20 people were at the match.  I could hear my flip-flops around the gym as I walked up the steps, it was that quiet.  The second to last picture shows the score as 86-86, but that is only because at the end of the game Austria were given 30 points, and another 5 minutes was played for some reason.

Austria isn't known as a basketball nation, and it showed.  The Czech Republic was just too big and physical for them.

A new club is formed, and an old club disappears

Welcome, FK Skalka 2011.  They have had a decent local reputation in the small sided game, and now have made the jump to full senior football.  Skalka is a small village of around 250 people, and do not have a proper full sized pitch, so they will play in near-by Vyšovice.  They will start at the bottom of the pyramid in Okres Prostějov IV třída.

Unfortunately, the news of a new club has been met with the demise of an old club.  Drahany, who lost all 16 games this season, and did not even bother turning up for their last fixture, will not be playing in the 2012/13 season.  Who knows if they will return in a few years, or if this is really the end.

Sokol Cechovice

Sokol Cechovice didn't have a proper stand a few years ago, as the old one was crumbling and grass was everywhere.  Last September (I think), they built a very small stand to replace the old one.

June 30th - Friendly - Sigma Olomouc 0 Trnava 0

June 30th - Preseason friendly
Sigma Olomouc 0 Trnava 0 (in Újezdec u Luhačovic)
Attendance: 150
Admission: ?

Back in 2000 when I was a student in Olomouc, I would go to as many Sigma games as possible, home and away.  I returned in 2002, and followed much of the same pattern.  Ever since I moved permantely to Czech Republic, specifically Prostějov in 2007, I have been kind of drifting away from Sigma.  Even though Olomouc is only 20km away, I have found myself supporting my local team here in Prostějov.  Of course I still follow the results of Sigma, but before this game against Trnava, I do not think I have seen them play in close to 2 years.  I saw the friendly as a good opportunity to go some where new, and to see Sigma play again.

Újezdec is a very common name for villages in the Czech Republic, so first thing before heading off I had to make sure I was going to the correct one.  I was hoping the game would have been played in Ůjezdec near Přerov, but unfortunately it was the one near Luhačovice.  Last Saturday, it was over 30C, and not surprisingly, the trains were rather warm.  To get to Újezdec u Luhačovic I took the route Prostějov-Olomouc-Staré Město u Uherského Hradiště-Újezdec.  Overall it was a 115km one way trip which took about 2.5 hours.

The good thing about Újezdec was that the football stadium was only about 50m from the train stop.  I arrived at kick off, and left a few minutes after.  I was kind of surprised when this village was named for the friendly, but I suppose it makes sense, as it is kind of in the middle of Olomouc and Trnava.  The pitch was decent enough, as were the two small stands.  Most people on the day decided to stay in the shade as much as possible.  I would have thought a bigger crowd would attend, but in the end only about 150 came out on Saturday morning.  No doubt more people would have been interested if Slovácko were playing.

Despite the 0-0 draw, and the young Sigma Olomouc line-up, the game was entertaining.  Both sides pushed each other. Sigma had the play in the first half, and hit the post.  Trnava dominated much of the play in the second half, and were very unlucky not to score a goal.