Lubos Kalouda: Interview

Professional football club CSKA signed 5-year contract with FC “Brno” player Lubos Kalouda. The Czech midfielder took a shirt with number 20 on the back.

Lubos KALOUDA

Midfielder.

Born 20 May 1987 in Vyskov (Czech Republic).

Height — 180 cm, weight — 75 kg.

PlayedforFC “Brno”.

Runner-up of the U20 World Cup in Canada (2007). 

   Just right after signing contract with red-blues U21 Czech international Lubos Kalouda spoke to the official web-site of PFC CSKA. During the conversation it turned out that Lubos has got a lot in common with the other Czech player who was the part of our club not so long ago, Jiri Jarosik. They both play in the midfield, they both chose the shirt with number 20 on the back and finally Kaloda’s girlfriend name is Veronika, the same as the name of Jarosik’s sweetheart. And Lubos himself thinks that he’s got enough strength and skills to become the favourite of PFC CSKA fans, thus going by the footsteps of Jiri.

Jiri and I, we are of different generations

- Welcome to PFC CSKA, Lubos! Tell something about yourself. Where are you from, where did you start to play football?

- I was born in a small Czech town called Vyskov. It is situated not far away from Brno, and it was quite logical for me to move with time to the football team of this larger city. I started to play football in the age of seven, but my international career started much later, only at U18 level. Since I was nineteen I started to play for the first team of “Brno”, at twenty I went to the U21 World Cup that was held in Canada... 

- ... And you came back home with the silver medals on your neck, adding to this three goals scored on the tournament.

- Yes, and the first one was of course the most important of them. I missed the opening game with Argentina because of the slight injury and in the second game against North Korea the coach was already about to replace me when I scored! (smiling). After that the coach changed his mind and decided to let me play, and I felt more confidence. And those silver medals, well of course it is big achievement. But I hope that not the last one.

- It was just after the Canadian tournament when scouts from European top-clubs set their eyes on you. This winter you could have moved to “Newcastle”, “Juventus”, but finally it was PFC CSKA who landed you. What do you think about this career twist?

- In CzechRepublic everyone knows that PFC CSKA is very serious club which already won European trophies. I know that in 2005 my new club has won UEFA Cup. There are a lot of strong players in PFC CSKA squad, many of them are playing for their national teams. Besides a lot of Czechs are playing in Russia. They say that they are doing fine here.  

- Do you know that one of these Czechs made his mark in PFC CSKA history?

- Yes, of course. Seems to me that Jiri started to play from the first games. But he moved to Russia being a formed player. Of course I will do all I can to follow his footsteps. But it may well be so that I need some time to get accustomed to the new environment because I’m still young. And by the way that’s why I’m not acquainted with Jarosik personally, we are players of different generations.

I’m aware not only about football CSKA but about ice-hockey one also

- You have already told us about UEFA Cup and Jiri Jarosik. What else do you know about PFC CSKA?

- I’ve heard that the team colours are red-blue, that it is the army club. As far as I understood the team has only goal to reach, to win every game that is played. But for me CSKA it is also ice-hockey. For I’m Czech, so no matter what my age is such names as Makarov, Larionov, Krutov, that of legendary coach Tikhonov I know as good as names of our hockey stars. I know that these people were symbols of ice-hockey CSKA.

- Both in “Brno” and U21 national team you played under number 19 but in PFC CSKA you chose 20. Why?

- To be honest coming here I thought that number 20 would be occupied. But in the club I was told that Dudu is going to play under number eight and I was really glad with it. The thing is that in “Brno” I asked for number 19 because I was nineteen then. Now I’m twenty, so I decided to have on the back corresponding figures.

- In CzechRepublic you are dubbed as “second Nedved”. Do you agree with such a nickname?

- “Second Nedved” is more journalists cliche. Teammates usually call me “Lyubo”. And those comparisons with Pavel… Those are just advances to me, though of course it’s nice to be compared to such a player as him. I think we still have something in common, for example I like to shoot from beyond the penalty box, from about 20 meters. But of course I am aware that I still need to improve many things so that I could at least come closer to the level of Nedved.

- Then it would be logical to ask you about your strong and weak sides. 

- I like to move upfront to support the attack, try to make decisions quickly. I play usually in the centre of the midfield or on the right side. I can use both foots, but the right one is still stronger. And of course I should improve my heading and the general level of mastery. I think that is what I will achieve in PFC CSKA. But I will need to get accustomed to the team, to the coaches’ demands.

- You will need to get accustomed to the new language also. You pronounce some words in Russian already but not so many of them...

- “Spasibo”, “pozhajlusta”, “segodnya”, “vchera”, “utro”, “trenirovka”, “myach”...

- And for example “devushka”?

- (reflecting) No, and what is it?

- Girlfriend.

- А-а! (laughing). No, I don’t think that it is the word that I need to learn first of all. Because I have already a girlfriend, her name is Veronika. She’s very beautiful, I hope she will join me in Moscow soon.   

- And where are you going to bring her in the first place?

- Well, I haven’t been anywhere by myself yet, I’ve just seen airport and the club office. But I think I already know where we would go. There is incredibly beautiful cathedral near the Red Square. We surely will look at it from all the sides.

Roman LYAKHOVENKO, Valentine KOBYSCHA (photo), Alexander PETROV (translation)