EXCLUSIVE: Petr Cech on World Cup final, Czechia's failure & Patrik Schick's retirement

Who do you think will win the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina?

"Personally, I think Spain will get the job done. But when I watched the last half hour of the semi-final between Argentina and England yesterday, I have to say Argentina put in a phenomenal performance. I believe that kind of display, and that kind of comeback in a World Cup semi-final, really got their blood pumping. On top of that, they had other chances too; they hit the woodwork, and in the end, they broke the game open anyway.

"So they'll certainly go into the final with a lot of confidence. Another thing is that they're the reigning world champions, and they have the experience of knowing what it takes to win the tournament, which could help them in the final. So I see it as 50/50. But if Spain repeat their performance from the semifinal against France, I think they should win."

How are you enjoying the closing stages of the championship? It's happened in a completely anomalous way that the four best teams according to the FIFA rankings made it to the semifinals.

"It shows the strength of European football. There were three European representatives in the semifinals, plus Argentina from Latin America as the defending champions. Football in Europe has enormous strength, and you could see that at this tournament. What's more, the FIFA rankings are now measured according to results across the entire qualifying campaign, the Nations League and other competitions. These teams win consistently, so in the end, it's not a complete surprise."

I'm curious whether Thomas Tuchel surprised you in the semifinal against Argentina. What people talked about most was England's reaction after scoring, when they dropped deep and played very passively. You know him well from your time in the sporting and technical department at Chelsea, where he was the head coach at the time. Were you surprised that he allowed the style of play England produced in that final half hour?

"He definitely didn't want that style of play. Harry Kane himself admitted that the instructions from the bench were: 'You have to keep playing, stay active and score a second goal.' But the team didn't manage it. The coach then explained that when the team couldn't break free from the pressure, he added a defender, because Argentina were playing with four attackers. 

"He wanted to play with five at the back so they'd have the advantage defensively. But they couldn't step up out of the second line or put pressure on the ball, and in the end, that buried them.

"It looks strange when a team like England let themselves get pinned back like that. On the other hand, I think the players couldn't handle the weight of the moment and the closing stages of the match got away from them. Once they got caught in that cycle where they couldn't hold on to the ball, it completely suffocated them."

You have experience from the 2006 World Cup yourself. How is it possible that when the Czech Republic reached the World Cup only for the second time in history, and there was a great atmosphere during the playoff, the team seemed mentally tired? It might sound strange to the public that players at the peak of their careers are mentally tired at a World Cup.

"It could be down to a badly set-up routine. You're shut away in one place for a long time with thirty people and the backroom staff. You need to rest mentally. If you have a regime that doesn't let you switch off, and you're just bored, cooped up in your room, that plays a huge role. Another factor is the possibility that you overcook the preparation in training.

"Preparing for a tournament is alchemy. Every player arrives in a different frame of mind. One has won a title and is buzzing, another has been relegated, and someone else is coming back from injury.

"One has played fifty matches, another five. The "one size fits all" method doesn't work here. Sometimes you need an individual approach and a careful distribution of the workload. The coaches' job is very difficult in this respect; it's about psychology and man-management. At that stage, you can't train anything into them or coach anything new.

"The team has to have clear rules, a tactical framework, and the players have to know exactly what's expected of them on the pitch. The point is for them to go into the match in the best possible frame of mind. If this alchemy doesn't come off, it can end badly.

"Players have their habits from their clubs, but the national team is something completely different. Sometimes you overcook the preparation out of too much eagerness, because everyone's excited, and after a week, you find the team is tired. From my own experience, I know there are only three possibilities in that situation: either the players were tired mentally and physically, or the environment didn't suit them and cabin fever set in, or it was a combination of everything together.

"When you're with people twenty-four hours a day, you need a good atmosphere and also space for yourself, so you can rest. Routine and freedom are key. No player takes a World Cup match lightly, but if the preparation doesn't come off, it costs the team better results."

You watched the tournament from the outside, but I have to ask about specific names. How did you view the trio in charge: FACR chairman David Trunda, manager Pavel Nedved and coach Miroslav Koubek? What's your opinion on their cooperation and responsibility?

"It's not my place to judge that, because I wasn't with the team and I didn't see how they work together. But for my part, I can say that for the position of general manager of the national team, we'd be hard-pressed to find anyone more suitable than Pavel Nedved. I have complete faith in him.

"He has enormous experience from abroad, he's a Ballon d'Or winner and he served in the management of a major European club. He understands management as well as what happens on the pitch. His appointment wasn't a coincidence. When he and his colleagues were choosing a coach and decided to make a change, I have no reason to doubt that they acted in the best interests of Czech football.

"They're experienced administrators and former great players. Coach Koubek then met the target with the team and qualified for the World Cup. It's a shame the tournament itself didn't work out, because this team had what it takes to present itself better and get out of the group."

How do you view the position of captain Ladislav Krejci? You hinted that his statements during the tournament could be read between the lines. Then came his speech at the airport, which he had written out in a notebook. He comes across as a born leader. Can he lead the national team in the future, too?

"Definitely, he has the qualities for it. He showed it at Sparta and with the national team, both in his performances on the pitch and in the responsibility he took on. The captain's role is very hard at moments like these. He has to defend the team's interests, but at the same time, he's an extension of the coach.

"There has to be a symbiosis between them, which isn't easy. But he showed he has the personality to be a captain. It'll be important for him to lead the team going forward and help it get past the current criticism. Every player is going through personal disappointment now because the expectations were different. Now they need to process it.

"The Nations League starts soon, where we face three tough opponents in a row, and there'll be no time to dawdle. We'll see how the situation around the new coach develops, which will play a key role.

As a fan, were you disappointed by Patrik Schick's decision to retire from the national team? He's among our best players and he's at an ideal age.

"I'm more saddened that when we have one of the best scorers in the Bundesliga, a decision like this comes about. Lately, there's been too much debate around his role in the national team, about whether he should play or not. It surprises me that no way was found to make full use of his enormous potential, so he'd score goals just like he does at his club. Every team and tactical set-up is specific, but if you have a player of such quality, you have to find a way to get the maximum out of him."

According to FACR chairman David Trunda's comments, the path of a foreign coach is taking shape. What do you think about that? Is it a conceptual step, or just a reaction to the current situation?

"The idea of a foreign coach doesn't bother me at all. The coaches in the Czech Republic who'd come into consideration have valid contracts at their clubs, where they're doing well, and I don't think they'd leave for the national team at this stage of their careers. But if we want a foreign coach, it can't just be because he holds a foreign passport. It has to be a coach who wants to do a real piece of work here and hungers for success.

"Above all, he has to understand the difference between working at a club and with the national team, which are two different professions. At a club, you have the players every day, you build their habits in every training session and everything is easier.

"With the national team, you have players with different workloads and habits from their clubs. There, you can't train anything into them anymore. It's about leading people, setting clear rules and a tactical system, so everyone knows what to do. The coach's main task is to prepare the players so they go onto the pitch in the best possible condition. If he can do that, it makes no difference at all what passport he holds. He has to understand people's mentality and how our football works."

Aren't you planning to get involved in the leadership of Czech football or the sporting movement in the future? You have plenty of ideas and experience.

"I have plenty of ideas, and I see the solution in investing in coaches, setting up a clear system and supporting school sport. Someone might object that it's easy to say, but I don't have the power to change these things myself without the cooperation of the clubs, the state and the ministries.

"I often get asked why I don't go and do it myself. I answer that I live abroad, and you can't do that kind of work remotely over the phone. You have to be present on the ground and talk to people. Making decisions from an office without knowing the real situation often does more harm than good. Until I have the chance to spend most of my time in the Czech Republic, I can't get involved. But that doesn't stop me from having a clear opinion on the matter."

Check out the latest episode of Peter Cech's podcast with Flashscore.