Life At Slavia Prague's Academy: Alex Wesolowsky

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad Academy' started by PhillyFury, Nov 26, 2017.

  1. ASU55RR

    ASU55RR Member+

    Jul 31, 2004
    Brooklyn, NY/Brno,CZ
    Club:
    FC Zbrojovka Brno
    Nat'l Team:
    Czechia
    More of a general/personal question but do you feel the club is taking sufficient precautions with having youth matches?

    I know the recent virus flare up around Karvina definitely impacted local clubs at all levels in Silesia, granted that is very far from Prague... (and part of me suspects Opava was doing everything short of having "Coronavirus Parties" to avoid relegation through playoff cancellation).
     
  2. PhillyFury

    PhillyFury Member

    Slavia Prague
    United States
    Jan 1, 2004
    Prague, Czech Republic
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    Hard to say, but I hope so. It seems the teams will travel in and quickly out for games, not using lockers and such of other teams. As you know, lots of B-team players at Bohemka, Sparta, and Dukla got the virus at a Prague disco, putting us all on edge here as infection rates rise. Hoping all the players come back from Nymburk healthy.
     
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  3. PhillyFury

    PhillyFury Member

    Slavia Prague
    United States
    Jan 1, 2004
    Prague, Czech Republic
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    A two-game mini tourney in Hradec Kralove on August 1. Got the bus at six in the morning for the 70-mile ride east. First game against Hradec, good side with decent academy ended 4-0 for Slavia. Alex played first half as a middie. The next game was the real test: Banik Ostrava. Team is from the mining, industrial northeast, not far from the Polish border. This is where Milan Baros and other famous Czech footballers got their start. They romp teams out east, the way Slavia and Sparta do in the west. Slavia got a convincing 4-1 result. Alex assisted on two goals. While he did not score, he was only player outside of goalie and three defenders to play entire match. Coach praised his quick long transition balls out to the wingers. Alex is being called on to distribute more, and seems to be improving on tracking back on defense; a deficiency in his game...
     
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  4. PhillyFury

    PhillyFury Member

    Slavia Prague
    United States
    Jan 1, 2004
    Prague, Czech Republic
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  5. PhillyFury

    PhillyFury Member

    Slavia Prague
    United States
    Jan 1, 2004
    Prague, Czech Republic
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  6. PhillyFury

    PhillyFury Member

    Slavia Prague
    United States
    Jan 1, 2004
    Prague, Czech Republic
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  7. PhillyFury

    PhillyFury Member

    Slavia Prague
    United States
    Jan 1, 2004
    Prague, Czech Republic
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    A few photos from this weekend's big tournament at Slavia where the top teams across the country battled it out over two days. Slavia won the tourney, beating Sparta in the final. Alex had a mixed bag. Started poorly on Saturday morning, and that kinda got him in the doghouse. Had two goals and an assist. Showed well in bits, but struggled with the heat, and coming back on defense...
     
  8. PhillyFury

    PhillyFury Member

    Slavia Prague
    United States
    Jan 1, 2004
    Prague, Czech Republic
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  9. PhillyFury

    PhillyFury Member

    Slavia Prague
    United States
    Jan 1, 2004
    Prague, Czech Republic
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  10. I see he's getting used to play in a Feyenoord alike shirt. Ambition?;)
     
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  11. kruck

    kruck Member+

    Jan 12, 2008
    Houston, TX
    Club:
    SV Werder Bremen
    Cool to see a thread like this on BigSoccer. Thanks for the openness to do this and your candor.
     
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  12. kruck

    kruck Member+

    Jan 12, 2008
    Houston, TX
    Club:
    SV Werder Bremen
    All I can think of is like Titos Partizans when I see that uniform.

    Hard to make a more communist jersey if you tried.
     
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  13. Winoman

    Winoman Drinkin' Wine Spo-De-O-De!

    Jul 26, 2000
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    :D
     
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  14. TxEx

    TxEx Member+

    Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace, FC Dallas
    Aug 19, 2016
    DFW
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Solid red with the star is about the only thing.
     
  15. ASU55RR

    ASU55RR Member+

    Jul 31, 2004
    Brooklyn, NY/Brno,CZ
    Club:
    FC Zbrojovka Brno
    Nat'l Team:
    Czechia
    Slavia was actually not well like by Communist regime at all since it was perceived as the club of the urban intellectuals and bourgeois. Their uniform long predates any Communist influence in the country.
     
  16. PhillyFury

    PhillyFury Member

    Slavia Prague
    United States
    Jan 1, 2004
    Prague, Czech Republic
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah, club was formed in the late 1800s, and was at first a biking club. Remember one guy from former Yugoslavia though who had a kid on the team for a while who was drawn to the club because of the star, like Red Star Belgrade...
     
  17. PhillyFury

    PhillyFury Member

    Slavia Prague
    United States
    Jan 1, 2004
    Prague, Czech Republic
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    That'd be nice. I think a change of scenery at some point will be in the cards, but right now, at 14, he needs to be at home. The team here is getting stronger, and the coach is very good. He's happy at Slavia.
     
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  18. PhillyFury

    PhillyFury Member

    Slavia Prague
    United States
    Jan 1, 2004
    Prague, Czech Republic
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    August 15, a Saturday, but we're up at the crack of dawn to get Alex to Slavia by six fifty to get the bus to go to Hlinsko a small town on the border with Moravia some 100 miles or so southeast of Prague. It was a 'friendly' against FK Pardubice, and the last before the season opens next weekend in Liberec. Pardubice were promoted and will play in the top flight next season, so it's a team on the up. The U15s have won all their preseason games, and looked to continue that against Slavia. Told Alex he needed to make a statement with the game. He's played well in spots, but not great. He sat out the first half and Pardubice took it to us, taking a 1-0 lead. Alex was subbed in for the second half and played with intensity, scoring two goals and assisting on another into an open net as Slavia turned it around to win 4-1. The timing could be better. Alex was one of six Slavia players picked to play for the Prague U15 Regional Team at a four-day tournament. According to the information we've received, the tourney with all the regions of the country represented will serve as a showcase to start picking the U15 Czech National Team....
     
  19. Thundering165

    Thundering165 Member+

    North Carolina FC
    United States
    May 1, 2017
    Raleigh
    @PhillyFury Have you had any contact from the USYNT setup yet?
     
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  20. PhillyFury

    PhillyFury Member

    Slavia Prague
    United States
    Jan 1, 2004
    Prague, Czech Republic
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #345 PhillyFury, Aug 15, 2020
    Last edited: Aug 15, 2020
    @Thundering165 Here's what I can tell you. I've sent video. They say they have him on file with a bio and a copy of his US passport. After a certain article appeared, I was contacted by someone here who said he was in touch with people at the federation who wanted to learn more about him. That's about it. I've had contact with a few 'talent' people, but nothing concrete. They said maybe, possibly, some foreign-based players could be called into a camp this fall. But the coronavirus pandemic has scrapped those plans as far as I know. The Czechs, however, are moving forward with camps in October...
     
  21. largegarlic

    largegarlic Member+

    Jul 2, 2007
    Does the US even have a U-15 team going right now? I thought I remembered reading somewhere that they were basically suspending the operation of the "off-year" (U-15, U-16, U-18, etc.) teams due to the virus and money issues.
     
  22. PhillyFury

    PhillyFury Member

    Slavia Prague
    United States
    Jan 1, 2004
    Prague, Czech Republic
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah, your right. These younger age groups have for all intents and purposes been scrapped for now. It's a shame. Not saying he would have been called into a camp, but maybe there was a chance...Maybe in the future.
     
  23. FCPocono

    FCPocono New Member

    Barca
    Poland
    Aug 18, 2020
    An interesting and - for me - very helpful thread. It is possible that our son will have a chance/opportunity to be tested for Slavia's U16 team...
     
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  24. Welcome, my friend. Enjoy your stay here:thumbsup:
     
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  25. PhillyFury

    PhillyFury Member

    Slavia Prague
    United States
    Jan 1, 2004
    Prague, Czech Republic
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Wow! Good luck to him. Humbled that this meager blog served as an inspiration!
     
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