PRAGUE, Oct 4 - Czech Republic midfielder Vladimir
Smicer has added to coach Karel Brueckner's injury woes after
being ruled out of Saturday's World Cup qualifier against the
Netherlands.
The Girondins Bordeaux player attended a morning workout
with the team, but a painful thigh injury allowed him only a few
minutes of light jogging around the edge of the pitch.
"I've been through enough to know that only healthy players
can be on the pitch," Smicer said, adding he did not want to
aggravate the injury further.
Smicer joins strikers Jan Koller and Vratislav Lokvenc on
the Czech injury list. Aston Villa striker Milan Baros is
suffering from an Achilles problem but is expected to be fit in
time to face the Dutch.
Skipper Tomas Galasek is also on the mend from a bruised
foot. Doctors said on Tuesday he was 95 percent fit and the Ajax
Amsterdam midfielder should start.
The Czechs trail Group One leaders the Netherlands by four
points, with two matches remaining, and are two points ahead of
third-placed Romania, who have only one game left to play.
They host the Netherlands in Prague on Saturday and face
Finland in Helsinki four days later.