Slavia Prague manager Jindřich Trpisovsky is in regular touch with Hammers Czech mates Vladimir Coufal and Tomas Soucek for a Premier League lowdown on Leicester City before a Europa League game.
The upcoming game has been an obvious subject of conversation in weekly chats ahead of this evening’s Europa League meeting – particularly considering they both helped West Ham to a 3-0 win at the King Power back in October.
Coufal spent two years at Prague while midfielder Soucek came through the ranks there and made more than 100 appearances before joining West Ham.
Trpisovsky said: “I am in contact with both every week. We have discussed Leicester in general after the draw. I saw their mutual game; it was the first one for Vladimír Coufal. But we didn’t go through some details, I think we know the club well. We had two months to follow them, I saw last fifteen games of Leicester. We have enough information.”
He added: “We are all looking forward to playing with one of the top Premier League clubs. We have prepared and we just want the game to start already. It is a special occasion for us and for the club. I can see, how concentrated the players are. We went through all the details which was difficult with all the changes in Leicester line-up and tactical. A lot of work has been done.”
Soucek initially joined West Ham on loan from Sllvia Prague in January last year with the Hammers paying a £4m loan fee, in July last year they was converted to a permanent fee for £14.6m taking the total fee to £18.6m. Vladimir Coufal joined his Czech mate in October last year with the Hammers paying just £5.4m for his permanent services.
Czech mates was funny the first time…. but, seriously, let it go, you’ve flogged the joke to death now.