CZECHIA MANAGER MIROSLAV Koubek says his side will pay special attention to Troy Parrott when they play Ireland in the World Cup qualification playoff semi-final on 26 March in Prague.
The Dubliner has been in excellent form, with five goals in his last two games against Portugal and Hungary at international level.
The AZ star also has 26 goals in all competitions at club level this season, finding the net and producing two assists amid a 4-0 Eredivisie victory over Heracles on Sunday.
Parrott also scored both goals in AZ’s 2-1 win over Sparta Prague in last Thursday’s Europa Conference League first-leg clash.
“You saw him last week when he beat Sparta with two goals, and we will see him again this week. He is the type of player, Parrott, who can do everything. He is a killer,” Koubek told reporters.
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“Of course, there are special measures and instructions to try to nullify him, but you know what these players do, they are world stars, they have special ability and can show it.
“But we hope that Parrott will be one we will be able to keep an eye on, and we will have our players well trained so we do not lose this game.”
Koubek has named a 25-player squad for their 2026 World Cup play-off semi-final against Ireland in Prague next Thursday.
Big hitters Pavel Šulc (Lyon) and Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen) have shaken off recent injury concerns to be included, while West Ham’s Tomáš Souček is among the other recognisable names selected.
On Šulc, the manager added: “The situation is favourable so far. He is in the final phase of his recovery. Lyon have two games, on Thursday and Sunday.
“We think he will get minutes, but I would prefer it to be Sunday because the risk is high, but we cannot influence it; it is up to Lyon.”
— Czech Football National Team (@ceskarepre_eng) March 17, 2026
Experienced midfielder Vladimír Darida returns to the squad after a five-year layoff, having last featured in the Euro 2020 quarter-final defeat to Denmark in July 2021.
Denis Višinsky, meanwhile, receives his first call-up, and the FC Viktoria Plzeň midfielder is among 14 home-based players in the squad.
Vaclav Cerny is a notable absentee, having scored twice for the Czechs in the group stages of qualifying. The 28-year-old Beşiktaş winger recently spent a stint at Rangers.
Heimir Hallgrímsson is due to name his Ireland squad on Thursday morning.
The winner will host either Denmark or North Macedonia in the play-off final on Tuesday, 31 March, where a ticket to this summer’s World Cup will be up for grabs.
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'He is a killer' - Czech Republic wary of Troy Parrott
Updated at 19.44
CZECHIA MANAGER MIROSLAV Koubek says his side will pay special attention to Troy Parrott when they play Ireland in the World Cup qualification playoff semi-final on 26 March in Prague.
The Dubliner has been in excellent form, with five goals in his last two games against Portugal and Hungary at international level.
The AZ star also has 26 goals in all competitions at club level this season, finding the net and producing two assists amid a 4-0 Eredivisie victory over Heracles on Sunday.
Parrott also scored both goals in AZ’s 2-1 win over Sparta Prague in last Thursday’s Europa Conference League first-leg clash.
“You saw him last week when he beat Sparta with two goals, and we will see him again this week. He is the type of player, Parrott, who can do everything. He is a killer,” Koubek told reporters.
“Of course, there are special measures and instructions to try to nullify him, but you know what these players do, they are world stars, they have special ability and can show it.
“But we hope that Parrott will be one we will be able to keep an eye on, and we will have our players well trained so we do not lose this game.”
Koubek has named a 25-player squad for their 2026 World Cup play-off semi-final against Ireland in Prague next Thursday.
Big hitters Pavel Šulc (Lyon) and Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen) have shaken off recent injury concerns to be included, while West Ham’s Tomáš Souček is among the other recognisable names selected.
On Šulc, the manager added: “The situation is favourable so far. He is in the final phase of his recovery. Lyon have two games, on Thursday and Sunday.
“We think he will get minutes, but I would prefer it to be Sunday because the risk is high, but we cannot influence it; it is up to Lyon.”
Experienced midfielder Vladimír Darida returns to the squad after a five-year layoff, having last featured in the Euro 2020 quarter-final defeat to Denmark in July 2021.
Denis Višinsky, meanwhile, receives his first call-up, and the FC Viktoria Plzeň midfielder is among 14 home-based players in the squad.
Vaclav Cerny is a notable absentee, having scored twice for the Czechs in the group stages of qualifying. The 28-year-old Beşiktaş winger recently spent a stint at Rangers.
Heimir Hallgrímsson is due to name his Ireland squad on Thursday morning.
The winner will host either Denmark or North Macedonia in the play-off final on Tuesday, 31 March, where a ticket to this summer’s World Cup will be up for grabs.
Additional reporting by Paul Fennessy
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