Czech mate: end of game for Berger and Smicer

Ex-Liverpool duo Patrik Berger and Vladimir Smicer have both been forced to call time on their distinguished playing careers at the age of 36 due to recurrent injury problems.

Berger, who has always had more than his fair share of injuries, informed the Sparta Prague manager of his retirement from the game three days ago, citing an intractable ligament problem.

Smicer, who was winding down his career at Slavia Prague, called it a day last November and was immediately appointed the Czech national team “sports manager”. He had been suffering from knee cartilage problems.

This correspondent grew to admire these two players during Liverpool’s prolonged fallow period (nineteen years and counting if the league title is the ultimate measure of success). Like many (Milan Baros, anyone!?) both were more effective for their national side – see the stats below (it must be added that a greater percentage of their Liverpool appearances were as substitute) – but were significant contributors to cup triumphs especially, in their time at Anfield.

Player	National team record		Liverpool record
	Appearances	Goals	Appearances	Goals
Berger	44	18	196	35
Smicer	81	27	184	19

 

The arrival of Berger at Anfield in 1996 from Borussia Dortmund was exciting: an obviously dashing player, with an excellent 20-yard acceleration and ferocious low-backlift shot, he seemed to be Liverpool’s answer to Ryan Giggs. His signing was on the back of his performances in the Czech Republic’s Euro 1996 showing, where he scored a penalty in the final before Germany went on to win in unsatisfactory fashion with an anti-climactic ‘golden goal’.

Deployed on the left side of midfield, his first season was encouraging with many a match-winning performance. His second season was less successful and he endured a spiky relationship with then manager Roy Evans. The appointment of Gérard Houllier rescued him and, despite more injuries, ‘Paddy’ was a significant contributor to the UEFA and FA Cup double of 2001.

Berger left Anfield in 2003 to play for first Portsmouth, then Aston Villa (2005-08) before moving home to Sparta Prague, but was reduced to showing the odd glimpse of talent as the legs could no longer match the mind.

Smicer signed for Liverpool in 1999 from Lens as a nominal replacement for the Real Madrid bound Steve McManaman. He had been a huge influence at the French club, for whom he had helped to secure a first-ever league title. ‘Vladi’ was an elegant right-footed player, whose game was the antithesis of the “Get rid of it, son!” culture that permeates the English game. It’s true that his lack of physical presence (or, perhaps more accurately, engagement) did not endear him to a large section of the fans but every third or fourth game he would produce some magical stuff – a slaloming run or perceptive pass, to make the difference and absolve him.  His best season was in 2000/01, where he was used in a more central attacking midfield position. His finest moment was scoring Liverpool’s second goal, a fine 20-yarder, after coming on for Harry Kewell, in that spectacular 2005 Champion’s League Final comeback against Milan, where he also converted a spot-kick in the victorious shoot-out. Smicer waved goodbye after the final to join Bordeaux before seeing out the rest of his career with Slavia Prague.

Both players fulfilled boyhood dreams in playing for Liverpool and, whilst neither would feature in a pantheon of all-time greats, will be fondly remembered for what they brought to the team. 

It will be interesting to see how Smicer fares in the national team set-up, with the Czech Republic side in something of a crisis, not having found a leader after the departure in 2008 of that grand old patriarch Karel Brückner, and whether Berger will follow suit and make the transition from player to manager.