Dragging a huge bag full of dirty laundry, he walked slowly toward the bus. <b>Zdenek Senkerik</b> was burdened more by his failure to convert a great scoring chance in the last minute of the game in Jablonec than by heavy load in his hand. He came face to face with an opposing goalkeeper Lovasik after a short pass from Hartig. He could have asked him: "Where do you want me to put it?" Had he scored, a precious point would have ended up back home in Vrsovice. Instead, he panicked. "I should have been calmer. I saw Lovasik diving so I decided to shoot high. Unfortunately, I didn't lift the ball high enough and Lovasik made a save, preventing me from tying the score. I should have fired a low shot. There are no excuses, though. It's my fault," added Zdenek after the game. He came into the game in the 72nd minute relieving Ondrej Szabo.
Since Dusan Uhrin took over coaching duties, Zdenek's playing time has shrunk considerably. The preference is given to a duo of forwards Hartig - Balaz. The last season's best goal scorer spends most of his time on the bench. "I am disappointed. I am not in the same groove as before. I used to look forward to playing the game for a week before the game. Now I am hoping just to get on the field for a little while", said Zdenek also known as Senky. The spoiled scoring chance in Jablonec won't probably help Zdenek in his bid for return in the starting lineup. "It's all up to the coach. I believe that I belong in the starting lineup and I am trying to prove it. I am not a quitter; maybe this forced break from playing will help me", he tries to put a positive spin on his situation. He added that he is aware that he was far from being on top of his game in the first few rounds when he was still in the starting lineup.
Although he does not hide his disappointment with the current situation he is not bitter at all. He had a chance to be traded to Liberec at the end of the last season. "Do I regret that I turned the trade down? No, it's all water under the bridge and I don't think about it anymore."
The league is now taking a break due to qualification matches of the national team. In the next round Bohemka will host Olomouc, the team that includes many acquaintances of Zdenek. "This match will be very important for us. The situation can change very rapidly due to a three-point system. If we don't succeed in this match we will probably have to fight to stay out of relegation. It is important for us not to make defensive mistakes we have been making. We have not had a single shutout this season, yet."
Zdenek would like to be on the field so that he could make up for that scoring failure in Jablonec. And he would love nothing better than to prove both to the coach and the fans that his place is on the field and not on the bench.
Translated by Vaclav & Jeffrey Nerad
