<i>“No matter how I try, I find my way into the same old jam.”</i><br /><br /> Our apologies to all of you for not updating you sooner on what’s going on with the club. Our excuse is thin but true - we did not feel like writing about the recent events. However, here we go:
Managers of Bohemians were invited to a Disciplinary Committee of the Czech Football Association (CFA) session on December 9, 2004. Since Bohemians did not provide proof that outstanding debts toward “football subjects” (football teams, coaches, and players) had been settled, three points were deducted from the team’s point total. That verdict sent the team to the bottom of the second league standings. A warning has also been issued - if these debts are not settled by January 31, 2005, three more points will be deducted.
Opava football club shareholders meeting took place on December 10, 2004. As expected, the majority shareholder, UB Corporation, decided to move the corporation, including the club, to Prague. The minority shareholder, the city of Opava, did not agree with the proposal but could not stop the motion. At the same time, top managers of Bohemians Prague football club, Mr. Krizek and Mr. Vejsada, were appointed to the board of directors of Opava club. Mr. Vejsada consequently resigned from his position of Chief Executive Officer of Bohemians Prague. An application was filed with the CFA to have Opava club moved to Prague and have it renamed Bohemians Prague. It has also become known that the “original” Bohemians Prague club will be forced to bankruptcy by its creditors.
The December 14, 2004 session of the CFA decided to postpone any resolution on the Opava club move to Prague until January 20, 2005, citing the lack of supporting documents for this move. This (un)decision had a severe impact on both the Opava and Bohemians club. Since they are both heavily indebted and their fate in now in limbo, owners of both clubs are not willing to throw more good money after bad. All players and employees of both clubs have not been paid since October. It looks that they will have to wait much longer before they see any money coming their way.
Mr. Krizek had an appointment with a bankruptcy judge on December 15, 2004. They agreed that they will meet again on December 20 at which time the fate of a 99-year old club, Bohemians Prague, will be decided. It appears inevitable that the club will be forced into bankruptcy by its creditors. If that’s the case, Mr. Krizek and Mr. Vejsada may join the queue of creditors themselves.
A vast majority of Bohemians fans have been against the Opava move. They would prefer to have “their” club, not somebody else’s club, even if it meant playing in a lower division. They made their feelings known in the chat room of this web site.
For a big guy, Mr. Vejsada has a thin skin. He lashed out against his critics and, at the same time, accused this web site of using the club’s name and logo without permission. This was a cheap shot that created quite a backlash against him. That’s why you will see a crude sign “censored” over the club’s logo and its name on the home page until graphics are changed. The club has no other web site.
As you may know, this site is solely financed by its owner, the webmaster Antonin (Tonda) Jelinek. The club does not contribute to its operation a single penny. This arrangement has an important advantage - we can express our true feelings without any regard to the club’s official line. And we do.
We are planning one more update on the clubs’ constantly changing situation sometime next week. Until then, cheers.
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