Schick can win Golden Boot like Baros, says coach
PATRIK SCHICK can emulate Milan Baros and emerge as the Golden
Boot winner at Euro 2020, says Czech Republic coach Jaroslav Silhavy.
The Bayer Leverkusen striker has three goals from two matches ahead of Tuesday’s Group D decider with England at Wembley.
It was in 2004 that Baros, then of Liverpool, scored five times to take the Czechs to the semi-finals in Portugal, where they were beaten by eventual winners Greece.
Schick is his country’s latest talisman and was scorer of both goals during last Monday’s 2-0 victory over Scotland, including a phenomenal 50-yard strike.
The 25-year-old then added to that tally with a penalty in Friday’s 1-1 draw with Croatia, leaving the Czechs all but certain of qualification on four points.
And Silhavy has backed his 6ft 4ins frontman to take personal honours in the coming weeks.
‘We know Patrik is a great goalscorer and he confirmed that,’ said Silhavy. ‘I believe we will advance to the next stage and he will score many more goals here.
‘Milan Baros was a great scorer. If I remember, he was the top scorer at the Euros in Portugal, and I would hope the same happens for Patrik. I believe in him.’
Schick has 14 goals from 28 caps for his country, an impressive ratio of one every two games.
And he was not going to pass up the opportunity of another against the Croats despite a bloodied nose suffered in the aerial challenge with defender Dejan Lovren that led to the penalty.
‘Patrik is our No1 penalty-taker,’ said Silhavy. ‘He is in great form, it would have been a pity not to use him. He felt well to take it and converted it.
‘We say the fouled player should not take the penalties, but the rules are here to be broken sometimes.’