JUDr. Ján Švehlík

In Spain, for example, there were traditional tournaments where there were four teams. They took us as a sparring partner and in the end we won those tournaments and brought home the meter cups. Confrontation with high-quality teams then also helped Slovan in that for many years he actually ruled the Czechoslovak league, in which there were also high-quality teams from Prague - Sparta, Slávia, Dukla, Bohemians, Ostrava, Trnava, Košice. We had an international confrontation and thus we were one step ahead of the other teams. Then it helped us on an international scale as well.

The Czechs, I don't want to say that they were offended, but they thought that more of their players should be in the nomination. This was also reflected in the nomination for the European Championship. When we get to the finals, there were eight Slovaks and three Czechs. They had to accept it. In the period when this happened - the final of the European Championship (1976) and the entire promotion process, Slovan was the best team in Czechoslovakia. So it was logical that there were the most players from there. Then there was Karol Dobiáš and Jozef Móder. The Czechs took it hard. In the end, they recognized that the nomination was correct, as success was achieved. But there was always competition and friction as to why there are so many Slovaks in the nomination. That always came up. Head coach Václav Ježek explained it many times in the newspapers and they had to accept it. Although with a heavy heart.

I had permission from the union in the summer of 1982 to go to Belgium. I completed all the papers and still needed one paper. At that time, we were covered by the Slovan Physical Education Unit, which was in charge of various sports - football, hockey, tennis, basketball and so on. I needed a paper from them that they agree with me going abroad. Time ran and the paper did not and could not be received from them. I was a little disappointed that I had done something for the club in twelve years. I didn't know what the problem was. Then an official whispered to me that the football chairman wanted me to bring a replacement for myself and it would be arranged. I'm quite understanding. I should have brought a player that I would pay out. So it happened, and suddenly the paper was on the table. That shocked me a lot at the time, because I thought I had done enough for Slovan.