After Gold, Preparations Are Back in Full Swing! The Bar Is Not Set High, but at the Very Top, Says Michal Koza

The U16 national team is also working diligently through the winter period in preparation for the championship, which will take place next year in Slovakia. During November and December, the team completed two preparatory camps. How does head coach Michal Koza evaluate the preparation so far?

Even the First Camp Showed a High Level and Quality

Coach, the U16 national team has just completed its second preparatory camp of the new national team cycle. What is your overall impression of the preparations so far?

This year’s selection differs from previous years mainly in the fact that we invited only 40 players to the first camp, not 80 as used to be the case. This was preceded by very thorough selection based on long-term monitoring, statistical data, and valuable insights from fellow coaches working in the field.

In December, we then met with a narrower group, which allowed us to focus more on elements of the playing style we want to implement within the national team. The camp also included skills training led by Lukáš Zdrha and his colleagues, specifically focused on position-specific tasks for defensemen, forwards, and goaltenders.

Overall, the impression is very positive. Even the first camp showed a high level of quality and commitment from the players, which is, of course, great — but at the same time it makes our future selection decisions even more demanding.

While the first camp was a one-day event, the second lasted two days. What did the longer time frame allow you to observe and address from a team-management perspective?

A one-day camp gives us a lot of insight primarily through the game itself. We deliberately avoid burdening players with complex tactical instructions and instead let them play naturally, so they can demonstrate their individual skills as well as how they behave within a team. Both of these aspects are key for us.

A two-day camp, however, allowed us to go into greater detail. We had the opportunity to work on more specific principles of the game system we want to gradually apply. At the same time, it becomes clearer which roles and positions individual players might fit into and which areas still require systematic development.

Before the first camp, you mentioned that the goal was to test new and lesser-known players recommended by clubs. How successfully was this objective fulfilled?

This goal was fully achieved at the first camp. We selected players we do not see as often and wanted to verify their potential directly in the national team environment. In hindsight, I must say that limiting the camp to one day was a very good step.

For us, it meant much more thorough preparation and detailed work even before the camp itself. The result was that the first camp had a truly high level and quality, which only confirmed that we are heading in the right direction.

Defending a Title Is Always More Difficult Than Winning It

After two camps, you already have a greater amount of information. Are you beginning to form a narrower group of players, or is there still room for new faces?

Certain outlines are definitely starting to form in our minds, but the selection is far from closed. Illnesses and injuries played a role, meaning some players were unable to attend both camps, while others were given an opportunity — players we have been monitoring over the long term.

In the U16 category, there is practically always room for new faces. Players at this age undergo significant development, and it often happens that someone who does not stand out much in the autumn can make a major leap forward in the spring — and the opposite can also be true. Once the spring parts of the competitions get underway, we will aim to be as present as possible at cadet and junior Extraliga matches and continue monitoring players according to our internal criteria.

The U16 national team will defend the title at the upcoming World Championship after winning gold at this year’s tournament in Hradec Králové. How strongly is this fact already felt in the current preparation?

Defending a title is always more difficult than winning it in the first place. The bar is not set high, but at the very top, and our demands reflect that. These demands concern not only the players’ individual skills, but also their teamwork, adaptability, ability to understand tactical intentions, and to function under pressure.

It often happens that a player who is individually very strong may have shortcomings in team play, which can paradoxically put them at a disadvantage in the national team environment. This typically applies to players who are leaders of their club teams, often in clubs from the lower parts of the standings, where the game and results depend largely on them. In the national team, however, the situation is different — suddenly there are other leaders around them, and common ground must be found. Our main task is to combine these players correctly and build a functional unit.

Looking ahead to the upcoming championship in Banská Bystrica, where do you see the biggest challenge?

The biggest challenge, as always, is to assemble the strongest possible team that is balanced in terms of different playing attributes — physical battles, speed, combination play, and finishing. At the same time, one fundamental principle applies: every player must realize that they are a link in a chain. A team can function only when all its parts function together.

In the spring, we need to work with model games — not only among ourselves, but also against various teams or groups that the players are less familiar with. We must also prepare for the fact that top teams from other countries will most likely be a year older and more experienced than they were in Hradec Králové. Personally, I believe their quality may be even higher, and we must adapt our preparation accordingly.