By Thomas Berndt
Before Euro 2002 began, the former Danish national coach, Ulrik Wilbek, said that Czechia was 'below level' for this championship. Six games later, the Czechs are, nevertheless, sure of at least a placement as number eight and part of the success is to be found in something as simple as a tape.

Take a German techno band like 666. Add a lot of synthesizer from the year 1990 and let whatever sparse loud lyrics there are be in French. Then you more or less have the band "Parla and Pardous" and their song "Liberté". The Czech team loves this song so much that they heard it three times on the bus to Farum Arena and their match against Germany. It is a well-known fact that Czechia won this match by 30-20.

On the bus to Århus, on the second day without matches at Euro 2002, the tape is also played just before the team reaches Århus. The music lifts the spirit after a drowsy four hour bus ride. Players and officials start clapping and the Czech head coach, Jiri Zerzán, raises his clenched fist in time to the music grinning confidently - as if he is sure of victory.

'We listen to it at practice and before a match', tells Zerzán enthusiastically, with the music pumping away like in a discotheque. Eventually most Czech players are alert and so must Romania be today if they have any intentions of beating the rhythmic Czechs with the important tape.