Nedved calls time on international career

Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved said on Tuesday that he will end his national team career after Wednesday's international friendly against Serbia.

The news is likely to be welcomed by Irish soccer fans given that the national team are set to face the Czech Republic in October in Euro 2008 qualifying stages.

"It isn't easy for me, I don't have any health problems that are forcing this. It is because of a lot of other reasons, and I would like to give other younger players a chance. Wednesday's match will be my last for the national team," Nedved told reporters.
   
The 2003 European Footballer of the Year suffered a knee injury in the Euro 2004 semi-final with Greece and retired afterwards saying he no longer wanted to play for his country because of the toll it was taking on his body.

But the Juventus player was coaxed back to help the Czechs qualify for the World Cup finals, returning for the two-legged playoffs against Norway in November.

The comeback ended bitterly as the Czechs failed to progress from the group stage in Germany and Nedved, who turns 34 at the end of this month, has been mulling his future ever since.

"I will be 34 and I want to be with my family and play only for Juventus. It would be very difficult to prepare for tough international matches while playing in Italy's second division," Nedved added.

Wednesday's match will be Nedved's 91st for the national team. He has scored 18 goals.

Czech veteran midfielder Karel Poborsky also announced that his days of playing for the Czech Republic were over shortly after the team's elimination in the group stages of the 2006 World Cup.