

For Slovakia coach Jan Kozak, maintaining composure on the touch line is vital. The 62-year-old has not always been serene while on the side of the pitch. In another life, he attacked an opposition goalkeeping coach, and also famously quit FC Kosice over disputes with the management just before a Champions League game with Manchester United.

“When I felt injustice, I reacted, maybe sometimes disproportionately, but that is life,” Kozak told the Blizzard recently. “Maybe I would take some things back, but it is not possible. Really, due to age, a man gains experiences and changes himself.”

His newfound tranquility will be important on Monday when England face Slovakia. Kozak’s team is delicately poised in Group B, and they know they need at least a point against England to continue their participation in Euro 2016. Slovakia is participating in its first European Championships since it gained independence in 1993, and Kozak could make even more history with progression to the knockout rounds.

The potential success places a pressure on both the team, and Kozak. Tasked with managing that tension on the field will be, Marek Hamsik, the team’s fulcrum. The 28-year-old’s name stands out on the Slovakian team sheet as the most recognisable among football fans. Heavily scouted by Chelsea, the Blues are just one of a number of clubs that have tried to steal Hamsik away from Napoli.

He made his senior international debut while still only a teenager, and although he has faced criticism in the past for his national team performances, Kozak remains a fan. In the game against Russia Hamsik not only netted a wonderful goal, but also an assist.

“Marek Hamsik has matured as a person and as a player at Napoli,” Kozak said when asked if the 28-year-old could be one of the players of the tournament. “[But] Napoli has become too small [for him]. I think he’s ready to play for a really big club.”

However, the Napoli midfielder will be quick to point out he is not the only threat in the team, something Kozak agrees with. “Marek really is a professional,” Kozak told the Blizzard. “He gives out everything in every training. He likes playing for the national team, but football is a collective sport and we needed to find quality players which would have suited him. We managed to do it.”

Milan midfielder Juraj Kucka provides the brawn to Hamsik’s creativity in midfield. Meanwhile Vladimir Weiss and Robert Mak offer pace and trickery out wide, something England’s fullbacks need to be wary of. Roy Hodgson has spoken of Slovakia’s attacking threat, earmarking Weiss along with Ondrej Duda as potential threats.

However, as much as Slovakia can cause England problems, they must also wrestle with their own shortcomings. The most glaring weakness remains their centre back pairing. Martin Skrtrel’s lack of match time for Liverpool in 2016 showed during their game against Wales. The team built on that with another poor defensive showing against Russia, and will head into the England game hoping for a first clean sheet of the tournament.

Perhaps unsurprisingly Kozak has promised changes. “I am going to make some changes to the team again, because the game demands it,” he said. “England will be a different proposition from Russia – I know that very well. They play a different way, so we have to do something to prepare for that. To be honest, we do not have a strong enough team to play an open game against a team like England. We have to focus on our style if we want to be successful.”

Hodgson will be fully aware of the position England find themselves in, with many eyes cast on his formation. Critics of the former Switzerland and Inter Milan boss have defined him as defensive and cautious manager. That evaluation was arguably backed up by his formation against Russia, during which he opted against naming two strikers, and preferred instead to name a five man midfield. Credit to the England boss, he did make a handful of attacking changes for the game against Wales, which in turn appeared to balance England nicely between cautious and cavalier.

It could be argued Kozak will have to go after the game. A team that operates best when not dictating possession, they would far rather sit deep and counter-attack. Up front both teams also face an interesting dilemma. Kozak named Duda in the lone role against Russia, and Michal Duris against Wales. In both games Adam Nemec made a substitute appearance for Slovakia, and against Wales he hit the post with a header. Nemec is far from a potent finisher, but his aerial presence could provide Kozak’s side with a different kind of threat if he decides to start him.

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