Czechoslovakia ranked 10th for 1980-81 ans11th overall by UEFA – the high end of the bulk of the ‘middle’ European countries. The new thing for the season was the permission of Czechoslovakian players to play abroad. Naturally, the first to go were veterans, as was the East European custom. Did not make much sense economically, but it was the usual political thinking, somewhat trying to dodge ideological formulas and imperatives. Since Czechoslovakia was just at the end of generational change, the export was not damaging local football, but selling veterans was not very lucrative and supplied at least one ridiculous case. The first crop of exported players was not large and involved former national team players, who shined at the 1970 World Cup and 1976 European championship – Karol Dobias (33 years old, Lokeren, Belgium), Jozef Moder (33, GAK, Austria), Koloman Gogh (32, VOEST, Austria), Ladislav Petras (34, WAC, Austria), Alexander Vencel (36, SK Slovan Wien, Austria), Ladislav Kuna (33, Admira, Austria). The most curious case was Frantisek Vesely, 37 years old, and sold to Rapid (Austria) instead of Antonin Panenka – some say it was a package of the two, on which the Czechs insisted in order of providing some foreign income to otherwise unsellable veteran, but Panenka joined Rapid the next year. The other curious transfer was Alexander Vencel – not so much because of age, but because of the club he moved to: lowly Slovan (Vienna) has a name suggesting emigrant ties and such a community was not a friend of the Communist Czechoslovak state. Why there? Who knows. There is a bit of discrepancy between the year of official permission of Czechoslovakian players moving abroad and some earlier professionals: Jozef Adamec, for instance, played for same Slovan (Vienna) since 1977 and Jan Pivarnik joined ASV Kitsee in 1979 – both may have been refugees, as some other players of earlier years: the official permission obliterated such history, but one thing was clear – those sold abroad went to small clubs, some tiny. No surprise, given their age, but it was also the familiar East European practice: at first they moved carefully, selling players over the hill partly to see how such thing would be taken at home. Political reasons were most important, not the actual financial gains. But the door was opened.
The other interesting things concerning this season were the Cup and the Second Division. For many years the Czechoslovak Cup opposed the winners of the Czech and the Slovak cups – seemingly, the tournaments were amalgamated at least at some stage and the final no longer opposed strictly Slovak to Czech club. The Second Division remained divided between the two federal republics, but how many groups the second level had? The Czech division had two groups, may be going to be just one after this season, for every team finishing lower than 8th place was relegated. Slovakia most likely also had two groups – otherwise there was reasonable explanation for missing teams, including the promoted in 1979-80 one – but only one table is available now and no other group is mentioned. The mystery builds on 1993, when the old federation cracked and gave birth to two independent countries – after that the old second division made no longer sense to football statisticians. Anyhow, in real time the second level was not all that important, for really small clubs played there. But it has to be mentioned, because of the 2 promoted teams.
Slovakia first, for it is the true mystery: Tatran (Presov) was promoted in 1979-80, but in the ‘Slovakian People’s League’ there was no Tatran. Yet, the tenor of an article observing the 1980-81 championship is about one league, not two. 16 teams in it, most unknown outside the country. The only more or less known club was ZVL Zilina, for they played often first division football – they were down on their luck, however. Of the others perhaps one team should be mentioned:
Third row: L. Majthényi, J. Kováč, T. Velický, J. Zabloudil (masér/gyúró/masseur), V. Horváth, V. Sipos, T. Végh
Middle row: P. Leškiv, L. Tóth, J. Szikora, J. Lainc, V. Hrivnák (tréner/vezetőedző/coach), T. Lelkes, K. Krištof, J. Majoros, M. Sill
First row: J. Brosz, J. Lépes, T. Domonkos, Š. Tősér, B. Dudás, G. Nagy, J. Audi, D. Horváth
DAC Dunajska Streda, a border city, largely populated by Hungarians, was nothing so far, but this club was soon going not only to reach first division, but to make quite an impression there. Some of the players here were to soar high as well. For the moment – the typical second division club: nobody ever heard of it.
Moments from the clash between DAC Dunajska Streda and the leaders Petrzalka.
To a point, the said of DAC applies to the winners – ZTS Petrzalka.
Sitting: Šimurka, V. Chovanec, asistent trénera Kasan, vedúci mužstva Sedlár, Kadák a Morávek. Middle row: masér Smetana, Pochaba, Tichý, Švirloch, Jánoš, Beseda, Zrubec.
Third row: Pavlovič, Priesol, Gerič, Sopko, T. Chovanec, Tóth, Šoltés.
A bit better known, but just as a name – if they played larger role in Czechoslovakian football, it was not only minimal, but also so long ago nobody remembered it. They won promotion, which was fantastic achievement, but questions emerged long before the championship ended – was Bratislava able to support 3 first division clubs? The problem is location, not clear even now – Petrzalka sometimes is considered Bratislava club, sometimes – not. Traditionally it seems to be separated from the city proper, just like Viktoria Zizkov us hardly ever mentioned as a Prague club, but is referred to the neighbourhood on which it is located. The close proximity, however, raised the question for the simple reason how many good players such a team could have when bigger clubs are just next door. But never mind doubts – ZTS Petrzalka won the Slovakian championship and moved up, a great occasion for joy.