A new addition to TransferLab, the Czech Women’s First League might be dominated by a few teams, but talent proliferates throughout

As a spectator, you might not turn to the top tier of Czech women’s football for variety. Since the inception of the league, only Sparta Prague or Slavia Prague have won the title (currently 21 to 11 in the all-time records), while in the last decade, Slovácko have also finished third eight times (Slovan Liberec and Viktoria Plžen are the other two third-place finishers, once each).

While comparatively settled dominance does not immediately suggest the kind of competitive balance that produces excellent footballers, the Czech 1. liga is actually well worth considering for a range of clubs. The top two sides compete in the Women’s Champions League, with Slavia reaching the quarter finals three times including 2018/19. And the less successful clubs still produce excellent players who may well be tempted by the prospect of silverware less available in Czechia.

Another element of the league is the average age of many of the squads. Adjusted for playing time, three of the top four sides have an average age of 23 of younger. With elite leagues trending slightly older, as can be seen below (and indeed, only two NWSL sides have an average age under 26) buying development prospects for the burgeoning playing trading landcsape in women’s football, and securing pre-peak talent which could develop, is increasingly important.

Position	Czech 1. liga team	Average age	WSL team	Average age
1	Sparta Prague	22.7	Chelsea	25.6
2	Slavia Prague	25.9	Arsenal	26.7
3	Slovácko	23.0	Man City	24.2
4	Slovan Liberec	21.2	Man United	26.1

WSL has not seen many Czech players, two in fact, but left-back Katerina Svitková had two very strong seasons at West Ham, before a less than successful move to Chelsea. Now back at Slavia as a winger (and the league’s leading goal scorer), Svitková nonetheless shows that Czech players can thrive abroad.

A quick glance at the most recent Czech squad also shows few other players abroad: veteran Klára Cahynová is still a defensive force at Real Sociedad, but Aneta Polásková has yet to reproduce the output she managed in Slovácko and Sparta colours for new club Nürnberg.

Czech-based foreign players have also made moves to higher or equivalent tier leagues recently, with Ema Paljevic joining Nantes and Marianna Seidl joining Brsibane Roar.

Scouting for talent

Based on the average age for the league, and the potential interest in player trading, players 24 or under will be assessed. A quick word on the dreaded GBE: while tricky for some players to pass, there is scope for Band 3 Czech top tier players to acquire the necessary points, especially at Slavia or Sparta. So while some careful totting up will be necessary (which TransferLab does for you), this should not dissuade English and Scottish clubs from investing in scouting the league.

Klára Cvrcková (CF, 24, Slavia Prague)

Cvrcková is a powerful striking threat, but although most of her goals are straight penalty-box predation, she is far from being a one-trick pony. First things first, though: when scouting strikers, the three key metrics are expected goals, touches in the box, and forward passes received, and Cvrcková is in the 90th percentile or higher for each. She’s a strong physical presence and can hold her own against defenders, muscling past to pounce on crosses. She times her runs well, too, rarely exhibiting top tier pace but seemingly always in the right place at the right time.

Notable, too, though, are her excellent passing quality and creativity. This is mostly a function of her hold up and playing in abilities, and in transitional set-ups she can be a real handful. In Slavia’s 3-4-3, she is equally comfortable dropping in to play through the wide attackers as she is hitting the box to finish moves. With 12 caps for Czechia, Cvrcková is not exactly an unknown quantity, but she could adapt well to a higher level.

Denisa Tenkrátová (CB, 21, Slovan Liberec)

While there are a few notable centre-backs in the league – all-rounder Eliska Sonntágová has won 43 Czech caps and is an outstanding player, while teenager Denisa Rancová is an asbolute powerhouse in the air – 21-year-old Tenkrátová is an intriguing prospect.

A real catalyst from deep with her raking passes, Tenkrátová is also a handy defender, in the 90th percentile or higher for 1v1 defending quality and tackling, and brings the ball out well too. While not the most effective aerial force, if paired with a more proactive defender of space, Tenkrátová’s long passing, carrying, and 1v1 cover skills could work exceptionally well in a direct side. Defenders need to be able to break lines as well as defend, and Tenkrátová has a variety of tools that allow her to do just that.

Lucia Rumanciková (LW/AM, 18, Lokomotiva Brno Horni Herspice)

Under-19 Slovak international Rumanciková may be young and playing for a team that doesn’t have an English-language Wiki page, but the winger (who plays more as an attacking midfielder for her international youth side) is a genuine talent. Creatively, she operates excellently in tight spaces with a combination of silky carrying and deft passing. She can unlock defences with driven through balls, disguised short passes, and dribbling past players. Her dribble plus quality, which is in the 95th percentile, measures the quality of the dribble and and the following action, showing she doesn’t just beat players, she does something effective with the ball afterwards.

Let’s be clear: Rumanciková’s overall numbers are not outstanding at this point, but for her age, and given that she played 1200 minutes last season at 17, her future looks very bright. With five or so years before she peaks, Rumanciková has a genuine possibility of reaching an elite level side.

Laura Retkesová (FB, 21, Sparta Prague)

Header image copyright IMAGO / CTK Photo