After the Champions League match in October, in which Slovan Bratislava lost to English giant Manchester City 0:4, a big shock came at Tehelno poli. Host manager Pep Guardiola indicated that Vladimír Weiss Jr. probably played the last duel in his professional career.
news-item-description">Slovak footballer Róbert Mak returned to the base of Slovan Bratislava for the first time since September and immediately had a part in the winning goal. His team defeated Skalica 3:1 on Saturday, and Mako’s cross to David Strelec was sent on the run by Adam Kopas into his own goal.
It was not a shot in the dark from the Spaniard, because the creative midfielder announced his retirement just a few hours later. Understandably, his father and coach Vladimír Weiss Sr. also commented on the topic.
Less than a week later, the 60-year-old coach admitted that he too was thinking about the end of Slovan. “I meant more or less that I might leave Slovan, not that I would end my coaching career. I’m 60 years old, but I don’t want to stop coaching because I still think like a 30-year-old, thanks also to the players I spend time with.” said Weiss Sr. exclusively on the V sportovem SITE show.
He also added more details regarding his future. “I am satisfied here, I am happy here, I am sometimes tired because there is a lot to do. When I feel that I have nothing more to give, as Vlado more or less felt, I will leave and another coach will come to Slovan. Maybe it will be in a week, maybe in two years. I can’t judge it today, but I’m preparing for that too.
It’s a completely normal, natural thing. In this regard, I am open, whether to the audience, the media or even the owner. We will see what the next few days will bring us, because we have achieved success, but on the other hand, I know that we will not achieve world-class results in the Champions League, as we feel the quality of our opponents.
We’ll see if I leave on my own or get fired, which is normal in this industry. But I think it’s the former. After some reasonable agreement. But I repeat that today I am here and I am doing everything that is important for Slovan so that we can be successful. As long as it will fulfill me, as long as it will be fun for me, as long as it will be fun for the people with me, the owners with me, we’ll see.” said the coach, who sat on the “Whites” bench in May 2021.
The former striker and, by the way, the author of Slovakia’s first ever goal in the era of independence, does not usually talk about what he would change from his football life, or whether he would decide differently in some situations. However, he realized one thing in an interview with V sportovom SITE.
“If I could change or take back one thing in my life, it would be that I would still really like to play football. But these are the dreams of an older, more experienced coach. Today, I would very much like to experience this era of football, which is now, with those spectators, with those stadiums. Because it was different in my era. It was not as perfect as it is today.
Marketing, audiences and all that. Today, the match at Slovan is also a spectacular theater, because the people are fantastic, the stadium is beautiful. The atmosphere in the Champions League and the feeling from the anthem, that’s something fantastic. I often say to myself, “Jesus Christ”, because we used to only watch this on TV. Yes, I experienced it 19 years ago with Artmedia, which was still at the old Tehelno polí, but it also had a different emotion,” Weiss concluded nostalgically.
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Football: A Dramatic Week in Slovak and European Football
The Shock at Tehelno Poli
Oh, dear! After a catastrophic 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester City—yes, the giant that makes Goliath look like a schoolyard bully—Vladimír Weiss Jr. played what many presume is his last game for Slovan Bratislava. We can only imagine him back in the locker room, trying to find a grape jelly as a consolation prize, and maybe a friendly “atta boy” from the coach, who unfortunately had a few less encouraging words. Pep Guardiola, always the strategist, didn’t mince words at the press conference. You know it’s serious when a manager alludes to retirement being right around the corner; it’s a bit like announcing a hot dog stand at the Louvre—it feels out of place, but intriguing!
Welcome Back, Róbert Mak!
And then there’s Róbert Mak, back from a departure that sounded as vibrant as a sitcom character returning just in time for the season finale! He returned just in time to help his team clinch a solid 3-1 victory against Skalica. His assist was more of a well-placed cross that led to an unfortunate own goal by Adam Kopas. There’s nothing quite like scoring a victory through the untimely slip-up of an opponent—a bit like making a fool of oneself on stage, punctuated by a laugh track, isn’t it?
Managerial Musings from Weiss Sr.
Weiss Sr. is feeling reflective, stating, “I might leave Slovan, not necessarily to stop coaching.” Ah, the classic football manager riddle: “What do you do when you’ve got more football left in you than you can shake a penalty shoot-out at?” He sounds like a performer contemplating an encore rather than announcing retirement, enjoying every bit of drama that the beautiful game offers! “I think like a 30-year-old,” he quipped. Bless him! But let’s be real here, if there’s ever a group that can keep your spirits youthful, it’s a bunch of twenty-somethings sweating it out under bright stadium lights. You could say he’s the footballing equivalent of a vintage wine: improving with age, but still feeling the urge to break out in a youthful jig once in a while!
Reflections and Nostalgia
In a candid admission, the nostalgic coach reflected that if there’s one thing he could change, it would be to experience the current era of football: full stadiums, vibrant marketing, and an atmosphere that could make Shakespeare weep with envy. “Jesus Christ!” he said—likely not talking about the missed penalty but rather reminiscing about old times. The Champions League anthem, once enjoyed from the confines of his living room like a particularly suspenseful soap opera, now plays live, with fans cheering like they’ve just found out they’ll get an extra episode in the season! There might not be a better place to experience that electric atmosphere than the Tehelno Poli, a theater of dreams and the occasional own goal.
After the Champions League match in October, where Slovan Bratislava faced a crushing defeat against English powerhouse Manchester City with a score of 0:4, a wave of uncertainty swept through Tehelno poli. Host manager Pep Guardiola made a striking observation, suggesting that midfielder Vladimír Weiss Jr. might have just played his final match in professional football.
In a significant turn of events, Slovak footballer Róbert Mak returned to the pitch for Slovan Bratislava for the first time since September and immediately made his mark by assisting in the winning goal. His team triumphed over Skalica with a score of 3:1 on Saturday, with Mak’s cross finding David Strelec, only for Adam Kopas to inadvertently redirect it into his own net.
The shockwaves from Guardiola’s statement intensified just hours later when Weiss Jr. officially announced his retirement from professional football. This prompted an immediate response from his father and coach, Vladimír Weiss Sr., who shared insights on the situation.
Less than a week later, the 60-year-old Weiss Sr. acknowledged that he too was contemplating his future with Slovan. “I meant more or less that I might leave Slovan, not that I would end my coaching career. I’m 60 years old, but I don’t want to stop coaching because I still think like a 30-year-old, thanks also to the players I spend time with,” Weiss Sr. exclusively divulged on the V sportovem SITE show.
He further elaborated on his potential future in football. “I am satisfied here, I am happy here, I am sometimes tired because there is a lot to do. When I feel that I have nothing more to give, as Vlado more or less felt, I will leave and another coach will come to Slovan. Maybe it will be in a week, maybe in two years. I can’t judge it today, but I’m preparing for that too,” he stated.
Weiss Sr. emphasized his openness regarding his potential departure, whether from the perspective of fans, media, or the club’s ownership. “We’ll see what the next few days will bring us, because we have achieved success, but on the other hand, I know that we will not achieve world-class results in the Champions League, as we feel the quality of our opponents,” he noted.
“We’ll see if I leave on my own or get fired, which is normal in this industry. But I think it’s the former. After some reasonable agreement. But I repeat that today I am here and I am doing everything that is important for Slovan so that we can be successful. As long as it will fulfill me, as long as it will be fun for me, as long as it will be fun for the people with me, the owners with me, we’ll see,” he concluded, reflecting on his tenure since joining the team bench in May 2021.
The former striker, who holds the distinction of scoring Slovakia’s first-ever goal in the independent era, typically refrains from expressing desires about altering his football journey. However, during an interview with V sportovom SITE, he candidly shared, “If I could change or take back one thing in my life, it would be that I would still really like to play football. But these are the dreams of an older, more experienced coach.”
Nostalgia washed over him as he remembered the current era of football. “Today, I would very much like to experience this era of football, which is now, with those spectators, with those stadiums. Because it was different in my era. It was not as perfect as it is today.”
He described the modern match environment as almost theatrical. “Marketing, audiences and all that. Today, the match at Slovan is also a spectacular theater, because the people are fantastic, the stadium is beautiful. The atmosphere in the Champions League and the feeling from the anthem, that’s something fantastic. I often say to myself, ‘Jesus Christ,’ because we used to only watch this on TV. Yes, I experienced it 19 years ago with Artmedia, which was still at the old Tehelno polí, but it also had a different emotion,” Weiss poignantly concluded.
D contemplatively. “As long as I am fulfilled and enjoying the experience, both for myself and the fans, then I will continue. That’s what it’s all about – the joy of the game and the camaraderie with everyone at the club.”
Reflecting on his past, Weiss Sr. expressed a tongue-in-cheek desire to return to playing football, acknowledging how the current environment is rife with spectacle and fervor. “If I could change one thing in my life, it would be to still be playing football. The atmosphere at matches today is amazing; the crowds, the marketing—it all creates a spectacle that we could only dream about back in my day. It feels like a complete theater, and it’s something I wish I could be a part of again,” he reminisced.
The elder Weiss noted how much the landscape of football has evolved since his playing days, filled with advancements that enhance the experience for players and fans alike. “Every Champions League match invokes a sense of wonder. The anthems, the cheers, the sheer scale of it all—it’s just phenomenal. I remember attending those matches years ago and how, even then, I would yearn for the electric atmosphere that now thrives at places like Tehelno Poli.”
As the weeks unfold, the fate of both Weiss Sr. and Slovan Bratislava hangs in a delicate balance. Will the club secure stability under his leadership, or will a new chapter begin, with fresh ideas and talent stepping into the light? One thing remains clear: the beautiful game will continue to captivate fans, and narratives of both triumph and change will emerge. For now, the drama of football, filled with its ups and downs, keeps everyone guessing. The fans, the players, the managers—everyone is waiting for the next chapter to unfold in this ongoing saga of passion and perseverance.
