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Czech coach Bilek extends contract to 2014

Czech national team coach Michal Bilek, pictured in February 2012, extended his contract to 2014 on Saturday after leading the Czechs to their fifth straight Euro tournament, the CTK news agency said

Czech national team coach Michal Bilek extended his contract to 2014 on Saturday after leading the Czechs to their fifth straight Euro tournament, the CTK news agency said. "The team has been improving under Bilek. The coach has also fulfilled a tough task and led the team to the Euro," the agency quoted Czech Football Association head Miroslav Pelta as saying. "When I want someone and I trust him, I go to the battle with him and stand by him. There's no reason to wait," Pelta said at the Czech Republic's pre-Euro training camp in Bad Waltersdorf, Austria. The Czechs have won nine games, lost eight and drawn six since the 47-year-old Bilek took the helm in November 2009. During the Euro 2012 qualification campaign, Bilek built a new team, testing scores of players from the home league alongside the two biggest stars, Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech and Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky, the team captain. Bilek, a former Sparta Prague and Real Betis midfielder, is due to name his 23 men for the Euro squad on Tuesday. The Czechs are facing Israel later on Saturday and Hungary on June 1 in pre-Euro friendlies. Then they will travel to the southern Polish city of Wroclaw for the tournament co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine, taking on Russia on June 8, Greece on June 12 and Poland on June 16 in Group A.