CENTRAL EUROPE AT THE FOOTBALL OLYMPICS
— Géza Lányi | 05/04/1924 —

The biggest test of strength in sports is the Olympiad, which takes place every four years. The milestones of the 1924 round are approaching, and public interest is focused on the gigantic fight months before.

It is also natural that the most popular sport in Europe: football, is far ahead in this regard and — since every Central European state gives itself a first-class chance in this field — the preparations in the field of football are already in a far advanced state, which is sufficiently proven by the fact that The first Olympic trial matches were already held in Budapest and Prague, and Hugo Meisl also prepared the ground for the next trial matches in Vienna.

Before we get into the details, below are the lineups with which the individual countries will probably represent their football sport.

1. Budapest: Plattkó — Mandl, Fogl II. — Kertész II., Guttmann, Blum — Braun, Konrád II., Orth, Schaffer, Jeny.

This setup may still undergo various changes. Therefore, it is to be expected that due to Orth's foot injury, he will not be able to lead the forward line, and in this case the forward line Braun - Molnár - Schaffer - Konrád II. - Jenny will appear, while he himself will occupy a place in the half-back line. But otherwise, it can be calculated with Nemes-Braun, Hirzer-Jenny, Konrád I-Blum exchange; this will depend on the conditions at the moment and will not cause a significant power shift in the above set-up.

2. Vienna: Ostrizek — Schlosser, Blum — Kurz, Brandstatter, Geyer — Wondrak, Uridil, Horvath, Wieser, Wesely.

This setup is also unstable. Perhaps the most labile of them all. We get bigger surprises from Vienna on every festive occasion, so it would be downright admirable if the national team captain didn't deliver something special on this occasion.

We could write too much about the possible changes here, much more than can fit within the scope of this short thesis, but the fact is that the following players may be set up and corresponding changes: Kannhauser, Beer, Teufel, Kannhauser II, Hofbauer II, Horeys, Seidl, Izda, Swatosch, Kuthaus, Fuchs, Nietsch, Wana.

Just enough to make the final lineup look like a kilometer away, but noting here that the power level of the above lineup cannot be significantly changed even by replacing several players.

3. Prague: Kaliba — Hojer, Steiner — Perner, Káďa, Seifert — Sedláček, Štapl, Vaník, Čapek, Kratochvíl.

This combination seems to be the most dangerous. It is possible to calculate with the selection of Kolenatý, Rehák, Červený, or Dvořáček in the trial matches, but based on the current conditions, the eleven above really suits the representatives of Czechoslovakia, if — as is likely — Bánás, Bulla, Mahrer or Bobor will be left out for nationality reasons.

Comparing the balance of power is much easier than it seems at first glance. Therefore, we would like primarily to compare the players from Vienna and Budapest.

The Viennese school, which has been able to show a huge upswing and beautiful results in recent years, has proven itself, but it has not yet reached the refined Scottish playing style of the Hungarians, bordering on juggling. The proof of this is primarily the Hungarian footballers who moved to Vienna, not to mention others: the Konrád brothers, Schaffer, Nemes, Guttmann, show absolute superiority over their Austrian rivals and are still Vienna's most cherished football prima donnas.

The success of the Austrians was more evident in the last 3 years because the Hungarian team could not put its team in the barrier without Plattkó, the Konráds, Schaffer, Guttmann, Nemes, Szabó, Winkler, Bánás, Obitz, which could have been expressed in a manner appropriate to the development of Hungarian football.

The difference between a Hungarian football genius, Gyuri Orth, and an Austrian football prodigy, Uridil, is still a world away. Hungarian football is ahead of Vienna by goals.

When comparing Prague and Hungarian football, we must not forget the fact that the Czech forward line has been playing a different style for 8 months, i.e. with the rest of Janda and Pilát. And the kick and rush cultivated by Janda was transferred to Scottish football, just like the Hungarians. We know with what result. Dresden is a day of sad remembrance for the new system of the Czech forward game.

Although the Czech defense and half-back line may be as strong as the Hungarian ones, the Hungarian representatives have a decisive advantage in the forward line, which is more than enough to win a match for sure.

Among the states of Central Europe participating in the Olympiad, Hungary will start with the biggest chances, and in the final of the Olympiad in Paris, besides Hungary, Austria and Spain will have the highest say, given that the winner in Antwerp, the Netherlands, gave themselves an extremely poor record by playing against the second level Hungarian team.

However, we must not forget about a state whose participation was not allowed by the organizing French and which would have the worst chances in Colombes and this:

4. the boycotted Germany.

Rational training, the ascetic-like lifestyle of German athletes, and the intensive cultivation of mass training have pushed German sports in general earlier, and German football in the last two years, with such great momentum that today the German national team must be considered on an equal footing with all national teams.

With the aging of Tewes, the South German national team strengthened by Harder would represent the colors of the German Empire: Stuhlfauth — Bark, Kugler — Hagen, Kalb, Riegel — Strobl, Popp, Seiderer, Harder, Sutor.

Possible changes in the defense: Müller, Schmidt, in the forward line: Wieder, Träg, Jäger, Auer, Franz.

The composition of the above team is quite sufficient to judge the German playing power. However, since years of revenge, we have not had the opportunity to see the unified national team of the German Empire, and that is why it remains an eternal shame of the Sovén way of thinking that now, when the international program could be made more interesting with the knowledge of an excellent opponent, we have to give up observing the development of German power.