Millions around Bican
Svalopluk Smutný | 25/08/1946

When Bican was an idealist — who will give vic first, second, third?

The high defeat of Slavia from Sparta was accompanied by a surprising news two months later: Bican leaves Slavia! Since then, there have been many reports, a good half of which have not been based on the truth, nor have the others said anything. Bican didn't want to tell us that either, but then shoulder just a word after a word, we got an overview of the situation, the result of which is a true summary of the headline: Millions around Bican.

Where is Bican headed? He doesn't know, it depends on the club that will want to get it at all costs. Quotes fly on Bican's table a decent pile and are decorated with stamps from Italy, France and Switzerland. From Italy, Juventus reaches out for Bican and waves a million korunas to Slavia.

From France, Stade Francais leads in quotes with 2 1/2 million francos, "just behind the curtain" with three offers from Red Star and Racing Paris. Luzern came from Switzerland with a million, the second Swiss bidder is only a little "cheaper". Let's not forget that even domestic clubs have an interest commensurate with their pockets. Bratislava would choose to give as much to Bican as foreign candidates, A.S.O. Olomouc, to which Pepi sympathized, had not yet commented numerically. Count the bids together and you'll get dizzy. And these are only the amounts from the step that ring in the Slavia treasury.

What about Slavia? you ask completely justified. There is about a 10% hope that Bican will stay. Negotiations with foreign clubs have now culminated. Bican thinks how he would play next to Ben Barek and at the same time does not forget that he is 32 years old and has a family (two children). Those interested know this as well, and I am adjusting my offers accordingly for signing the transfer (CZK 350,000) of a monthly gauze (CZK 30,000). Slavia, who acquired Bican in 1937 for 250.000 from Admira, gave Bican CZK 8.000 a month. It is not without interest that Bican won one club even for free.

It was the Viennese Rapid, to which Bican from Hertha was transferred at the age of 15 and where, as a 16-year-old in 1930, he started playing for the 1st team. With a smile, Bican recalls his beginnings at the age of 11 for Hertha's pupil, when the current internacional had to buy football boots and shorts, or in 1928, when he was firmly convinced that he would leave football, and also the first match for Rapid amateurs, when he got up at five o'clock in the morning and "he was shining," because it was his first big match: "muddy terrain, but we won 4:2 and I scored two goals."

In 1935, Slavia could already win Bican, waiting only for a "yes". He waited until the last minute — then Admira signed and in half an hour then Prague called. Admira also didn't give Rapid a shilling for Bican, and Pepi preferred to hold a nine-month deadline at the time to keep his hands free.