Czechs bank on goalkeeping Čechs

The Czech Republic have called up Marek Čech and Petr Čech for the UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifiers against San Marino and the Republic of Ireland.

Unrelated goalkeepers
The goalkeeping namesakes, Chelsea FC's Petr and FC Slovan Liberec's Marek, have never been in the same squad, but even though the latter has conceded just one goal all season, Marek Čech will remain his country's third-choice custodian behind Petr Čech and AC Sparta Praha's Jaromír Blažek.

Dublin calling
Aston Villa FC forward Milan Baroš and AFC Ajax defender Zdenek Grygera return after injuries but Vladimír Šmicer of FC Girondins de Bordeaux is still on the casualty list. The Czechs host San Marino in Liberec on 7 October before their Group D trip to Dublin four days later.

Czech Republic squad
Goalkeepers: Jaromír Blažek (AC Sparta Praha), Petr Čech (Chelsea FC), Marek Čech (FC Slovan Liberec).

Defenders: Marek Jankulovski (AC Milan), Radoslav Kováč (FC Spartak Moskva), Martin Jiránek (FC Spartak Moskva), David Rozehnal (Paris Saint-Germain FC), Tomáš Ujfaluši (ACF Fiorentina), Tomáš Zápotocný (FC Slovan Liberec), Zdenek Grygera (AFC Ajax).

Midfielders: David Jarolím (Hamburger SV), Tomáš Galásek (1. FC Nürnberg), Jaroslav Plašil (AS Monaco FC), Jan Polák (1. FC Nürnberg), Tomáš Rosický (Arsenal FC), Tomáš Sivok (AC Sparta Praha), Libor Sionko (Rangers FC).

Forwards: Jan Koller (AS Monaco FC), Marek Kulič (FK Mladá Boleslav), David Lafata (FK Jablonec 97), Milan Baroš (Aston Villa FC).