Michal Czanner Interview (10/09/09)

Interview by Matt Harris

Michal Czanner has become an established figure in the Tunbridge Wells side since his return to Culverden about a year ago. A popular character in the team, he has become an assured presence between the posts since then, and his performances for the opening month of this season earned him 80% of the votes on the online Supporters' Forum Poll for August’s Player of the Month.

Before turning to how he came to be playing in the Kent League with The Wells, Czanner had one or two other priorities to clarify with www.tunbridgewellsfc.co.uk. “First, can I just say my name is Michal (not Mikkelle) - everyone seems to get it wrong. Mostly people think I'm Russian, but in fact I come from Bratislava in Slovakia.”

It was in Bratislava as a nine-year-old boy that Michal’s football career began. “I was selected for the TJ Spoje academy which is a Second Division team in Slovakia. By the time I was 16 I was playing professionally in the first team. Then at 19 I was transferred to Inter Bratislava which was in the First Division.”

Watching the recent round of World Cup qualifying matches, he stumbled across a familiar face from the past. “I watched Jan Mucha play for Slovakia against Northern Ireland. When I played for Inter, I trained with him. He was in the youth team at that time. I left Inter to play for Locomotive Raca because they offered me better pay, and I wanted to play, not sit on the bench.

“I came to England in 2003 to learn English. When I arrived I could barely say ‘yes’ and ‘no’. I played for Otford United only because I couldn't play professional football until Slovakia joined the EU in 2004. Then I went to Tonbridge Angels, they were promoted at the end of that season. I played about 25 games for them and then I was offered a place at Maidstone United. Again I played about 20 games for them. They were also promoted at the end of that season.

“At that time I was also training with Tony Roberts of Dagenham & Redbridge. He organised a trial for me at Queens Park Rangers but sadly I wasn't selected - a 22-year-old Slovenian got the place. The following season I played for Redhill, but I had already resigned when Jason Bourne called me to ask if I could play for Tunbridge Wells when Chris Arnold injured his knee.”

A year on, and a month into the new season - as mentioned, Czanner’s exploits in goal have not gone un-recognized. August proved to be a mixed month as far as results for the side went, but a good month for Michal, who has hit the ground running.

“This season I feel very positive about the change in management of the team,” he explained as he reflects on August as a whole. “I was pleased to be asked to stay in the team by Martin Larkin and I was pleased with the beginning of the FA Cup game against Sevenoaks, but disappointed with the final result.

“I felt we lacked determination in the second league game against Herne Bay. In the game against Faversham we played well and I think we showed more of the true character of Tunbridge Wells. I hope we can build on this for the rest of the season.”

And on the subject of the character of the side, Czanner would be best positioned to notice just how far that has developed down the years, since he is actually in his third spell with the side.

“There has been a tremendous improvement from previous years,” he reflects. “The club is better organised now, and there is more of a sense of team spirit and Tunbridge Wells identity,” to which Czanner (modestly) believes he adds “lots” in terms of character and experience.

In all seriousness, he certainly is held in high regard by his manager, who states that, “he has really grown within the group this last 12 months, and definitely ranks as the best keeper in the league.”

Interestingly, Michal doesn’t believe the league has changed significantly over the seasons he’s dipped in to play in it, and maybe it is from this growing familiarity, along with some of his past career highlights that he can draw his ambition, both as a player and for the club: “To get promoted again as previous clubs which I have played for have been.

“I would also like to see the club being supported more by the local community,” he concludes.