Cech says Czech veterans are not past it

WESTERBURG, Germany, June 7 (Reuters) Czech Republic goalkeeper Petr Cech has brushed aside suggestions his side are too old to win the World Cup, saying they could be dark horses for the title.

With players like Pavel Nedved, Karel Poborsky and Jan Koller in their 30s, several pundits believe the squad will be unable to reproduce their run to the Euro 2004 semi-finals.

''It is true we have some older players but we have a lot of experience,'' Cech told reporters today.

''We have good quality in the squad and we can play good football so we hope to be the dark horses of the tournament,'' said their youngest player.

The 24-year-old added that weather conditions in Germany were more favourable than two years ago in Portugal.

''The weather there was very hot but here the weather is like it was in Prague,'' said Cech. ''It's good footballing weather, it's neither cold nor hot.'' The Czechs face United States on June 12 in their opening Group E game. Italy and Ghana are the other teams in the section.

REUTERS PM BST2340