Fast confession - Tomáš Ujfaluši: I do not have a partner, they all want a baby!
Tomáš Ujfaluši, whom no one calls otherwise than Ujfi, is difficult to catch-up with. One day he is in Prague, the next he is in Italy and another in Japan. But when he is already in the Czech basin, he is most devoted to his daughter, Kačenka. He tries to be a 100% dad and fears that the day will come when his daughter will not need him any more. When it happens that he does not have to go anywhere, whether for fun or for business, you will always meet him in the centre, in the café, with the guys at the pub or at some social event. Between these activities, he took a moment to talk to Luxury Prague Life and he talked about everything.
Tomáš, you’re not playing any more. What is the daily regime of a former sportsman? You do not have to go for training, matches...
Basically I have always had some kind of regime. When I’m in Prague, I’m with my daughter. I get up at seven to take her to school and then I have time for myself. When the weather is nice, I try to play golf. I’m training more now and enjoying it. At other times I go to a gym. I’m used to keeping on the move. If I stopped there would be trouble. I do not look for food so much but I do like beer; I do not deny it so I have to move about several times a week. At the weekend I also play football when I go to Moravia, where I have my cottage and my parents. So I will connect pleasure with a useful trip. I’m going play some district football championship on behalf of Sokol Stará Ves. When I finished up with football, I decided that I should not gain more than five kilos. Now I’m carrying three of them. That is not so terrible.
So how much do you weigh now?
85. When I finished with football, I weighed 82.5. So I sort of hold on. Now I look at the food as well - organic food. I do not eat much meat. I just need to watch myself, I’m not one of the youngest lads. (laughing)
The daughter lives with her mother. Do you get up and go there every morning to take her to school?
We live about 150 metres apart, the little one always chooses where she will be that day. So it’s fine.
But you said that often you were gone. Where do you go?
To Italy, for example, I have a business there. I bought a small hotel there and I do like Italy! I’ve spent a wonderful four years there and I do have friends there too. I would even say that I have more friends there than here, so I keep coming back there. I like to go there. Now I’m going there for three or four days to get some energy but otherwise I’m trying to be here with a little one.
Throughout your career you’ve always lived somewhere else than here. How many languages do you know?
German, Italian, Spanish, English. I can deal with all of them fluently.
Few people know that, why do you not make any further use of them? You have time, you can still study...
No way. I want to enjoy that free time! I have never wanted to be a trainer. This is simply the work that one has to devote oneself to. You are out on the pitch from morning till night. I want to use my time mainly for the little one. As I told you, she goes to school in the morning, and at that point I have free time but then the clubs begin from 1 p.m. Prague is big and crowded. We two are for it! - one takes her there and the other one brings her home. When you’re alone, it’s a chase. As two it is easier and I love the time with my daughter and also with big Kačka.
How old is Kačenka?
Twelve.
Soon she will be in puberty and she will not need her father that much any more.
When it happens I will then decide what to do next.
Actually, at 39, you are living a rentier’s life.
It does not look like that, it is. I’m retired. (laughing)
But it must become boring.
So of course, when it gets boring, I’ll think of something. I have not thought about it yet.
Would you like to have another child?
That’s the thing I’ve been thinking about. And I do not want to. One is enough. I’m rather looking forward to when the little one grows up, and I’ll take a month or two and go away. She will not need me anymore.
Do you have a gun licence? Your daughter is beautiful and when she grows up...
Yeah, she will be a beautiful woman. But I do not have one yet and I do still have some time.
She too will be a famous singer...?
We will see. Meanwhile, she enjoys it. That’s important. Let’s see which direction she will go. Meanwhile, she enjoys musicals, where she is always with a friend and amongst older actors.
I’d feel better if she went on a solo track... But, you know, she enjoys it so much...
You do not care what she’s gonna do? Do you not want her to be a doctor?
No. I do not care. Important is that she is happy. She does so many things that she enjoys that she still has plenty of time to choose.
Since you are famous it means that she grew up next to a famous athlete and when she plunges herself into the show business, how does she perceives it?
“She does not take it so seriously. Today’s children are completely different than we were. When I was her age I was just a child. She’s gone much further. She’s not nervous when she goes to castings whereas I was stressed at those times. That’s why I also think it’s necessary to keep them at bay so that they do not fly away.”
You’re used to being drilled and trained and ordered about. Do you lead Kačenka to do the other same things?
Sure! Both me and Kačka. But she is stricter than I am. I sometimes feel that the little one runs away to me because she knows that I will allow her to do more, but I hold myself back. We have to harmonise it somehow.
So you discuss upbringing with big Kačka?
Sure, we still talk and we call each other and we see each other.
You have such an exceptional relationship. Somewhere else I read that perhaps you came back together again
A lot of things are written (laughing). We like each other. This is rarely seen; I’m aware of it and I am glad. Anybody can envy this.
Explain this to me - you and women. How is it possible for footballers or hockey players to always have a model next to them?
I do not know... but it’s probably because at all the events we are just with girls that get there somehow, either as hostesses or waitresses… So you’re in touch with them. When we go to the bar, those girls will be there too.
Of course to the Kozička Bar, they go there to hunt you, everybody knows. (laughter)
But you also go shopping. Have you never liked a cashier at the Albert Supermarket?
There I’ve never seen anyone younger than fifty (laughter). Hey, I understand it’s odd, but when thinking about it, it works like this all over the world. No matter if you are a Formula One Racer, a hockey player or a tennis player. Perhaps it should be like this. What is true is that I do not know any athlete who would marry a girl from the place where he was born.
I didn’t either. But back to you - you’re a good looking, young, single man. How are you getting on with the girls? Are they getting you down?
Jesus! Not at all. Nobody hunts me, nobody writes to me or very little. I do not even date much and I go for a beer with the guys and then go home. I am not saying that I am not going somewhere sometime, but I do not enjoy it much anymore. Moreover, as I told you, I no longer want a baby, and they all want the baby. And I do not want to.
Tell me what you like, in addition to your daughter and football. What about theatre?
Occasionally I hang out with my friend who takes me to the theatre sometimes. Or for a concert. I do like quality red wine.
What do you like to buy? I do not see any watches...
I do not have any, now. I have a period when I wear it and a period when I do not wear it. I already have a lot of demand and I have them in the vault. Whenever I’m in the mood, I’ll take some. And do not ask me which are the most expensive one. I do not know it. (laughing)
What about you and cars?
I like them very much. I’ve tried a lot of them. Ten for sure. My heart is with what I have now, Audi RS. It is everyday, comfortable, spacious and fast. It’s a family car, but you can also have a lot of fun with it.
Have you not ever wanted your own yacht or boat?
These are things that have never interested me much. It is better to have friends who have a yacht. (laughing) I happen to have two of them, and we just went to Croatia this summer. He also has a little girl, so we all went. This was ideal for me.
