‘I was thinking of studying film-making but football always won’, says Tottenham’s Bára Votikova
TOTTENHAM’S Bára Votikova admits a career in film-making is on her “bucket list” when she eventually hangs up her boots.
And the goalkeeper, who is a YouTube star in her native Czech Republic, hopes to help Spurs stun Arsenal again in the Women’s Super League’s North London derby.
Votikova, whose senior club career began in 2013 with Czech side Viktoria Plzen, was one of the standout performers during Tottenham’s defeat of the Gunners last December.
But the WSL ace, 27, who shut out her rivals, could have been saving shots of the film variety, had her football career not taken off.
She told SunSport: “In the Czech Republic it was sometimes hard to make a living out of football.
“There were times when I was thinking whether I wanted to continue because I wanted to study film-making at a film school or university.
“But in the end, football always won.
“When I was about 17 or 18, I started to work with a really good coach (Marek Juska) who showed me the way and made a good goalkeeper out of me.
“He was always so supportive, so I stayed with football.”
Votikova’s playing journey started when she was eight in a boys’ team in the village of Plasy in the Czech Republic’s Pilsen region.
And the Spurs ace, who looked up to Chelsea hero Petr Cech and was coached by her grandfather Vaclav during her childhood, spent some of her playing days up front as a forward.
She adds: “Ever since I was kid I wanted to play in goal although I had one season when I played in Plzen, when I was a forward.
“I made it to national team camps (youth levels) as a forward. But then I went back to goalkeeping.
“In 2014 I moved to Prague to play for SK Slavia Prague
“That kind of shifted the way I started to think about football, and that I could actually make a career (from it) because we played in the Champions League.
“When I went to Slavia it kind of switched on my career.”
Last August Votikova joined Spurs from French giants Paris Saint-Germain.
Her summer move came six months after her comeback from an anterior cruciate ligament injury that derailed her second season there.
Reflecting on her transfer to the club, who are sixth in the WSL, she said: “It was in Spring last year when my agent came to me.
“He told me Tottenham had reached out and were interested in signing me.
“I was really glad to hear that because I wanted to try (playing in) the English league because I think it’s the best league now in the world.
“I was really happy that an English team had reached out to me.
“But I’d also had conversations with Tottenham even a few years ago.
“We’d had a conversation five years ago and now that circle has closed.”
The player endeared herself to Spurs fans after her player-of-match shift helped seal a 1-0 win against Arsenal.
A result that saw the team beat their neighbours for the first time in the WSL.
And Votikova hopes for a similar result when she faces the Gunners at the Emirates this lunchtime with a sell-out crowd expected at the 12:30 pm clash.
She said: “Having a clean sheet against Arsenal on my debut meant a lot to me and winning player of the match was crazy.
“The win was a confidence boost for us and showed we’re going in the right direction.
“It would mean a lot to beat them at their home stadium. But we’ll see.”
Off the pitch Votikova has been an avid vlogger creating more than 170 videos including comedy sketches.
While her content has seen her amass close to a million YouTube followers, her career on the pitch has led to less time video-making off it.
But she admits film-making or acting or directing might be on the cards in the distant future when her playing days are behind her.
Votikova adds: “Well, it is on the bucket list.
“After I (retire) maybe I might try acting or making my own films or script writing or directing, I don’t know yet.
“Or maybe I’ll just continue to do my YouTube channel.
“I have a big community of people who support and follow me and I’m so grateful for that.”