PRAGUE, June 22 (Reuters) - Czech manager Jozef Chovanec said on Thursday he would try to persuade captain Jiri Nemec to reconsider his decision to retire from international soccer after the Czechs were eliminated from Euro 2000.

Defensive midfielder Nemec, 34, from 1997 UEFA Cup winners Schalke 04 extended his record to 82 caps at the European championships. Chovanec said he could have chosen more defensive tactics in the group stage but had opted for attacking play.

'With the benefit of hindsight some may say it could be better to play more cautiously against France and a draw could be a good result,' he told reporters. 'But it was my responsibility and I had decided to play for a victory.'

France won the game 2-1, condemning the Czechs to an early exit.