Championship is our priority
Thursday, February 8, 2018
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Shakhtar head coach Paulo Fonseca gave his take on the winter training and specified the team's objectives
- Paulo, please sum up the training camp results. Did you fulfil everything?
- Yes, the preparation was really fruitful. We met with the strong opponents, the players improved their performance with every game. The training camp organization was fantastic! We worked in excellent conditions, that’s ideal for any professional, so I’m fully satisfied with the winter break.
- Tactical training was present in virtually every session. Is it more important than fitness training and individual brilliance?
- It’s impossible to say what’s more important - all of them are interconnected. Those aspects are of major importance. Tactically we work on our playing style, but it also depends on the physical component. The closer we are to the proper level in training, the easier it will be in the games. Shakhtar work on tactic, fitness and mentality at the same time, in order to do their best in the nearest competitive game. Judging by the current winter break, I feel optimistic.
- You have a huge selection of players: two line-ups actually. How much identical are they?
- I would lie saying that absolutely all our players are of the same level. That’s obvious. Of course, there are some core players for the team, but we also have many young guys - it’s necessary to prepare them for the future. It's about those who are not yet on the same level with the rest, but who work to reach that goal. I believe in absolutely all of our players - they are very important, having different qualities though. We try to train everyone so that anyone could be ready to benefit Shakhtar at any moment. The important thing is that regardless of the players’ individual traits, our style of play has ‘grown’ very well into everyone's head. With any line-up we attack and defend equally. It’s really important to me that everyone understands and develops our style.
- Have the newcomers strengthened Shakhtar or they just came for competition reasons?
- In the off-season period, it's not so easy to come and immediately blend in with the team. Those who played before are already a part of the process, while the newcomers still need some time. We’ve invited them because we believe that they can bring some positive things to the team and make them better. Are they going to make many or few apps? I don’t know. It depends on a particular moment of the season and on the necessity. There’s a certain number of players who can’t be separated from Shakhtar, because they are just crucial. I think that in the coming months, everyone will have the opportunity to prove themselves.
- Are you happy that you managed to retain Fred during the winter break?
- Yes, I’m very happy. Everyone knows how important he is for the team, and the interest of the great clubs in Fred is also understandable. Not losing the current players is much more important for me than signing contracts with new ones. Those players are really very important for Shakhtar. Of course, the guys have their ambitions. I understand the situation of Fred and other players, who received offers ... The players are in demand, especially thanks to our Champions League performance. Such stories are absolutely normal, we solve them in the best possible way. Fred hasn’t left anywhere, and I can say that he is 100 percent attuned to Shakhtar’s goals for the coming months.
- How similar were the training camp opponents to your Champions League ones?
- None of them has any qualities of Roma or the players with such features. The style is completely different. In all our friendlies, except just one, we were in the opponents’ half - as close to their box as possible - regardless of the outcome. Our opponents are strong, but they operated more defensively. That’s us who forced them to drop deep and defend. We need to understand that in the clash with Roma it won’t be like that all the time. The game will be different. The Romans are a cut above our recent opponents, making it really difficult to rehearse at a training camp what we’ll be facing while playing them.
- Fabio Capello wished you good luck. Will you need it against Roma?
- A few things will come in handy. Luck is a component of our life, and of football in particular, sometimes it’s extremely important that it accompanies us. However, what we showcased in the European club cup competitions is not connected with it, but with ambition, focus, compromise, competence and motivation. I believe that against Roma we’ll be able to mix those ingredients and be strong. For the upcoming meetings, success is not a decisive factor.
- What’s your coaching priority for the next six months - the Premier League or the Champions League?
- I am absolutely honest, I also say it to the players, that the championship remains to be the major goal for me. As for the Champions League, time’s passing by, the stages change, everything gets more complicated, but we want to get as far as possible.
- Fred, Rakits’kyy and Petriak have been suspended for the upcoming Premier League matchday. Is starting without them a problem?
- I don’t think so. Their places will be occupied by the other guys we trust. The absence of players won’t be an excuse under any circumstances.
- How to get the players tuned to the match vs Chornomorets if they keep in mind the encounter with Roma?
- To play at Shakhtar, you need to be motivated all the time. The guys know how important the championship is for us - once that’s the priority, they should be focussed on it. If this doesn’t happen, they risk not appearing vs Roma. I want the players to understand: our goal is not the Champions League, but the championship. Those who are not set up for the clash vs Chornomorets, surely, won’t get even a chance of being motivated for the game against Roma.
- Yes, the preparation was really fruitful. We met with the strong opponents, the players improved their performance with every game. The training camp organization was fantastic! We worked in excellent conditions, that’s ideal for any professional, so I’m fully satisfied with the winter break.
- Tactical training was present in virtually every session. Is it more important than fitness training and individual brilliance?
- It’s impossible to say what’s more important - all of them are interconnected. Those aspects are of major importance. Tactically we work on our playing style, but it also depends on the physical component. The closer we are to the proper level in training, the easier it will be in the games. Shakhtar work on tactic, fitness and mentality at the same time, in order to do their best in the nearest competitive game. Judging by the current winter break, I feel optimistic.
- You have a huge selection of players: two line-ups actually. How much identical are they?
- I would lie saying that absolutely all our players are of the same level. That’s obvious. Of course, there are some core players for the team, but we also have many young guys - it’s necessary to prepare them for the future. It's about those who are not yet on the same level with the rest, but who work to reach that goal. I believe in absolutely all of our players - they are very important, having different qualities though. We try to train everyone so that anyone could be ready to benefit Shakhtar at any moment. The important thing is that regardless of the players’ individual traits, our style of play has ‘grown’ very well into everyone's head. With any line-up we attack and defend equally. It’s really important to me that everyone understands and develops our style.
- Have the newcomers strengthened Shakhtar or they just came for competition reasons?
- In the off-season period, it's not so easy to come and immediately blend in with the team. Those who played before are already a part of the process, while the newcomers still need some time. We’ve invited them because we believe that they can bring some positive things to the team and make them better. Are they going to make many or few apps? I don’t know. It depends on a particular moment of the season and on the necessity. There’s a certain number of players who can’t be separated from Shakhtar, because they are just crucial. I think that in the coming months, everyone will have the opportunity to prove themselves.
- Are you happy that you managed to retain Fred during the winter break?
- Yes, I’m very happy. Everyone knows how important he is for the team, and the interest of the great clubs in Fred is also understandable. Not losing the current players is much more important for me than signing contracts with new ones. Those players are really very important for Shakhtar. Of course, the guys have their ambitions. I understand the situation of Fred and other players, who received offers ... The players are in demand, especially thanks to our Champions League performance. Such stories are absolutely normal, we solve them in the best possible way. Fred hasn’t left anywhere, and I can say that he is 100 percent attuned to Shakhtar’s goals for the coming months.
- How similar were the training camp opponents to your Champions League ones?
- None of them has any qualities of Roma or the players with such features. The style is completely different. In all our friendlies, except just one, we were in the opponents’ half - as close to their box as possible - regardless of the outcome. Our opponents are strong, but they operated more defensively. That’s us who forced them to drop deep and defend. We need to understand that in the clash with Roma it won’t be like that all the time. The game will be different. The Romans are a cut above our recent opponents, making it really difficult to rehearse at a training camp what we’ll be facing while playing them.
- Fabio Capello wished you good luck. Will you need it against Roma?
- A few things will come in handy. Luck is a component of our life, and of football in particular, sometimes it’s extremely important that it accompanies us. However, what we showcased in the European club cup competitions is not connected with it, but with ambition, focus, compromise, competence and motivation. I believe that against Roma we’ll be able to mix those ingredients and be strong. For the upcoming meetings, success is not a decisive factor.
- What’s your coaching priority for the next six months - the Premier League or the Champions League?
- I am absolutely honest, I also say it to the players, that the championship remains to be the major goal for me. As for the Champions League, time’s passing by, the stages change, everything gets more complicated, but we want to get as far as possible.
- Fred, Rakits’kyy and Petriak have been suspended for the upcoming Premier League matchday. Is starting without them a problem?
- I don’t think so. Their places will be occupied by the other guys we trust. The absence of players won’t be an excuse under any circumstances.
- How to get the players tuned to the match vs Chornomorets if they keep in mind the encounter with Roma?
- To play at Shakhtar, you need to be motivated all the time. The guys know how important the championship is for us - once that’s the priority, they should be focussed on it. If this doesn’t happen, they risk not appearing vs Roma. I want the players to understand: our goal is not the Champions League, but the championship. Those who are not set up for the clash vs Chornomorets, surely, won’t get even a chance of being motivated for the game against Roma.