Players have thirst for wins
Thursday, March 22, 2018
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On March 22, the Shakhtar fitness coach Pedro Moreira turns 43. We are extending our greetings to the birthday boy and traditionally ask him a few questions
- Happy birthday, Pedro! Soon, it will be two years since you’ve joined the Donetsk club. How do you feel in Ukraine?
- Thank you for the birthday greeting! As for my job, the training process, the preparation for matches, I’ve got no problems here. Just the language barrier still causes some discomfort in everyday life. Another difficulty I have to deal with is the Ukrainian winter. Cold weather lasts for several months. We, the Portuguese, of course, aren’t used to that kind of temperature. The fact that the team don’t actually have their own base, the stadium, and that they play all their games away, has forced us to adapt to the existing conditions. In this regard, Shakhtar and their competitors are in different conditions. However, difficulties make us only stronger, I’m convinced of that.
- What experience did you get from participating in the most prestigious European competition, the Champions League?
- It’s always very important for Shakhtar to claim wins. The thoughts that Paulo Fonseca gets across to his assistants and players, are aimed exceptionally at success. The team must believe in the idea of the game, which consists of many components: ball possession, performance in the opponents’ half of the field, full control of the situation and other things. The Miners do all of the above to the highest standards. What has the Champions League revealed to us? The fact that the players fully understand the requirements of Fonseca. So, we are leading Shakhtar in the right direction. Most importantly, the coaching staff and players have ambitions to get more. The matches held after the winter break, those fantastic five wins with a total goal difference of 19-0 are an excellent indicator that the guys have got the thirst for victories and new trophies.
- The Miners began spending more time in the fitness centre. You have written individual training plans for everyone. Why is so much attention paid to the exercises on training machines?
- Our objective is to develop the best player qualities to the max. The additional workload in the fitness centre will allow them to be even stronger and more enduring. And the way the players move on the field, shows us that we train very productively.
- What would you wish yourself on your birthday?
- In football, of course, I wish only victories and claiming more titles together with Shakhtar. Speaking about personal things, when you work in a different country, away from home, it’s crucial to be close to your family. I want my relatives, my family, to be healthy and happy. If they are near me, that’s just perfect.
- Thank you for the birthday greeting! As for my job, the training process, the preparation for matches, I’ve got no problems here. Just the language barrier still causes some discomfort in everyday life. Another difficulty I have to deal with is the Ukrainian winter. Cold weather lasts for several months. We, the Portuguese, of course, aren’t used to that kind of temperature. The fact that the team don’t actually have their own base, the stadium, and that they play all their games away, has forced us to adapt to the existing conditions. In this regard, Shakhtar and their competitors are in different conditions. However, difficulties make us only stronger, I’m convinced of that.
- What experience did you get from participating in the most prestigious European competition, the Champions League?
- It’s always very important for Shakhtar to claim wins. The thoughts that Paulo Fonseca gets across to his assistants and players, are aimed exceptionally at success. The team must believe in the idea of the game, which consists of many components: ball possession, performance in the opponents’ half of the field, full control of the situation and other things. The Miners do all of the above to the highest standards. What has the Champions League revealed to us? The fact that the players fully understand the requirements of Fonseca. So, we are leading Shakhtar in the right direction. Most importantly, the coaching staff and players have ambitions to get more. The matches held after the winter break, those fantastic five wins with a total goal difference of 19-0 are an excellent indicator that the guys have got the thirst for victories and new trophies.
- The Miners began spending more time in the fitness centre. You have written individual training plans for everyone. Why is so much attention paid to the exercises on training machines?
- Our objective is to develop the best player qualities to the max. The additional workload in the fitness centre will allow them to be even stronger and more enduring. And the way the players move on the field, shows us that we train very productively.
- What would you wish yourself on your birthday?
- In football, of course, I wish only victories and claiming more titles together with Shakhtar. Speaking about personal things, when you work in a different country, away from home, it’s crucial to be close to your family. I want my relatives, my family, to be healthy and happy. If they are near me, that’s just perfect.