I am a very happy coach with these guys
Wednesday, November 29, 2023
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Press conference of head coach of Shakhtar Marino Pusic after the victory over Antwerp (1-0)
– Congratulations on the win! What would you say is the difference between playing in the Ukrainian League, where the past few matches have been quite difficult for your team, and in the Champions League, where you are creating a real sensation in the last matches? What is the difference between these two competitions and why is that happening?
– Thank you. First of all, I have to say that we played very well in our league, but we did not score goals after good moments, that is why we played a draw in the last game. And even in the match before that we showed very good football. I have to say that because if you think a draw is not good enough, this is not the case, we were very good. There is a big difference in emotions, an empty stadium, it is not easy to play in such conditions not only for our players, but also for other clubs. And then you play in the Champions League at this stadium with a lot of people – and almost all tickets were sold out, we received great support from our fans – and that gives us other kind of energy. It is not the reason for the draw then or the win now, but there is a difference in terms of emotions and motivation. I have to say again, that the last two games in the competition were maybe the best ones until now, but as you see, football is emotions, and people think that if we draw one time, it is not good enough. I do not agree with that, those matches were fantastic. But this is a different thing.
– Can you tell us more about Dmytro Riznyk? He played very well, made some great saves. Obviously, he is going through a very difficult time now with what happened to his brother. What can you say about him and how resilient he has been over the past two months since the tragedy?
– It is actually unbelievable how mentally stable Riznyk is. He is a very nice person, mentally stable and focused on his development and on the team, which is not imaginable under these circumstances. So, what I can say about him… I am very proud of him for everything: how he is working, his focus, how he is dealing with the loss. That is really unbelievable.
– Could you give us your assessment of the performance? And considering the fact that the team have nine points at this stage, how do you feel about that and where does that sit in your expectations?
– First of all, we are very proud of our first important achievement – us staying in the European competitions after the winter break. And we can still have the opportunity to stay at the highest level in Europe – in the Champions League. It was a great performance, I am very happy. It was a tough game, it is the Champions League match where you have to deal with very good opponents, well-organized and high-quality ones. But, once again, my players do more than I ask of them – not only for me as a coach, but also for the club. And this is very important: discipline, organization. Like I said, they want to play according to my instructions, and I want to compete with everyone, and they show it. I am a very happy coach with these guys.
– Do you play football games on the computer? Because, it seems that you are the only coach whose team do not play in their hometown, you were not there. This is some kind of virtual reality…
– I do not play computer games because I do not like them. I played when I was young, but in my time there were not so many games. I started my career as a futsal coach, and as a young player, I come from school where just “playing beautifully” was not enough, so you always have it in your mind – when you change your philosophy and when you develop your vision of the game. It is not only about a beautiful game, when you try to give something to the people in the stadium, but it is also about winning, because you need to win. We train like I want us to play the match, there is no difference. We train like we play, and we play like we train. Of course, like every coach, you need the right players for that part of the game, because it is not easy – I ask many things of them. But I am sure that thanks to this young players reach a high level. And to be honest, when I watch a match, I want to enjoy it too, just like the fans.
– Thank you. First of all, I have to say that we played very well in our league, but we did not score goals after good moments, that is why we played a draw in the last game. And even in the match before that we showed very good football. I have to say that because if you think a draw is not good enough, this is not the case, we were very good. There is a big difference in emotions, an empty stadium, it is not easy to play in such conditions not only for our players, but also for other clubs. And then you play in the Champions League at this stadium with a lot of people – and almost all tickets were sold out, we received great support from our fans – and that gives us other kind of energy. It is not the reason for the draw then or the win now, but there is a difference in terms of emotions and motivation. I have to say again, that the last two games in the competition were maybe the best ones until now, but as you see, football is emotions, and people think that if we draw one time, it is not good enough. I do not agree with that, those matches were fantastic. But this is a different thing.
– Can you tell us more about Dmytro Riznyk? He played very well, made some great saves. Obviously, he is going through a very difficult time now with what happened to his brother. What can you say about him and how resilient he has been over the past two months since the tragedy?
– It is actually unbelievable how mentally stable Riznyk is. He is a very nice person, mentally stable and focused on his development and on the team, which is not imaginable under these circumstances. So, what I can say about him… I am very proud of him for everything: how he is working, his focus, how he is dealing with the loss. That is really unbelievable.
– Could you give us your assessment of the performance? And considering the fact that the team have nine points at this stage, how do you feel about that and where does that sit in your expectations?
– First of all, we are very proud of our first important achievement – us staying in the European competitions after the winter break. And we can still have the opportunity to stay at the highest level in Europe – in the Champions League. It was a great performance, I am very happy. It was a tough game, it is the Champions League match where you have to deal with very good opponents, well-organized and high-quality ones. But, once again, my players do more than I ask of them – not only for me as a coach, but also for the club. And this is very important: discipline, organization. Like I said, they want to play according to my instructions, and I want to compete with everyone, and they show it. I am a very happy coach with these guys.
– Do you play football games on the computer? Because, it seems that you are the only coach whose team do not play in their hometown, you were not there. This is some kind of virtual reality…
– I do not play computer games because I do not like them. I played when I was young, but in my time there were not so many games. I started my career as a futsal coach, and as a young player, I come from school where just “playing beautifully” was not enough, so you always have it in your mind – when you change your philosophy and when you develop your vision of the game. It is not only about a beautiful game, when you try to give something to the people in the stadium, but it is also about winning, because you need to win. We train like I want us to play the match, there is no difference. We train like we play, and we play like we train. Of course, like every coach, you need the right players for that part of the game, because it is not easy – I ask many things of them. But I am sure that thanks to this young players reach a high level. And to be honest, when I watch a match, I want to enjoy it too, just like the fans.