Kourbelis on sport-fm.gr: “We are proud – I had issues with the coach at Trabzonspor”

Pridebut and bitterness together. Satisfied that he went… far, but heartbroken over the final outcome. These feelings exist in the “camp” of the National Team after lost final against Holland in OPAP Arenawith Van Dijk’s penalty in the final.

He was, we hope, the first, since barrages follow, in which the blue and white will be asked to take advantage of their second chance, taking two victories. For all the above, but also for his first impressions of Trabzonspor Dimitris Kourbelis spoke in the sport-fm.gr.

THE basic “cutter” of Greece in the critical final stretch he emphasized that “we are proud of the effort we made. Because we were playing with a superpower of world football, such as the Netherlands. On the other hand, we are left with a bitterness, because the game went that far».

Regarding the first period of his presence in Turkey, he admitted that it was difficult, revealing that “I had issues with the previous coach“, referring to Nenad Bielica and expressed faith that he would be able to provide with him Abdullah Avci.

In detail what he said to Apostolis Livanius

We made a great effort. We are left with pity I guess at the end, what are your thoughts shortly after the finale of the match?

“Okay, mixed feelings. On the one hand, all the kids, coaches and staff are proud of the effort we made. Because we were playing with a superpower of world football, such as the Netherlands. On the other hand, we are left with a bitterness, because the game went that far. It was our goal to go there and push in the last ten to fifteen minutes and play aggressively. We are left with bitterness, but we will continue with our goal of continuing to the finals of Euro 2024».

Now how do we think about the battle from now on? I think we are locked in the barrages…

“From tomorrow that’s where our mind will be. After we failed to win today (ie yesterday) and have the upper hand in the group, as we are given a second chance. We all have a very positive aura, so that in the games in March we will manage to win them and be the ones who will go to the finals».

What image do you have of the two disputed phases today? The first penalty awarded, but also the second at the end, which decided the match.

“The truth is that I haven’t seen them on TV, in the highlights. From what I hear, the first one is far fetched. I can’t judge, I haven’t seen it. What I’m hearing is that there is murmuring around these decisions. These things happen, we have to go with these decisions and move on».

You also said earlier that it was in the plan to take a risk at the end. It was a tactic that we were not used to recently in the National Team, competing together at the beginning and playing “all for everything” at the end. Is this something the coach had prepared you for? That we might flip the… switch at the end of the race?

“Okay, so this has to do with the team you’re facing. We had in front of us a very strong team, which advances to the final stages. They were among the best teams in the recent World Cup and were knocked out on penalties by Argentina, who went on to win the World Cup. It was not found by accident. It was in the coach’s plan, we worked on it all week and got it to where it went defensively. In the end we pushed a little more, we had the conditions for something good and it didn’t work out for us, while in the end we conceded the goal with a penalty».

In the end, I would like you to tell us how you have experienced your journey in the first part of your presence in Turkey with Trabzonspor…

“The truth is that it is difficult for me there. I had some issues with the previous manager but that manager has left and we are starting from scratch with the new manager so I can get into the team and really help».