One day before her crucial match Greece with the Kazakhstan for the semi-finals of the Euro 2024 playoffs, o Gustavo Poget… was questioned by the representatives of the press.
The federal coach spoke about the state of the team, the biggest decision he has to make for tomorrow and the progress of Galanolefki, as well as its opponents.
What he said in detail:
“After two years, I think the team is sure of what they have to do, we have a certain way of playing that the players have embraced. I am a coach who reads the matches, I try to act proactively, before something happens, the footballers know that too. I think we are in good shape, we are ready.
One of the biggest decisions I have to make for tomorrow is to play those who have played more matches with the national team and understand better what I want, or those who are in more form with their clubs? I want to check tonight as well, I have the line-up in mind but I want the training to be completed to decide.
It was a long process, from the first two friendlies and the Nations League matches, I tried to see the players, you see a footballer, if he understands what you want. You can’t tell from the TV, it’s a very important process.
We wanted to build a small group that understands how to play, in a national team it takes time. We were able to build it, there are players who come in and play consistently. If you had asked me a year ago if I would and could be here now, I would have signed up in a heartbeat!
It’s a challenge, it’s a very difficult match. Kazakhstan has improved a lot in the last five years, probably more than us. We have to be very careful, there are no excuses, we are ready.
When we started, we aimed to do well in the Nations League, to get people back on the pitch. I knew how difficult it is to play in OAKA with 8-10,000 people. Then we had to convince the football people about how much we can achieve together. Now we are more united than ever this two years, we had the postponement of the game with the request accepted by the league, we saw Atromitos give us their field for two more trainings if we pass. We are in the best possible conditions.
Historically we’re favorites, in terms of momentum, I’m not sure. We have to play our game. Until now, we have had two different styles of football, at first we wanted to control the matches, then we had to adapt against the best teams in Europe.. We have to be ourselves, respect the opponent and see how the match will develop. , is the first kind of football we had played.
I know very well the mentality of the Greek player, I know them very well, when they want more push and when they should be more calm. What I can say is that I was in contact with the players, and those over 30, they were desperate to come and play.
It’s a big opportunity for Kazakhstan, but it’s the same for the players here. We don’t play thinking about everything around us but we play our game.
We won’t say too much, we will play our system, I’m not one to drastically change their systems before big matches, the dilemma is what I said before, whether to use the players who play normally or the ones who are fit in their groups.
Kazakhs have a certain way of playing, they are unstoppable. You will hardly see this team have a bad 20 minutes, we can’t go down, if we do we will be punished. We know that and we will be careful, those who had a problem with them made this mistake.”
Source: Sport Fm
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