Mendiliber: “Victory against Olympiakos and the world likes what they see – Podense wants to stay here”

Mission to Siddam: Herakles Antipas

His name has already been written with golden letters in his story Olympiakou. It is difficult for anyone to overcome what he did in less than four months.

When on February 11, the administration of the “red and white” team announced its cooperation with Jose Luis Mendiliber, I don’t think there were many who believed that at the end of the season, the team would lift the European trophy. That he would live these magical and unforgettable moments.

The Basque technician signed Thrylos’ biggest hit, in its 99-year history and is now preparing the team for a historic season. Olympiacos turns 100 years old. One hundred years full of titles, huge successes, strong emotions…

Mediliber is located in the hearts of friends team’s. As soon as they see him enter the field, they sing his name. There are few coaches who know apotheosis. The 63-year-old technician managed to enter this list, with abbreviated procedures.

Before Olympiacos even happened the first Greek team who wins a European event…

Here in Siddam, Vaskos is “building” Olympiakos for the new season and found time to speak to the media representatives. He presented himself to us calm, smiling and in no mood for… dribbles.

He willingly answered the questions and not to drag it out any longer, just enjoy him!

Last day of training in the Netherlands, with only two friendlies remaining. What is the conclusion of everything you have done so far?

“We are going well in pre-season, we are training well. The first two friendlies went well, based on the conditions because we played against teams that were more prepared than us. I think that the last days of presence in the Netherlands will go smoothly, without problems so that we can play as well in the last two friendly games.”

Did the fact that you were missing Stamenic and Garcia through injury coupled with Ese being at the Olympics make your job more difficult?

“That was a problem during preparation. We don’t have Ese who has obligations with his national team, we didn’t have Stamenic and Garcia who were injured. This prompted us to use academy guys like Bakulas and Mouzakitis. We also used guys who don’t usually play there, like Doe and Biancone. That created some problems during preparation, but we lived with it.”

Since we didn’t get to see Stamenic and Garcia in pre-season, what traits did you spot in them and recommend getting them?

“They are players who have characteristics that can help the team. They are children we have seen, observed. Stamenic is younger and has attributes that can help the team. With the return of the mission to Athens, we believe that he will train with us and then even compete in the friendlies in Italy. Garcia is older, more experienced, more veteran one might say. We will miss him a little while longer. He will train later. But they both have characteristics that will help the team and will integrate very well with the rest of the group.”

Of the “small” do you see any as transfers?

“Definitely yes! More than one child will be part of our group.

In preparation there are the “little ones” who show things, but also Gelson Martins who also shows a lot of things. Can it be classified as a new transfer?

“Zelson is a player who in previous years did not prepare well or not at all due to injuries with his previous teams. He is a footballer who can offer different things than what we saw until last year from the rest of the group. He can give different ideas to the group, he can play well with movement and speed in space. He is a player who can help us and offer different things to the team.”

We imagine you would be smiling a lot when you heard that El Kaabi will be staying for the next two years.

“He is an important player. This leaves us with a base compared to the previous season. He is important, he is happy to have signed a contract. We are all happy. We need to keep such players if we are to hope for a better season. Overall, I’m happy that an important player from last year has stayed”

Last year’s team has differences in terms of faces. Will it have differences in relation to the philosophy you want to pass on to the team?

“It’s a new season. It is true that we have different players, but we also had a lot of players last season. It is important now that we have fewer footballers than last year. The most important thing is the idea. To remain the same as possible. Yes, there are players with new characteristics, some guys have left, but the most important thing is that the idea remains the same and we don’t constantly change our basic strategy and our basic idea.”

Last year one of the pillars of your amazing run in the Conference was David Carmo who preferred to stay at Porto. Now here is Pirola. What were the elements that stood out to you in Pirola and decided to proceed with his acquisition?

“Carmo had a very good year last year. We need not elaborate further. Pirola is a different player to Carmo. It is a stopper, but it has different characteristics. Carmo has a very good pass to get the ball out of the area, but he wasn’t as quick as Pirola. Lorenzo is faster. We also wait for Lorenzo to see if he has that first good pass like Carmo had. But he is faster and we are waiting to see how much his characteristics, which are different from Carmo’s, will help the team.”

Since we are in the transfer window and since we understand that you don’t want to talk about names, can you tell us the number of transfer moves that will be made by the end of the transfer window?

“We still have enough time to close the market. As long as the market remains open and the team is looking at players, it could be some players that interest us. It could be any player. I cannot speak of a number, two or three above. As long as the market remains open, all scenarios are possible and various transfers can occur, as can departures respectively. As long as the market remains open, then all possibilities are open.”

We are entering 100 years of the club, what do you promise the world that will see the new season. Last year there was a ceiling to win the Conference. This year;

“The most important thing for us is that the team wins. What I can promise is work, intensity and people liking what they see. Above all victories, let the team win, but that’s it. I can’t promise anything more. Only wins and as much interest as possible in the world so that they like what they see.”

On May 29, you told Podense that you would talk again in July. Have you spoken since then? We know that this is an extremely difficult case.

“There are three parts. There are the two teams and the footballer. Most important of all is whether the player wants to come. I can’t say anything because it’s not in our hands. All three parties must agree. But the most important thing is that the player wants to come.”

What do you expect in the two remaining friendlies in Holland? One is also against Mitchell’s team.

“It’s an important day for me to meet Mitchell. We have a very good relationship. Before I came to Olympiakos, I had spoken with him. He had told me the best about Greece, the club, the fans. I had the footballer son at Eibar. We have a very good relationship, we are friends and I would love to meet him and talk like friends after the match.”