Masouras: “For an average game we didn’t come out on top – Jovanovic came at the right time”

OR National found two goals at the beginning of the second part, passed Finland for the first time in its history (0-2) and locked the 2nd group of potential in the World Cup qualifying draw.

After the match, George Masouras stressed that the arrival of Ivan Jovanovic came at the right time for the “blue and white”, he said that all the coaches of recent years have put their “stone” in this courseand commented that the team lost first place due to a mediocre performance.

The statements in detail:

For Greece’s first victory in Helsinki: “The goal was for the National team to react after a bad result for us, but in the second year we definitely had to get the three points. Let’s see what else we could get from the other game if we were a little lucky. We won for our own rating, for our prestige and to be sure of the second potential group for the World Cup qualifiers. We had confidence in ourselves. We thought something good would happen. I think it exceeded everyone’s expectations. I think they were very nice games. We beat the rival teams inside and out and had a big win against England. For a mediocre game of ours, we didn’t manage to come out even first in the standings”.

On what has changed for the better in the team: “As I’ve said again, in the last five years, several coaches have put in their efforts, all in their own special way. They helped the team to level up and to feel more secure, to have more confidence to be able to do things on the pitch.

I think Ivan Jovanovic came at the right time, when the team was at a good level psychologically, to give the detail that football needs to take the biggest step. It gave the team more calmness, confidence with the ball at their feet, longer ball possessions until we can at the moment unlock the opponent in order to score.”

For the team’s tactical approach to the game: “Ivan Jovanovic has given the instructions for us to be patient, to manage to have a rational way to open the defenses. There was not so good communication in the final pass, but in the end we have different ways of doing it, as well as players with different characteristics so that we manage to score.”