Olympiacos emphatically grabbed the three points in Volos by an away 0-4 win for their Super League campaign and our side’s coach, Michel, expressed his satisfaction on the current state of fitness of the red-and-white squad.
In detail, below follows a transcript of the Spanish coach’s presser after the Volos match:
Olympiacos closed the first round having scored a total of 18 goals; since the beginning of the second round, they have already scored more than 10 times. What has changed?
Many things have changed; the main change has to do with the fact that players started believing in themselves. I think that, currently, we are the team that scores more goals in the championship and also conceded the least goals; in fact, we have conceded no goals in our last matches. I thank my players because they have faith in what we tell them and their skills; they are the stars and they turn into practice what we tell and show them, and this is how we want to go on. This was a key match for us with thousands of fans coming to support us; all these do show that something has changed.
As a coach, and not as a former striker, what is more important: watching your squad keeping a clean sheet or creating chances and scoring many goals?
What a coach wants is to present a team committed to do the job across the field. When one does not concede the goal, it is not just thanks to the defenders and the same applies when scoring. This means that it’s all about teamwork. I am aware of no team that plays aggressively, scores goals and features no great defenders; there is no such team. I would like to make special reference to Socrates, who is an amazing captain, a footballer who shows his skills on the pitch and we are privileged to have him.
During the mid-season training, you talked about having both Fortounis, Biel and James Rodriguez in the line-up. In theory, it seemed to be difficult and it turned quite delightful. Can you comment on their co-existence in the line-up?
Players of quality and skills may adapt to the minor changes we ask from them. What we ask from them is to adapt when in a tight space, depending on the requirements of each match, and they successfully do it because of their quality. They are in good form and we enjoy that; certainly, there will be changes in the coming matches, because we have many to play; I am not that crazy.
We are in the transfer period. Will there be changes in the roster?
I am waiting and looking forward to having some good news from the Management. However, there is no need to talk now about transfers because we are happy with our players’ performance. They are the stars and they deserve all eyes to be on them right now.
