«We must come to life…»
Vladan Ivić gave his first interview as PAOK coach for Novasports TV, ahead of the encounter against Panetolikos. The Serb coach spoke about the opportunity presented to him, about his team and the tough match in Agrinio. Here is what he said:
On his first thoughts after taking over the reins of the team:
«I am very proud to be in this post. I understand the team, I know them. I have been here for three years and I have been watching the seniors up close. I know their exact condition right now. I am a positive man and I want to convey that to the guys. We will work hard in training and I will ask them to bring out on the pitch what we practice every day. I believe in them. I am acquainted with some of them, some I don’t know, but I do know that they are good players and their presence here is no fluke. We have a long way ahead of us and there’s lots of work to be done in order to achieve our goals«.
On whether his past as PAOK player influenced him in accepting the offer to coach the seniors:
«It was definitely a factor. As I told you, I have been following this team for years and I believe I can take over from the previous coaching staff«.
On whether time is his biggest opponent right now:
«We have limited time and we are under pressure, especially for the first game. We had 2-3 days to work, but we need to start from somewhere. As previously stated, I am optimistic and I want to convey that to my players. Their morale is low. We need to improve that and I am confident that we will reach the desired point«.
On his main focus and the changes he wants to bring to the team:
«The players have quality and have proved time and time again that they can play good football, be disciplined on the pitch and gain positive results. I expect all this and I will try to help them by introducing elements of my philosophy. As time goes by, we will be able to work specifically on improving certain things. I am only focusing on our next game and I believe that the available players will give it all for a positive result«.
On the personal challenge of coaching a senior team:
«Of course it’s a challenge. I had already stated that it would be my last season with the U20s. I believe that three years in youth football are enough. Being appointed to the senior side is a step ahead for me and an opportunity. We need to do our job well and achieve the team’s goals«.
On Panetolikos:
«I have watched many games of Panetolikos. It’s difficult for any team to edge out a positive result in Agrinio. My main concern is how my team will perform on the pitch. We respect our opponents, but we need to be more lively. We must come to life to get a positive result«.
