On his team after their three consecutive victories:

«We need to put that behind us and focus on our next encounter. For some, this fact might be a confidence booster, but we must look ahead to the next challenge. We are on a transition in all aspects: tactically, physically, everything… We are still getting to know each other. But we are perfectly aware of our destination. I wasn’t desperate when results weren’t good, and I am not overjoyed now after three victories. We all must comprehend that we start with 0-0 on the scoreboard and we need to be mentally alert in order to score as early as possible in the game. We must react well when losing possession and not make it hard on ourselves. That is what we were talking about with the players today. I told them that all our rivals are quality teams. Every match is important for us, like the one on Saturday. We must be 100% focused«.

On his various alternatives and PAOK’s defensive line:

«Right now, Djalma Campos and Lévêque are injured and out of action. The players are working in every training session and that is what we take under consideration, as well as their performance in the last encounter. Who our rivals are is equally important of course. Each player brings different things to the team and must meet our requirements against specific rivals. We also must find the perfect chemistry between the players. That comes gradually. Every player who enters the pitch needs to know that he is here for PAOK and give it all for the team«.

On when the team will be ready:

«It’s all a matter of time. A house can’t be built overnight. We need time. We are working on a daily basis. Everyone is eager and we need to find the correct combinations and chemistry and, meanwhile, fight to win every game. We must increase our passing pace and be more effective in front of goal, as we are already creating many opportunities to score. That will improve when the players will get to know each other better. We need to react better when the ball moves forward, be alert to collect second balls. We must attack with more players. I am very curious to know how long it took Pep Guardiola to prep his Manchester City side. They are fantastic, but it took them a long time to reach that level. I am kidding of course«.

On the main problem he is facing:

«I know how the team is working. I am trying to focus on every minor detail. Details will make the difference eventually. We are aiming to convey our philosophy to the players. It’s difficult for them of course. We need to focus on that for the entire season. When I took over this post, the only word constantly on my mind was ‘patience’. It’s all that it takes. We shouldn’t get disappointed and desperate when the going gets tough, nor should we celebrate profusely when we win. We must react during difficult times«.

On Prijović, Mak and goals:

«The team needs to have many scoring alternatives. We create many chances and that is very important. Our work and our self-confidence, stemming from good results, will help us score more. I insist though that we must be very focused when we lose possession. It’s not about defensive concentration. It’s about where we can intercept the ball and break forward again. If we do that high up the pitch, we deprive our rival of opportunities to score. Every player can feature in different positions. Pelkas, for instance, has played as interior midfielder, winger and playmaker. The same goes for El Kaddouri, Biseswar and Vieirinha as well. In defence, Crespo has also featured in the flanks. It’s very important to have utility players«.

On the players he used in the wings and his instructions to them:

«We can talk about everything here, but it wouldn’t be wise to reveal things to our rivals. There are matches that need us to focus on the flanks, in other games we may not have that opportunity. It depends on many things. But there are very clear principles in our plans –we just introduce some modifications depending on the opponent«.

On the finishing work of the team during warm-ups:

«Being defense-minded as a coach isn’t the same as being organized. Let me give you an example. Remember the fantastic side of Guardiola’s Barcelona, with Messi and the rest? They were awesome in attack, but also played flawless defence. It’s not just about attacking. One must anticipate the rival and lead them to errors. Depending on the game, that can change. But I admit I like being organized«.

On whether he is already thinking about the winter transfer window and the on-loan players:

«You will ask this question often, but you will always get the same answer. We just started our work. We just started getting to know each other. We have a long way until January. We have played just six games. We must exercise caution in everything and plan thoroughly. We are more concerned with the job at hand right now«.

On the encounter against AEL Larissa:

«Every team has quality players. Everyone squad facing PAOK or big teams in general have extra motivation to prove themselves. Larissa haven’t started well in the league, but they want to turn the situation around. Every match has a different level of difficulty. But we must prepare impeccably for every match«.

On how long it’s been since PAOK last won the league:

«I am perfectly aware of it and I know that fans lack patience. They are hungry for silverware and experience everything very passionately. However I am a professional and need to manage things differently. Our responsibility is to work well and keep the team calm. I want to tell our fans that our players are doing excellent work and I am satisfied with their efforts«.