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Zoran Zekic: FC Sheriff has a quality, a name.
The new head coach of FC Sheriff Zoran Zekic in the first interview after return to our club about the Croatian stage, expectations and the next plans
- Zoran, how is it to return to the club with which for the first time it failed?
- I do not even know how to explain. The last nearly four years I worked in Croatia. There everything worked. And a game was set to the level, players were good, and broke all records which Osijek had for 70 years of history before. We achieved results which the team did not have and nobody trained the team for so long. I’d like to make the same and in Tiraspol. Perhaps not absolutely everything worked for the first time. But, I think that today experience became more, confidence more. It is necessary to work. There is no much time. It is necessary to win the next matches, and we will move then further.
- With FC Osijek you had a good way in Euro cups. Lucerne was beaten, PSV was beaten and yielded only one ball in the playoffs of the Europa League. How important is this experience in anticipation of Euro cups with FC Sheriff?
- It is very important experience. The last two years played in qualifications of the Europa League. Three-four years ago Osijek had many problems. The team was in the lower part of standings. Could rise quickly. For me, for experience, it is good. We know how to prepare for Euro cups. Could form a good team - skillfully and quickly to attack and in counterattacks to run away, and standards woked. It is very important experience. Now the most important for us is to find confidence which FC Sheriff has to have in the Championship. And we will work on quality of a game. It is important to score points that there was an opportunity calmly to prepare for Euro cups.
- The last two years Sheriff in Euro cups played successfully. How ready are you to those requirements which are in Sheriff? You know - here any draw is perceived as defeat …
- I am ready to everything, otherwise would not arrive here. I will repeat, with Osijek first there were problems too. We could quickly get off the knees. There was pressure either. Each game it was necessary to win, score points. Besides, had to not only play well, but also show qualitative football. Many viewers came to stadium, the press - all this pressure on the team. And every day in the same way. I know what Sheriff waits from me. We have a little time to Euro cups, it is necessary to concentrate on the Championship so that then we could work, give confidence to football players calmly. And, God grant, we will perform better in Europe, than the last two years.
- You know about the Championship of Moldova firsthand. Last year played in Euro cup with Petrocub. Has the Championship of Moldova changed strongly?
- I think that earlier the Championship was a little stronger. Then there were several teams which were stronger than the current squad, but there were also very weak teams. There is no such situation today. Last year played with Petrocub. There were difficult games for us. We knew that it would be so after the analysis of matches. We played right after training camp, and our rival played in the Championship. It was difficult. In Chisinau finished in a draw. At home created many moments, but it was difficult. I know that all who play against FC Sheriff set themselves for 200%. Huge desire. But also we have to have it.
- The first impression about team?
- I’m only three days in the team, managed to hold only two trainings. Each coach has ideas. But it is visible that players lost confidence after the lost games. I think, here nobody expected that there will be such problems at the beginning of the championship. First of all, it is necessary that there was a discipline in a game that there was a respect for the work, desire is necessary. It is necessary to play tactically correctly. If we correctly play in defense, the friend for the friend, then it will be easier to build team in the attack.
- Speranta is a strong team which pays much attention to defense, as well as all teams in games with FC Sheriff. Are you ready to open their defensive redoubts?
- For me, of course, it was much easier to play in Euro cups, than in the Championship of Croatia where most of teams play the closed football either. If you do not play quickly, you lose quality and problems appear. For such matches we do not need motivation. I watched and analysed Speranta for the last two days. And already told players that we will meet a strong team which plays well in defense. At standards can run away into counterattack. It is necessary to be prepared for all nuances well. There has to be the maximum concentration, discipline. Only by good results we can return that confidence which have to be at FC Sheriff.
- Do you have any words for our supporters?
- What I can tell them so far. I only got to work. I have a great respect to the team and the club. Returned back. Many in Croatia did not expect that I will take such step. Very many ask a question why I made it. I have my opinion in this respect. I want to finish what did not manage to make for the first time. Then we had many problems. We managed to win the Cup, but there were not enough points in the Championship. Now I want to win the Championship and to achieve success in Euro cups, to set a good game. FC Sheriff has a quality, a name. From myself I can tell that I will make every effort and at each game will give 150% as far as it is possible.
FC Sheriff Press Office
- Zoran, how is it to return to the club with which for the first time it failed?
- I do not even know how to explain. The last nearly four years I worked in Croatia. There everything worked. And a game was set to the level, players were good, and broke all records which Osijek had for 70 years of history before. We achieved results which the team did not have and nobody trained the team for so long. I’d like to make the same and in Tiraspol. Perhaps not absolutely everything worked for the first time. But, I think that today experience became more, confidence more. It is necessary to work. There is no much time. It is necessary to win the next matches, and we will move then further.
- With FC Osijek you had a good way in Euro cups. Lucerne was beaten, PSV was beaten and yielded only one ball in the playoffs of the Europa League. How important is this experience in anticipation of Euro cups with FC Sheriff?
- It is very important experience. The last two years played in qualifications of the Europa League. Three-four years ago Osijek had many problems. The team was in the lower part of standings. Could rise quickly. For me, for experience, it is good. We know how to prepare for Euro cups. Could form a good team - skillfully and quickly to attack and in counterattacks to run away, and standards woked. It is very important experience. Now the most important for us is to find confidence which FC Sheriff has to have in the Championship. And we will work on quality of a game. It is important to score points that there was an opportunity calmly to prepare for Euro cups.
- The last two years Sheriff in Euro cups played successfully. How ready are you to those requirements which are in Sheriff? You know - here any draw is perceived as defeat …
- I am ready to everything, otherwise would not arrive here. I will repeat, with Osijek first there were problems too. We could quickly get off the knees. There was pressure either. Each game it was necessary to win, score points. Besides, had to not only play well, but also show qualitative football. Many viewers came to stadium, the press - all this pressure on the team. And every day in the same way. I know what Sheriff waits from me. We have a little time to Euro cups, it is necessary to concentrate on the Championship so that then we could work, give confidence to football players calmly. And, God grant, we will perform better in Europe, than the last two years.
- You know about the Championship of Moldova firsthand. Last year played in Euro cup with Petrocub. Has the Championship of Moldova changed strongly?
- I think that earlier the Championship was a little stronger. Then there were several teams which were stronger than the current squad, but there were also very weak teams. There is no such situation today. Last year played with Petrocub. There were difficult games for us. We knew that it would be so after the analysis of matches. We played right after training camp, and our rival played in the Championship. It was difficult. In Chisinau finished in a draw. At home created many moments, but it was difficult. I know that all who play against FC Sheriff set themselves for 200%. Huge desire. But also we have to have it.
- The first impression about team?
- I’m only three days in the team, managed to hold only two trainings. Each coach has ideas. But it is visible that players lost confidence after the lost games. I think, here nobody expected that there will be such problems at the beginning of the championship. First of all, it is necessary that there was a discipline in a game that there was a respect for the work, desire is necessary. It is necessary to play tactically correctly. If we correctly play in defense, the friend for the friend, then it will be easier to build team in the attack.
- Speranta is a strong team which pays much attention to defense, as well as all teams in games with FC Sheriff. Are you ready to open their defensive redoubts?
- For me, of course, it was much easier to play in Euro cups, than in the Championship of Croatia where most of teams play the closed football either. If you do not play quickly, you lose quality and problems appear. For such matches we do not need motivation. I watched and analysed Speranta for the last two days. And already told players that we will meet a strong team which plays well in defense. At standards can run away into counterattack. It is necessary to be prepared for all nuances well. There has to be the maximum concentration, discipline. Only by good results we can return that confidence which have to be at FC Sheriff.
- Do you have any words for our supporters?
- What I can tell them so far. I only got to work. I have a great respect to the team and the club. Returned back. Many in Croatia did not expect that I will take such step. Very many ask a question why I made it. I have my opinion in this respect. I want to finish what did not manage to make for the first time. Then we had many problems. We managed to win the Cup, but there were not enough points in the Championship. Now I want to win the Championship and to achieve success in Euro cups, to set a good game. FC Sheriff has a quality, a name. From myself I can tell that I will make every effort and at each game will give 150% as far as it is possible.
FC Sheriff Press Office
