Is there any injury update?

We had no injuries yesterday and the players had a normal recovery today. So we will have the same players for Sunday. Roofe and Balogun will not be ready to play. Hopefully, Roofe (will be back) sooner than Balogun.

What will new coach Dave Vos bring to the club?

I spoke with Dave a couple of times this year in looking for potential new assistants of mine. I heard really good things about him in the youth set-up of Ajax, also with the Royal association (Dutch FA). I wanted to talk to him and see how he thinks about football and how he develops his players. He is a very young coach, very talented. I saw in him a good assistant for me because I think he will help me with developing the squad, helping the players also individually. I am really happy with him joining me with this club.

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How pleased were you with how quickly the players adapted to your arrival against Sparta?

They adapted really well. We only had two days with them - two training sessions, some meetings, some videos. Those were the moments I could tell them the way I want them to play. The game plan, what we had to do when we had the ball, transition moments and how we should defend. They did really well with their focus in all the sessions. In the game, when your game plan is good, you dominate the game and create many chances, eventually you get the result we all hoped for before. A two goal difference means we are through to the next round, which is very important for all of us. To be involved in Europe after the winter break. It was a good night for all of us.

How important is it to keep the momentum going against Livingston on Sunday?

It’s very important. It will give us confidence for the next games. Today was all focusing on recovery, we trained a bit more with the players who didn’t play or didn’t play as much. Then tomorrow we focus on Livingston. The Prague game is gone and now we need the same preparation for the next game.

How important is width in the GVB philosophy?

For me it’s very important to play with the whole width (of the pitch). It makes it more difficult to defend against, especially the qualities we have within the team with wingers who are very fast. They have a lot of pace and are very good in the one-v-ones. Of course, in the right moments the full-backs can join. That’s one of their strengths, whether it’s left or right. It all has to be synchronised. I think we can create a lot of danger in those areas.

Joe Aribo can play through the middle as he did last night or on the right. How big a player will he be for you?

He can do both. At times, he can play more on the wings, like when Hagi came inside. I’m really fond that we take the positions on the pitch to be dangerous and Aribo did really well. He was always there to be dangerous in the box. When we were dominating the wide areas, we had enough bodies in the box to score goals. Aribo had some good chances. If he was more clinical, he could have scored one or two goals. But for me the most important thing that I like to see is the attacking midfielders joining the strikers in the box to try to score.”

You seemed to play Alfredo Morelos as more of an out and out striker?

Of course. For yesterday’s game he was very important in being a target man but really close to the box. When we play also with the wide players, when they have one against ones, I want Alfredo to be in the box because he is a very good finisher. So yesterday we needed him in the box. Maybe in other games we will need him in other areas. I don’t know. But today the mission was to create as many chances as we could. And of course you want your striker to be in the box.

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You used Nathan Patterson wide on the right when he came on?

It was also tactical because of the way Prague play, with their left full-back quite offensive. So eventually Hagi would play more as full-back than a winger. I thought, with bringing in Patterson who is a more natural right defender, he could protect that area a little bit better and also we kept our pace in the transition moments because Patterson naturally wants to go forward as well. So it was a change that was needed in the game. First, defensively a bit more solid. But then keeping your transition moments there with the pace Nathan also has.

How encouraged have you been by the reaction of the players and does it suggest the club could be able to achieve something special?

I am a coach and I was a player who was always competing at the top level. And a win was always normal. You have to win games, you have to win prizes: that’s the aim you have as a player but also for me as a manager. So my task  is to make sure that we keep that drive and we keep that hunger, passion and drive to be successful. You have to have that every game. On Thursday, we showed that, but on Sunday we have to show it again because the Prague game is over and now we are looking forward to competing for the league again. We have to do it all over again. Happy with the result. Take our recovery today, and tomorrow we prepare for Livingston with the same intentions we had yesterday. 

How would you sum up what must have been a busy week?
It’s been very hectic. Of course, coming in last week it was quite a busy schedule with all the things we had to do, the work permits, the contracts, the staff. For us, it was very busy. Also with preparing the team for Prague, we only had two days, but they were long days. That’s normal when you are in a busy schedule. It’s even busier when you change countries and change environment, but everyone within the club was really helpful in making sure we were comfortable.  So I hope to have a normal week ahead. When we have settled in, it will be much easier and we can concentrate on preparing the team for the games.