He could afford to change the lineup without the strength of the team suffering. The players did not let him down again. “I’m happy to be able to choose,” says the Danish coach.
Wednesday’s cup match came down to penalties. So you had to take into account the distribution of forces before Saturday.
As a coach, you have to take into account that the match in Liberec was challenging in many ways. You are not only thinking about the physical capacity of the players, with which they will go into the match. The mental aspect is also important, how the players will be set in their heads. You mustn’t let the slightest bit of underestimation happen when you’re facing a bottom-of-the-table opponent. In such a situation, you feel a slight paranoia and place great emphasis on having the team ready from the opening whistle. It worked and we registered another nice win.
📺 PRISKE | “I’m glad I can choose. Every single player in the squad can win you the trophy. It is important that we suppress our egos, remain humble and remember that the team is always more.”
🗣️ Coach Brian Priske on the press after Teplice. #acsparta
— AC Sparta Praha (@ACSparta_CZ) March 4, 2023
It turns out you have a wide cadre.
We have a really strong roster and before every match, choosing the starting eleven is not easy at all. The competitive environment is extremely important. It’s about every post. Everyone is fighting for their place in every training session and they have a healthy rivalry between them, which is right. Each player knows his role and must maintain 100% concentration to be ready at any time. It’s not like eleven players will win you the trophy, every member of the squad can win you the trophy. It is therefore important that we suppress our egos, remain humble and remember that a team is always more than an individual.
Jan Kuchta gave Liberec and Teplice two goals each. In the spring, he already has the same number of goals in the league as in the fall. How did you shoot him awake?
It is the work of many people. Kuchta has been working really hard with a fitness trainer lately and has shed a few pounds. At the same time, he had interviews with Lars (assistant Friis), who worked with him on offensive activities. During individual interviews, we focus on even the smallest details that can move the player. And it is also about Honza himself and his diligence. Since Christmas, he has been working hard and doing his best. Goals are far from Honzo’s only contribution. He fights exemplary in every match and after fouls we have, or at least should have, the opportunity to kick penalties on him. Of course, like everyone else, he has to keep up the good work.
For now, you only have a guest kitchen. Will you be asking management to come in for a permanent transfer?
It’s still too early. Of course, Tomáš Rosicky and I talk almost every day, but we are not yet so specific in the debates regarding the shape of the squad in the summer.
Did you expect that after six spring rounds you would be so close behind Slavia and Pilsen?
I didn’t think of that. Of course, I follow the teams above us, but I mainly focus on our club and our players. I said in January that we want to be better than our opponents in the spring – and we’ll see what it takes. We have what it takes, we have a quality team. It only depends on us if we are where we want to be after the last round.
| Evaluation of Jan Kuchta for O2 TV Sport |
|---|
| “Lukáš Sadílek looked before the first goal, he found me perfectly. I was only in the space where I should be. An important goal we scored. Then a red card for the opponent helped us. We controlled the whole match, there could have been more goals. The second goal? I don’t give them much, but now it turned out beautifully like this. I hit it beautifully with my left hand and that’s it. Then I still regret the chance that I went to the gate alone. Unfortunately I didn’t. We feel good, the goal is not to let up. I believe it will have an upward trend.” |