Coach Mariusz Jop after #RCHWIS: Thanks and applause go to the fans
"Thanks and applause go to the fans" – coach Mariusz Jop summarized the derby against Ruch. A first half full of nervousness, a better second. The Wisła coach on changes and the fight in upcoming matches.
"I think that, first and foremost, thanks and applause are due to the fans. Participating in such a match from the coach's and team's perspective is a great honour, a great pleasure, a fantastic atmosphere in the stands. A brilliant spectacle, in terms of the quantity and manner of support. As for the football aspect, I think there was too much nervousness on our part in the first half. It's clear that some had a little trouble with the atmosphere, that it was a big experience for them," began coach Mariusz Jop.
"A lot of imprecision in the phase of play after the goal. We needed about 10-15 minutes to recover. The second half was definitely better. More calm, more patience in building attacks. Many interesting moments and I think, from my perspective, we were a bit closer to victory. However, credit must also be given to the hosts, who defended effectively, waited for their chances in quick attacks, and it was precisely after one such action, after a transitional phase, that they scored that only goal," he continued.
The second half of the match was better than the first.
"As I said, too much inaccuracy, too much nervousness, we didn't keep the ball enough. These are the main reasons why our offensive play didn't look good," he replied briefly.
Were there problems with the pitch? Many players were slipping.
"That side of the penalty area on the left, looking from the bench, there was apparently some problem with irrigation and most players were slipping on that side. Several of ours, but also from the opponent's side. It was visible there that the surface was a bit different than in other places," he concluded.
The substitutions livened up the game a bit. Which player performed better? Krzyżanowski, or Lelieveld?
"No, I don't want to prove anything to anyone. I know what strengths and weaknesses both players have. Today in the first half, we wanted to focus more on defensive play. I think Krzyżu is simply a better player in that regard. We wanted to increase the height in the team, to be more effective in actions, during set pieces. I've said this before. Lelo is an outstanding player when it comes to the ability to construct actions, to that creativity in small play, and in the second half, he really livened up that left side, where they played some interesting 4 on 4, 3 on 3 situations a few times. He is a player who can do that and makes good decisions with the ball," the Wisła coach described.
Is it possible to prepare players for such an atmosphere and big matches?
"I think it's a very individual matter and that the best preparation is to experience it, and the next time it's a little different, because you already know what to expect. So such preparation is difficult. Of course, you can show players what the atmosphere is like, what the atmosphere was like a year ago, but that will never replace such empirical experiences. I think next time these players will have a bit more distance, because as I say, there was a bit of stress visible in the first half," he assessed.
Angel Rodado's absence forced you to make changes.
"I believe Dua was also a dangerous player today. He scored a nice goal, he is very active in defensive play. It is a kind of makeshift solution. Angel is an outstanding player for the first league level, with fantastic finishing, and he is certainly difficult to replace, but I think Dua fills Angel's absence quite well," he said.
Several matches left until the end of the season, Ekstraklasa is getting closer.
"I am a proponent of the theory that as long as something can mathematically happen, it must be taken into account, but we focus on what we have control over, which is the events in the next match. We are already slowly thinking about that game. We know that a specific opponent will play in Krakow at Reymonta, so a difficult match awaits us, but another chance to get three points," said the coach.
Will Jordi Sanchez be ready for the next match?
"I wouldn't want to make any declarations yet. We'll see how it goes this week, to what extent this injury will allow him to participate in team training. He was already able to take part in some training activities. We'll see what happens if he enters that form of competition in the game. I can also say right away that I absolutely will not pressure him. If there is a risk of the injury worsening, Jordi will not play," he described the situation.
Rafał Mikulec played his first minutes after a long break. Will right midfield be his new position?
"On the left back, we have Krzyżu and Lelo. There is very strong competition for that position. On the left side of midfield, Bozi has been scoring goals lately, he's in good form. Rafał is a player who feels comfortable in several positions, because I talked to him about it, and I think he played the round at Resovia precisely on the right wing. He also played on the left wing. He is a versatile player with considerable skills when it comes to attacking and one-on-one play. For him, it's not a big problem if he plays on the right or left side of midfield," concluded coach Mariusz Jop.