Zoran Zekic is once again greeted by a standing ovation from the press. After a huge, historic victory won by Osijek, the coach deserves great praise as he talks about the impressions and facts that transpired.
- Let’s start like this: PSV has never been disqualified during qualifiers, until now, when Osijek managed to do it for the first time in history. I am happy because of that, since the reception of the team arriving in Gradski Vrt had been unpleasant to say the least. In 180 minutes, we were the better players, didn’t suffer a single score from the opponent and considering our play, we should’ve won with +3 difference, not to be cocky. I can only congratulate my team and the fantastic fans. I told my boys before the game that here is nothing more satisfying than winning against someone who underestimated your skills while you believe in yourself and have the determination, which showed. In Eindhoven, we surprised them a great deal, and now we performed the coup de grace. If only we had been a bit cooler during the finisher, we could have won with greater difference on the scoreboard. Nevertheless, this is the first European season for me and the team, so it is understandable that being cool is pretty hard - said Zekic.
No more turning back
Osijek’s coach is aware of the win that was achieved with his players of choice and the scope of such a victory.
- We knocked out an European giant and I told my boys in the locker room that we had created a new obligation: The gift and the curse of football is to maintain the status achieved by winning such a game. I hope to God that we stay relevant in Europe and that our team affirms and re-affirms such an achievement over and over again. We believed in victory and st. Antony was on our side. Big thanks go out to the critics who underestimated me and the boys, but it was surely written somewhere that this thing would happen. When I remember Autumn 2015, when I came to Osijek and that first game in front of 300 spectators, in which we were given a wreath of insult and swearwords... Now, we have 15,000 people in the stadium and we have the privilege to experience such a euphoria like this. The only factors are hard work and belief in oneself
“They can’t do anything!”
The press asked the coach what he had told his players during the break, when Osijek was close to making it to the play-offs, despite the job still not having been done.
- It told them that we can’t be touched! We just had to stay calm and collected. I warned Grezda and Bockaj not to stick so much together, when we had already let their backs participate deep on the pitch, but rather to take on their wingers, which they did well. Ejupi deterred their playmaker, Hendrix, really well and everything seemed great team-wise.
- I admit that the referee’s criteria were strange, but I can’t shake the feeling that it was in the opponent’s favor when the foul was in our penalty space, but one has to acclimate to such conditions
Zekic impressed by Croatian teams
This will evidently be a tough season for Osijek, so one more quality player is extremely welcome in Zekic’s opinion:
- We play in a wide space and we need to cover it. I must say that our sports director works tirelessly and is in contact with many specific players. Osijek could now attract some new faces now that things are going smoothly.
One more thing was accentuated by the “skipper”:
- I am surprised, pleasantly, by our teams’ performance in Europe! I congratulate Rijeka, Dinamo and Hajduk on their achievements. This is a great victory for Croatian football. Imagine the kids in the Netherlands who have all the necessary things to make it big in football, whereas our boys begin playing on some meadow, left only to themselves. If they don’t give up on their dreams, they make it big, and we get happy!
Cocu congratulates Osijek
Famous Phillip Cocu, sad faced. He took a seat in front of the press, the Dutch reporters bombarding him with questions regarding the elimination from the League. When the Croatian reporters asked him if Osijek had surprised him, the PSV coach answred:
- I am not surpised, not in the previous game, not in this one. You saw on the pitch that both parties gave it their all, minute by minute, second by second. It was a great match in an equally great atmosphere. You saw that one free kick decided the outcome, and we know that an 11-meter shot decided the one from a week ago. These are European games, and if you misuse your chances, you get punished. Yes, the result is bad for us, we need to be disappointed, but the fact of the matter is that we put in effort in the re-match, played a good game, but haven’t passed. I congratulate our opponent on the win and the move-up on the bracket - Cocu concluded.
