Olympiacos produced an excellent performance against Kalamata, securing a 5–0 victory in MD8 of the Stoiximan Super League. Speaking at the post-match press conference, the Legend’s head coach, Imanol Alguacil, said he was pleased not only with the number of goals scored but also with the fact that every player had shown they were ready to step up and help whenever called upon.
Here is the Basque coach’s press conference in detail:
Was this Olympiacos’ best performance, with so many positive elements, Jota Silva’s hat-trick and Bailey’s return? Does Bailey’s return now give you a selection dilemma when it comes to choosing your starting XI?
No, it’s not a headache for me. I’m pleased. Let me mention one more player: Smailović put in a fantastic performance. He hasn’t had much playing time so far, but he proved that he is ready whenever needed. We are pleased with the team’s overall performance, with Jota Silva, Bailey, Roca and Fortounis. In general, there is plenty of positive news for a coach.
After the last match, you said you were disappointed that the team wasn’t scoring. Have your players now given you the response you wanted? Also, how do you keep players such as Roca and Mouandilmadji, who are not involved in European competition, match-ready?
I’m genuinely pleased. I said that after the previous match because we were creating chances but not converting them. I’ve now received the response I wanted, and we have become more clinical. The important thing is to create chances and keep working, but I’m also pleased that every player is ready to contribute. That is a great help because we have matches to play every three days, and everyone has a role to play. There is strong competition for places because we have so many quality players. They all proved they were ready against a good team like Kalamata, who had only lost once before this match — by a one-goal margin against Panathinaikos.
Many players have been mentioned, but there is one who has been playing non-stop for both Olympiacos and the Switzerland national team. Could you comment on him? He seems to be the player who quietly pulls the strings.
He really is the player who quietly pulls the strings, as you put it. There is no need to discuss his quality; we all know his career and what he has achieved over the years. He is always there to support the younger players, teach them things and help the team. But he is not the only one. We also have Retsos, Pirola, Ortega, Gustavo Sá, our full-backs, Chiquinho — the whole team is in a good place and performing at a high level. They are all showing quality and a positive attitude.
Did that fact that Kalamata did not sit deep defensively help Olympiacos score so many goals?
They played an open game, and we managed to detect their weaknesses. As the scoreline showed, we were able to impose our own tempo and secure the victory. However, we have also shown that we can create chances in matches when our opponents sit deeper. Every coach and every team will try to put obstacles in our way, and we will be there to overcome them. Kalamata’s coach chose to take us on by playing this way, but we must always find a way to secure the victories we are looking for.
