The new season is just around the corner

Two weeks of preparation are behind the Dragons. They still have two weeks until the first qualification match on 11 November. 18 July at Stožice. Joao Henriques has taken the team to Steinbrunn, Austria, for training these days, mainly with the idea of bringing the team together for the upcoming season. We talked to the new Dragons’ strategist about their opponent in the first qualifying round for the elite Champions League, the work of the boys and the support the team needs, as the loud cheering from the Stožice stands will contribute to a good performance.

Henriques on his opponent in the first qualifying round: “The match against Valmiera will be very important. We are fighting to join the best league in the world. We all want to play in the Champions League. Valmiera was national champion last year, as was Olimpija. The two best teams in their respective countries will therefore face off. Practically anything can happen. We will try to present Slovenia, Ljubljana and Olimpija in the best possible light. We will do everything we can to overcome the first hurdle, but we know it will not be easy. We don’t see the game as something we have to do. We see the match as our responsibility to reach the second round, even if we are not focusing on it at the moment. Latvia has a slight advantage over us, having already played 18 championship matches. They have a different system of play and are in the second part of the season than us. That is their advantage. We may have our advantages, but the point is that this is an extremely important thing. We are just getting into the rhythm of competition, so we will prepare the best we can to be on equal footing.”

On the team’s work so far and the integration of young players: “So far we have had two weeks of preparation, which of course differ from each other. The first week we were without those who were on the national teams. We had the chance to see guys who play in the younger teams. This is also important, because these are the boys who will soon play in the Olimpija team. They are the future of Olimpija, it is important for them to come and see how the work in the national team is done. It is good to push them forward and to challenge them. The second week of preparations is underway and the team is almost complete. We know the quality of the players left in the team. They have quality, they have talent. We have good individuals in every position. There may be one or two more to come to fill any gaps. We know what we can achieve with these players. Most of the faces from last year’s winning team are here. I already knew what they could do before I arrived, and now I’ve met them in person. They give us a good impression and energy, so I am confident that we can build a strong team.”

On preparations in Austria: “We have five important days ahead of us to bring the team together and create a real team spirit. We have breakfast, lunch and dinner together. We have the same timetable, so we will get to know each other better. This is important to create the right energy. The weather was also better than in Ljubljana. This kind of preparation is good for the team. Povezujemo se. Sometimes it’s difficult because you’re only together during training, then you go your separate ways. There are training sessions, meetings, socialising. It’s good because the boys are getting to know each other. It’s good for us coaches too, because we see them in a different light. We need to work as a family, on and off the pitch. We want everyone to be connected to each other, and ultimately to our fans. We have a big challenge ahead of us and we need everyone. Those who will be in the first team, the players on the bench, and the whole team working behind the scenes. We are all working together to achieve our goal.”

Finally, Joao Henriques had a few words for the fans: “We all want to achieve the same goal. We want to continue our winning streak. Let’s go step by step. We want the stands to be as full as possible for the Hajduk game and for all future qualification and league matches. We wish a huge support! We will do our best to play good, watchable football on the pitch.”