On the eve of the friendly match against Gibraltar, which the National Team will play tomorrow at the "Europa Point" stadium at 18:00, coach Silvinjo and defender Marash Kumbulla appeared at an official press conference.
Coach Silvinjo said that the team is maximally prepared for tomorrow's match to get a positive result. He also spoke about Adrian Bajrami's departure from the national team, the absences and new additions to the team such as Shpendi, Kacurri and Çokaj.
The state of the team? – We know that we will play against Latvia at home. We have to prepare very well for that match. Latvia is a very strong team, it is a physical team, well organized. Regarding the question you asked Marashi that we suffered in defense in the first match, I want to say that we suffered as a team in the first half as well. We are preparing, it is a difficult match that we have ahead of us. When we have players missing, it makes the job more difficult, but that is the job of the National Team. I have worked for three or four years with Brazil and it happens to anyone. You have to prepare and have good options. We are very happy with the players that we have and we will do our best.
Adrian Bajrami? – We have completed the large list of players since August 17th and during these two weeks we have not had any response from the clubs of each player. After the press conference on the 29th when we published the list, there was no change. Then, a day later, the Federation called me and told me that Adrian Bajrami has chosen to represent the Swiss National Team. I spoke with him on the phone for about 30 minutes. I don't have much to say, this is a situation that happens everywhere in the world. Even during the time I was in the Brazilian National Team, there were two or three players who were between Brazil and Italy. This is the truth. I wish the player all the best and a lot of luck.
Will you play with the same players who will probably play against Latvia?– When you work in a national team, it happens that you prepare for 23-24 players and then you can expect one or more players to get injured. I am pleased with the players who have come: Kacurri, Çokaj, Shpendi. I see that the moment they came, they came to really enjoy the national team and feel proud and happy to play with us. I want to say that they are two different matches, a friendly match and then an important match for the result. I have said before that I do not believe in friendly matches, because every match you have to prepare to have a good result and to achieve victory. We have to do the best possible in this case, to prepare well. It is an important match and we will have to work hard on it. At the moment I am thinking about all the players I have and not about the players I will play with. After tomorrow's match, we will start thinking about the 11 of Latvia. Today we also had goalkeeper Simon Simoni, who will replace Elhan Kastrati. He had a physical problem, we knew it but we wanted to test him. He became part of the team, we held a training session, but he was not at 100%. We invited Simoni, in whom I trust a lot. Simoni was also part of the wonderful experience in the European Championship last year.
What is Armando Broja's condition? – Broja is good, there is no problem. He knows that he needs to play as much as possible. He is a young player and needs to be constantly on the field. To help the team and gain experience. He has been transferred to a new team. He is within the same country, but of course it is a new life, a new club, a new playing methodology. He has also played a match for 64 minutes. He also knows that this is not his maximum, but that he is certainly constantly improving and is feeling good. He has participated in every training normally. He is in optimal condition.
Pressure for the match with Latvia? – It is a very important match. We are not worried about the pressure, the players are used to it. We have to tell the truth, it is a decisive match with Latvia. But the most important thing is to prepare for the match. You have to face it, play well, do your best, plus we have no other chance. The players know it, we know it. We are used to playing under pressure, I repeat that the players have no problems either. We understand how important the next match is.
You helped Bajram when he was injured at Benfica. Do you feel guilty about Bajram's departure from the national team? – No, I don't feel guilty. I always try to do my best for the group and the team. I have a very good staff, with whom I constantly work for the players. Two years ago, I remember, it was an interesting experience. I, a Brazilian, spoke in Portuguese with an Albanian. At that time, he had a few problems. He didn't play much at Benfica. We tried to support him and he joined the national team at certain moments, most recently in June. We even talked about tactical elements with Bajram, but these remain private. After his decision, I spoke for 30 minutes on the phone. It remains private. I have experienced this before when I was part of Brazil. I wish the player success, but I don't feel guilty.
The match with Gibraltar, what is the goal? – We all work together in the Federation. I dedicate a lot of time to my work there. We have been discussing the possible opponent in this friendly match for about 4 months. But of course the last word belongs to the President, who has certainly helped us a lot. Everything has been very good. It is difficult to prepare for a friendly match when a few days later you will play an official match. But in this case we had a small benefit, because we have two more days to recover after the friendly match. We are very happy. Football should be enjoyed, every match and every challenge is difficult. I do not believe in friendly matches, because in every match the result matters. On the field you always have to give your best.
Will a negative result in the match against Gibraltar reflect on the challenge with Latvia? – As I said before, I don't believe in friendly matches because in 90 minutes you have to play, perform well and the result is also important and we give our best. I don't believe that something that doesn't go well in one match will affect the next match because I expect a lot from my players. There are also young players that I want to see, since they haven't played many minutes with us. Why not, in terms of individuals but also in terms of being part of the team. I want them to enjoy it and give their best and why not also see a possibility that depending on the performance, someone can also be a starter for the match with Latvia. We haven't decided on Latvia's starting 11. It's a difficult match, but a good opportunity for everyone to do their best. The players should enjoy the match.
edition
t7 live
