Matjaž Kek excited about the U21 team, but ahead of Kazakhstan: ‘No point in pointing fingers backwards. We live from today on!”
Photo: Luka Vovk / Sportida
The Slovenian National Football Team has already replaced Oslo with Almaty, where they will start their fourth match of the Nations League against Kazakhstan on Sunday at 3 PM local time. After a painful and heavy, yet deserved loss against Norway, Slovenia’s confidence has been shaken, but coach Matjaž Kek, who had to sign off on the first loss in almost a year, is convinced that the image of his team will be significantly better already on Sunday.
At the press conference in Kazakhstan, Matjaž Kek could not overlook the success of the U21 team, which secured a spot at the U21 EURO in Slovakia with a draw in Austria on Friday night. “I want to congratulate the young boys on their success, their approach, their common idea, and positive atmosphere. They have achieved a significant result for Slovenian football. This is good; these are positive things. Things we need in Slovenian football,” emphasized the Maribor native, who will draw inspiration for the match against the Kazakhs from the U21 team’s match in New Vienna: “It’s true, now we also have to do our part. If you are not at the right level, you are punished immediately… The fact is that Slovenia is now talked about differently than one or two years ago. We were at the European Championship, which also brings a certain burden that we have to live with. We have set the bar very high, and I am very reluctant to go under it. I would rather exceed it; I would rather go over it.”
A victory over Kazakhstan would not be something that would be “above the set bar”; a defeat would undoubtedly be an even greater setback than the one in Oslo. Well, the Norwegian setback occurred shortly after the notable departure of the coach’s assistant Boštjan Cesar, which caused quite a stir around the national team. Matjaž Kek hopes that this is now a thing of the past.
Matjaž Kek: “We must forget all this”
“Such things happen in life; I hope that it was all just a momentary situation. We were aware that not everything would always be beautiful. That is why I constantly emphasize that after successes, euphoria is unnecessary, and after setbacks like the one in Oslo, we must remain objective, yet self-critical, and have a vision of how to move forward. The European Championship is over; now the positive streak is over; we must forget all this. Let it be beautifully written in history, and that is all. Looking back, pointing fingers back – all that makes no sense. We must look forward. We live from today onward,” said the experienced coach from the Styrian capital in Kazakhstan, who has no doubt that his team will know how to respond after the Norwegian blow.
“This team was not formed yesterday. It has already experienced a lot; it has experience. Now it is up to us to turn the arrow in the other, positive direction. The squad is indeed mixed, but it brings certain challenges that we must resolve, one way or another. The fact is the following: if we act in football fundamentals as we did in Oslo, we will have no chance even against a supposedly weaker opponent. The challenge is great. Extremely great. And it doesn’t matter who is on the pitch and who is beside it. These things no longer affect me. I am over 60 years old, and I have experienced a lot already,” concluded Matjaž Kek before the match against Kazakhstan, who lost 0-4 to Austria on Thursday.
This text was automatically translated using AI.
Author: editorial Football Planet
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