Maribor coach Ante Šimundža is aware of the facts but isn’t ready to give up in the battle for the title: ‘You never know what will happen…’
Photo: NK Maribor
The autumn part of the season in the Prva liga Telemach concluded to the satisfaction of Celje, who holds a whopping 10-point lead over Olimpija in first place. Meanwhile, Maribor trails its Styrian rival by a significant 18 points, leading to a unanimous conclusion within the Slovenian football community: the Purple Team no longer has a chance for the title. Despite this reality, Ante Šimundža possesses too much experience to be unaware of the facts; nevertheless, in the battle for the championship, he has not yet raised the white flag.
“In theory, everything is possible. You never know what will happen. During winter, the cards are reshuffled, player line-ups change in clubs. Would it be foolish to recklessly believe that the deficit is attainable? Yes! Celje has an excellent team and a good moment. They’re in a rhythm that gives them consistency in match preparation, winter preparations. It’s crucial here that we search ourselves, that we also gain a streak of wins and confidence through games. We’re also playing on another front in the cup. The most important thing is that we understand these guidelines and demands. Once a team starts growing, it’s hard to stop. Similarly, when a team falls, it’s very difficult. We need to make a mental change,” emphasized Ante Šimundža before the winter break, when he’ll greet his players again at the beginning of January.
The plan is already set; this year too, Maribor will head for winter preparations in Turkey. “We start training on January 4th, with a joint dinner the day before. All players have instructions on how to actively spend this slightly extended break. We’ve gained more rest, but it’s crucial that we’re focused on preparedness for hard work and sacrifice. The preparations will be divided into two parts, initially taking place in Maribor, then from January 19th in Turkey, and upon return, the final part of the preparations for the spring season will be concluded in our home environment,” added the coach of the team from Ljudski vrt.
This text was automatically translated using AI.
Author: editorial Football Planet
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