Patrick van Leeuwen: We are building a team with quality competition at every position

Head coach of Kryvyi Rih Kryvbas Patrick van Leeuwen commented on the friendly match against Belgian Zulte-Waregem (1:2) at the second summer training camp in the Netherlands.

- How satisfied are you with the quality of the team's performance compared to the first friendly?

- Before the match, we knew we would face a stronger opponent than in our previous game. The team was prepared for that challenge. In addition, several new players joined us over the last few days, so this match was a good opportunity to see them perform at this level.

- What pleased you the most today, and what still needs improvement?

- The start of the match was a bit nervous. During the first 15 minutes, we struggled to deal with the opponent's movement, but after that the team responded well to the coaching staff's instructions. The players became more confident, controlled the game better and created several good scoring opportunities. We managed to score, but after making many substitutions towards the end of the game, we conceded another goal. Overall, I am satisfied with both the result and the team's performance. Of course, there are still areas we need to improve before the next friendly, but we are moving in the right direction.

- How would you assess the performances of the new players?

- I think the newcomers did well. Some of them have been with us a little longer, so they have had more time to adapt to the team's style of play and our demands. Others only joined us a few days ago. However, they all showed a great willingness to work, integrate into the squad quickly and demonstrate their qualities.

- Once again, you rotated the squad heavily today. Is the core of the team beginning to take shape?

- We are deliberately building the squad to create strong competition in every position. Our goal is to have a team where every player is ready to replace a teammate without any drop in quality. We trust our players and believe they are capable of performing successfully in the Ukrainian Premier League. I believe we are on the right track in building a team that will have healthy competition within the squad and be ready for the serious challenges of the new season.

Media of FC "Kryvbas" Kryvyi Rih