Her new coach AEK, Marco Nikolicgave a great interview to his home country and talked about the new challenge of his career in Greece, analyzing his overall plan for the team.
Marco Nikolic has asked for time to show his work at AEK and in Serbian Mozzart stressed that there is an intention of renewing the team, with changes in players in the club for several years.
Nikolic’s statements
For his new chapter in Greece having trained in different countries in the past: “Together with members of the technical staff, I met different cultures, lifestyles and football philosophies, encountered different demands, but I was in one of the largest clubs in these countries. Therefore, it was a reasonable need to always claim titles at a domestic level and the best possible performance in the international arena. I have participated in the Champions League, the Europa League, the Asian Champions League. Now I have the opportunity to try first in the qualifiers, and – God want – to reach the Conference League.
So far, I have succeeded with my coaching staff in all countries, winning championships or cups – sometimes both. So I came to AEK. The club has a new plan, an ambitious president, a new athletic director – Marios Iliopoulos and Javier Ribalta are in these positions last year – and two years ago a new stadium was built in place of the old. It’s impressive. The conditions are excellent, but it will not be easy at all, because we have clubs like Olympiacos, PAOK and Panathinaikos. It should be noted that this year Mars is investing millions in aid in salaries. “
For its start at AEK: “We are at the beginning of the process and it is clear that we need time, because the three clubs ahead of us have already proceeded to implement their plans. They have slightly more prepared teams and, based on those on the internet, and more expensive. We have seen that this does not play a decisive role in modern football. We have begun the process of mild renewal of the team, because there are players in the club years – some are really fantastic, but some have lost hunger, passion for titles and battle. So we need to move on to renewal. Not abruptly, so that the oldest team in the championship is not transformed immediately into youth, but to become step by step. “
For his reception at AEK: “I am pleased with the warm welcome, literally at every step: by the administration, the rest of the coaching team, the players, the fans, the media … you can really feel how much Greeks love football, they are incredibly dedicated. It will not be easy at all, we need patience, time and a little luck. I do not worry about how we will show October, no less in April or May, when everything is judged. However, we must first endure this first one and a half months of summer. After November, everything will be easier. “
For his expectations: “Expectations are to work, train and evolve as a team. We have clear goals, but don’t forget that for the last three years AEK has suffered two traumatic exclusions of the qualifiers, from Armenian Noah and Mostar’s Velez. We have a great desire to reach the Conference League – this is the short -term goal – although a problem is that we do not start at a great rate. We will not look for excuses, we will focus on the court.
The championship and the cup are not a sprint, but a marathon. The end of the season is only in May, and I am quite optimistic, because we have the time to implement what we have designed, implement the processes and get the team in the playoffs in a good position. The Greeks will have two representatives in the Champions League of the year and improve their qualifiers, as they are now 15th on the UEFA ranking list and will be 12th next summer. The plan is to work daily and stay humble, though I am very pleased with what I have seen during the 17 -day preparation in the Netherlands. “
For the ambitions available: “I was never afraid of the ambitions, so we won titles in the previous teams, because there was a clear definition of great goals everywhere. Of course, we do not want to cut with fanfare statements to the media, but if I say we are aiming for the highest levels, you understand what I mean. The competitors are good, more prepared by us, but our mission is to meet all the challenges and we will do so in the club. “
For AEK experienced players: “I never analyze my players publicly. For me, they are the best in the world, because they are mine. I always insisted on this, but football evolves at speed – changes are happening at all levels: in training methodology, data analysis, training, exercises in the field. You have to keep up with the season, and I am absolutely clear: Youth brings ambition, energy and desire, but so does the experience – as well as that age is not an advantage in itself. That is why I am not exclusively for the young men or for the relatively bigger players. “
That AEK has a tradition of Serbian coaches with Veselinovic, Stepanovic, Bagevic, Tubakovic, Milojevic: “I met Dusan when I was in Vidi, I have a wonderful relationship with Tubakovic and Milojevic. Dragan Sakota is a coach in AEK’s basketball and very successful. Many of our experts worked in Athens in basketball, football, pole. Also, we are neighbors, we are an Orthodox people, we share similar values, although in the end everything ends up how you can afford while you are successful. “
For AEK not an easy team for coaches: “There are no rules in any club. It depends more on people than on the club. Let’s say, my predecessor, Matthias Almeida, stayed here for three years. Olympiacos and PAOK did not change coaches for long, Panathinaikos did it more often, but mainly depends on interpersonal relationships, results and work climate. I would like to stay here for two or three years, although football has changed and today it is difficult to find examples such as Guy Roe in Oser, Sir Alex Ferguson in Manchester United or Arsen Wenger in Arsenal. “
For Javier Ribalta: “We met in Russia during my first season in Lokomotiv. Still then we started building a special relationship, though I have a similar relationship with many other directors or presidents of clubs, as well as with fellow coaches. I am a coach and it is reasonable not to maintain good relations with politicians or scientists at the Physics Institute, but in football I have a lot of contact. Ribalta has strongly offered to hire me – something very respected – and my mission is to pay back to him and President Marios Iliopoulos. At the end of the official presentation, he welcomed me with the expression “Let’s”, which is a registered trademark of Novak Djokovic – and so in tennis, along with Nikola Jokic, is the most famous Serb today. All of this shows how much we were warmly welcomed in Athens, and at the same time creating an obligation. I still have a light nervousness after a long time, because I want to pay back this confidence. I turn this nervousness into motivation – not with fear, but eagerly doing good things for AEK. “