Losada: “We remain positive and have three weeks to work”

Following the 2-2 draw against APOEL, Hernán Losada spoke at the post-match press conference about the difficulties Apollon faced due to the number of absences, as well as the upcoming international break, which will give the team the opportunity to work and recover important players.

“We had the best possible start, with a very nice goal. We were leading 1-0 and, with our fans, you feel that it is going to be your night and that you are going to have the game under control. But that was not the case.

We gave the opponent the initiative for a few minutes and that was when they scored the 1-1. There were several moments during the game when the rhythm was constantly interrupted. A lot of falls, players on the ground, the smoke and many other things that made it difficult to maintain the pace of the game.

I believe, however, that we finished the first half in the best possible way. We had two very good collective actions and went into the break with a 2-1 lead.

We spoke at half-time about going out and finishing the game by scoring the third goal. But the game had almost stopped. I did not see much initiative from either side. It seemed that the game was going to finish 2-1, as there were almost no shots on target in the second half. We made a mistake and the game ended 2-2.”

Regarding Apollon’s second-half performance and the team’s difficulty in creating chances:

“Today, we did not create chances in the second half. But neither did the opponent. Sometimes you cannot create chances, even though I made substitutions and tried to change things in order to create more chances and win the game.

You take out a central defender and put on a striker because you want to win the game. Sometimes the opponent defends well and you do not create chances.”

Regarding the injuries and when the players are expected to return:

“Some of them will come back after the international break and some will need more time. I think at least four players will be back after the break, which will give us more options and greater flexibility in our movements.

Imagine how difficult it is for a team that has to start every game with a different line-up. If you want to create offensive patterns and a solid defensive block, it is much easier when you can work consistently with the same 11 players. This helps you improve and build something based on 11, 12 or 13 players.

On the other hand, many players have had their opportunity. I had the chance during these four games, as well as the European matches, to watch many players. They all got opportunities, minutes and chances that, if everyone had been available, they might never have received.

For me, it was also a very good period to get a clear picture. There are some players who need to push a little bit more because what they have shown is not enough. There are others who perhaps need a break because pre-season started very early. We only had three weeks of holidays. While we were training and preparing for our European games, other teams that did not have European commitments were on holiday.

So we started much earlier and worked to our maximum to be in the best possible condition for the European games. Now it is normal that you experience a certain amount of fatigue and feel heavy legs.”

Losada described the international break as an ideal opportunity for the team:

“The break comes at a perfect time. The players will have five or six days off. I feel sorry for those who will play international games, but it is also their choice to represent their country, so they cannot complain.

When we come back, we will have more players available and more competition in training. Hopefully, my life will become more difficult because I will have to choose between more players and more quality.”

Regarding the seven goals Apollon have scored in the first four matches and the areas that need improvement:

“There are a lot of things we can improve and a lot that we need to continue doing. Scoring seven goals in four games is not bad. We can score more.

Conceding five goals in four games, however, I consider that too much if you want to compete for the best possible position and go as high as possible.

I also think our physical condition needs to improve so that we can finish games with much more energy and fresher legs.

In modern football, you have the possibility to make five substitutions. When you have more players available, you have the possibility that other teams had and we did not. If we had more players available, we could have made the changes we wanted.

When you are forced to make one or two substitutions in the first half, which is really unusual, it affects your game plan and limits your ability to bring more players on in the second half.

But I think three weeks is a lot of time to work on many things. I have already been at the club for eight months. I believe in the way we play and in the way we train. There is no need for big changes.

I think, however, that many players need to understand that if we want to do more than we did last season, we need something more than what we have shown in these first four games.”

Regarding the fitness of Ike Ugbo and Joel Asoro and the competition for places in attack:

“Asoro is not a striker, he is a winger. Ugbo is a number nine. Escriche played very well against Omonia and I think he deserved to start again today. From there, you have to earn these opportunities.

How do you earn them? By showing me in training that you are ready to play more minutes than you have played until now. I am not giving minutes for free just because you came as a new player and you have to play. No, you have to earn those minutes.

It goes for a young player, an experienced player, a new player or an established player. You have to earn it. From Monday to Friday, we train for two hours a day, or an hour and a half a day.

You do not see all those hours of training. You do not see what happens from Monday to Friday. I conduct the training sessions, rewatch them, watch the opponent and watch our own games.

Based on all that information, I draw my conclusions and make my decisions. That is why I get paid.

If you feel that some players did not get enough minutes, it is because they did not earn those minutes. And when they get their minutes, they also need to show that they are ready. Whether it is five minutes, two minutes, ten, 25 like today, or a full extra time, as it was against Brann.

We also must not forget that Cyprus is not a regular country. It is an island, with different weather and a different competition. You need time to adapt.

This happens to a lot of players. That is why patience is a key word for me as a coach, for you as journalists and for the supporters. The season has just started, it is very long and we will need all of them.”

Regarding the early-season fixture schedule and whether the absences affected the results:

“No. The calendar is what it is. I cannot choose who we are going to play. We have to play against all of them, sooner or later.

There were no easy games. We got difficult opponents. But I think that under normal circumstances, with a full squad, I have no doubt that we could have more points.

But it is what it is. Six points from 12, three draws and one victory. The opponent also has to come here and try to win points.

We went on the road, especially against Omonia, and three days later Omonia beat Celta Vigo. We were playing with 60-70% of our team.

As I said, there are a lot of positives. The calendar is what it is. Maybe you think that when we come back from the break, we will have three or four easy games.

There are no easy games in this league. But I have full trust in the team, in my players and in everything we are going to do during the break. We have a way and a style of play.

We will defend that style until the very end. But in some moments, if we need to be flexible and change things, we will do it. My desire is to collect as many points as we can at home.

I really believe that if you want to fight for the maximum at home, you have to create a fortress. You have to win all your games. When you play away, you have to be smart.

That is what we did against Aris and Omonia. And, of course, with better physical fitness, more players available and more players at their very best, we will have more options from the bench.

There will be more competition in training and players will have to fight for a place in the starting eleven. That is a win-win situation.

I do not blame the calendar and I do not feel that it is the reason why we have six points. We could have more, but we could also have less.”