Seoane: “We have to focus on the Bundesliga now”

Head coach Gerardo Seoane answered journalists’ questions at the press conference ahead of the Foals’ Bundesliga game at 1. FC Heidenheim on Saturday (15:30 CET). Here are his most important quotes.

Head coach Gerardo Seoane on…

…going out of the Pokal in Saarbrücken: It was a huge blow for us. It’s been a difficult couple of days and we’re all incredibly disappointed. We’re extremely sorry for our fans, who were dreaming of Berlin. There’s nothing we can do to put it right, and we’re being hard on ourselves for failing to get through to the next round.

…the attitude of his team: The team have had a good attitude on the pitch this season. I don’t think it was a question of poor attitude on Tuesday evening. The team showed determination. I can’t fault any player for lack of effort or willingness to battle for the ball. We’ve improved in that regard this season. We have to keep working and improve, but in general the attitude and energy of the team have been positive.

…the team’s development: Just like before, it’s a process and we’ve got a lot to do. We’re on a path and we’re going to stick to it. We need time to get some things going. New hierarchies are developing in the team that have to be fully formed. All of that has nothing to do with going out of the Pokal though, because we should always win against a third-tier side no matter what.

…switching focus to the Bundesliga: It’s always a challenge after such a huge blow to come back and bring the energy required onto the pitch. We have to focus on the Bundesliga now though, even after 48 hours of sadness and frustration.

…the challenge ahead in Heidenheim: Sport often comes down to confidence and momentum. That’s why I think we’ll find it difficult to play football on Saturday. We’re facing an opponent who’ll pose a difficult challenge for us. It’s normal that we’ll not run out onto the pitch in the highest of spirits. Our main task is to focus on having the right attitude, energy and body language.

…the starting line-up: When it comes to our set-up, we’re not just letting emotions guide us and are trying to take a factual approach. We’re weighing up what’s best for the team with every decision. We’ll take into account performances both in training and on the pitch. The players are under the spotlight in every match and every training session.

…the current squad: One or two of our players have picked up slight knocks, so we’ll need to wait and see whether they’ll be fit to play on Saturday. Max Wöber was partially involved in Thursday’s session, so time will tell how as to how his body responds to that. Alassane Plea and Tomáš Čvančara haven’t made their return to team training yet, and will therefore miss this weekend’s game.

…Jordan’s condition: Jordan is a key player for us because of his strength. He’s been struggling from a physical perspective over the past few weeks, but he’s given his all in every game for the team nonetheless. Of course, giving him fewer minutes every now and then could be doing him good and keeping him on the right track. His main focus now is to use the days leading up to the game in the best way possible, which will allow him to give 100 percent once again this weekend.