Runjaic: "Three points are the target"

Kosta Runjaic sat down with the gathered media on Saturday to discuss Udinese's first league game of the new season, at home to Hellas Verona on Monday evening. 

 

This is what he had to say:

 

 

“We're happy to be starting our Serie A campaign now. We've had our first game of the season, in the cup, and we put in a solid performance. We reached the next round and kept a clean sheet. Verona is another matter. We've had a good pre-season and now we have to practise the things we've been working on in training. Our target is to start the season with three points in front of our fans. To do that, we'll need to work hard, play well and respond to their game. Last season is the past and we know it's important to get off to a good start. You need a bit of luck but you have to make your own luck.”

 

 

“Napoli didn't score against Verona in their first match last season either. They play an aggressive game, move the ball around quickly, play with energy, are strong in the duels and have fast players in attack who they seek out with long balls. We must be ready and we'll have to be careful in certain situations. We know how they play and we know we'll need a lot of movement off the ball because they sit deep. We know all these things but now we need to implement them on the pitch. I expect them to be tough opponents. They've changed lots of players but not their playing philosophy.”

 

 

“[Jordan] Zemura did better than [Hassane] Kamara in pre-season and that's why he got the nod against Carrarese. Kamara is an important player for us. I've just had a nice chat with him and he knows his role in the team. There was no special reason why he didn't play against Carrarese and it doesn't mean he won't play the next game.”

 

 

“[Jurgen] Ekkelenkamp is making good progress with his recovery. He'll train with the team tomorrow and we'll see on Monday. We don't want to take any unnecessary risks with him.”

 

 

“I don't think we'll change much. There are a couple of positions where we're undecided but we don't want to make wholesale changes. We produced a solid performance last week and we want a repeat of that.”

 

 

“[Nicolo] Bertola wasn't fully fit when he joined us but he's improving. [Saba] Goglichidze wasn't in perfect condition either but he's in good shape now. They're two talented players that we really wanted to sign. We believe in them and they're well suited to our style of play. We're giving them the time they need to settle in but that doesn't mean they won't be involved soon. They're still adapting to our game but they're working and I have a good feeling about them. [Matteo] Palma had an excellent pre-season. He's played quite a few games and has taken big strides forward. It shows our work is bearing fruit so I'm happy.”

 

 

“I'm not worried. We have [Iker] Bravo, [Vakoun] Bayo and [Keinan] Davis. They know what they're doing and we're counting on them big time. It's no secret we're looking for other players. Gian Luca Nani has explained which ones and we're in constant contact. We'll see who joins. In the meantime we're working with the squad we have at the moment.”

 

 

“There's another player who has a little problem but I'm not going to say who because he'll probably recover. We've had a long, intense pre-season so you expect a few niggles. We're working carefully with the whole season in mind. At this stage the players quickly recover full fitness but you have to decide if it's worth taking risks.”

 

 

“I've already said that we analysed last season and on that basis we took some decisions together with the players, like in the case of [Simone] Pafundi. He's found himself a good team where he can develop. It's important for him to be playing regularly and well. He's already improved a lot since he came back to Udine. It's a good solution and part of his development process. Pafundi is a talented player with first-team experience but if there's too much competition then you need a plan B, like this loan. When he comes back we'll see if he can play his part.”

 

 

“I don't have much to say about Alexis. We had different expectations when he returned but sadly he got injured and he wasn't happy with his season. He's an Udinese legend and at the moment he's still an Udinese player but he wants to play more and we can't guarantee him that. We're working with him and the club to find the best solution for everyone. He won't be involved on Monday but he's training diligently with a customised programme. We'll see what happens.”

 

 

“We let some players go who had some ups and downs and didn't developed the way we thought they might. Brenner said he wanted to go somewhere else to play more. He had a decent pre-season and was often involved in our friendlies but I made different choices [against Carrarese] last Monday because I wanted to give Pafundi some playing time. He didn't play and he wasn't happy so we found the best solution for him. I don't want to keep anyone who's not happy, only players who provide competition and give their all even when they're not playing. That's what I want – healthy competition. Those who weren't happy have moved on. That's part and parcel of the game. Now we have a squad with a clear structure: [Jesper] Karlstrom captain, [Sandi] vice-captain and a dressing-room council. We're all working together towards our goals. We're expecting another addition or two but we're focused on Monday and on trying to win.”

 

 

“There's no magic formula and every player is different. [Lennon] Miller is young but very talented. He has good technique and vision and he's already built up first-team experience. Now he needs to adapt to Italian football and so far it's going well. We might see him in the team soon but it depends on various factors. He'll be with us on Monday. I'm happy he's joined as he gives us more quality but our playing philosophy is another matter. He's a smart lad and it took him no time to grasp what we want from him. I'm confident he'll bed in quickly.

 

“[Jakub] Piotrowski is a ready-made player with a wealth of experience – of European football too. He's a bit like Karlstrom in that sense. He's come here from another league, which is not on the same level as Serie A, but I think he can find his feet quickly. He'll need to put everything he's got into it to hit the right level. He was playing in a team that dominated the league in Bulgaria so he didn't always have to go the extra mile, whereas that's not an option here.”