Dejan Radonjić: "We need to continue like this"

Zenit head coach Dejan Radonjić commented on the home victory over Samara (113:52) and answered journalists’ questions during the post-game press conference.

— First of all, congrats to my players for this game. We talked about the game before, today and yesterday, what could be more important today, but for me, as a coach, for this game, most important was approach, so I can say that approach was very good. Our focus was good. We played with a lot of energy. Of course, after a few days with the team, we did some things, but we need to continue like this.

— What are your first impressions of the club, the city, and the team?

— Look, this is not my first time to be in St. Petersburg or in this gym, so I know that the city is amazing, of course, and the club… What to say about the club? We played together when I was a coach before, and I know that it's a big club with a great organization, so I knew that before I came.

— Were you previously acquainted with any of Zenit's players? Have your paths crossed anywhere before?

— I had some games, not some games, more than that, against CSKA. Vorontsevich was there. Also Karasev, Šamanić, Uzinskiy. I know a lot about foreigners, of course, but I didn't work with them before. Frazier — he spent one year in Belgrade, so I know him.

— If it's not a secret, could you tell us what you shared with the players on your first meeting with the team?

— In the first meeting I told them that we have to be ready to play much better than what we did so far. So this was my beginning of conversation with them.

— So, it's not your first time here in Saint-Petersburg, and have you chosen your restaurant you will have your birthday party?

— Still no, I need help for that, for sure. Thank you for this question (loughs). I didn't have time to see it. I spent three days over here and almost all over here in the gym or another gym, so in the office, with the coaches. We will see. I have to talk with people to help me for that.

— Zenit has two upcoming matches — both with only two days in between, leaving little time for training. How good or bad is this, considering you’re joining practically at the start of the season? And what do you see as the main task in the early days?

— Look, about schedule, what to say, this is what it is, and we have to have a plan for this week for sure. You know, two days before that game on Wednesday, we need to use to prepare the team for that game. Then again two days for the next game. So, we will analyze everything what we did the last a few days, not only today — yesterday and day before on practice, and then to make a plan what could be most important to do in a short time to improve and of course to prepare for the for the next opponent.