The Victorians are already fine-tuning their form at the game camp in Benidorm. After the initial training sessions we interviewed the head coach Miroslav Koubek. How he likes it in Spain, what he says about the new reinforcements and what awaits the players in the coming days, all this and much more he told us in the interview.

Coach, we´re through with the start of training camp. What are your first impressions of the environment and conditions here in Benidorm?

I have no objection at all, it´s an absolutely top-notch environment for preparation. The weather, the terrains, the food, so far the weather has been good for us. I was a bit worried about the wind, but so far there is none. So let´s knock on wood and get going!

Is the January sunshine good for you too?

(laughs) It´s definitely better for the psyche to be under an azure sky than somewhere in a depressing fog.

The preparation is unusual this year because of the early entry into spring. How difficult was it to prepare?

Probably not that much. It´s just that the new Europa League model has shortened, or we can use the word disrupted, the traditional five-week Czech winter preparation. We had to deal with it by getting the players moving individually after the Christmas holidays. They did some running volume and strength training, they had four running and two strength training sessions on the program. So they didn´t come to the reunion completely out of the water and we were able to start everything right away. During the first weekend, we completed the run-up conditioning block with three more two-phase units. And now we´re just doing the game training as we´re used to. In summary, there were not those two weeks at home this year when we played, for example, games against opponents from lower competitions, it fell away.

During individual training sessions, did you and your colleagues keep track of everything via data and GPS?

Yes, it´s all under surveillance. The guys have done well, they´re honest. They themselves know that if they underestimate something, they would be in trouble.

There´s an important home game against Anderlecht in two weeks and a bit, are you heading towards that?

Not quite yet in terms of tactics, we´re working on the general things we want to see in our game. We are deepening certain habits and we want to improve them. The focus on Anderlecht specifically will come a week before the game, after we return home. We are aware that in Belgium they are running a competition, they don´t really have much of a break. In this respect, the advantage of the game is probably on their side, we have the task of getting the team into a decent game state, into the game pace as quickly as possible.

Is that what the three preparatory matches will serve for?

Of course. But there are over 20 of us here, everyone has to get space, so we´ll see how we can spread it out. We will actually face two opponents from the leagues that are being played, Anderlecht and Bilbao.

Are you looking forward to it?

Definitely! It´s always an event, a festive event. So as far as I can tell from my feelings, I´m really looking forward to it.

You welcomed two new players to the team - Memic and Doski. What to say about them?

I have to say that the first impression is very positive. They have only been with us for a few days, but you only need a few training sessions to see that they are very good footballers. I firmly believe that once they get into our style of play and ideas, which I think will happen very quickly, it will be good. They just have the quality of play, that´s the foundation. I´m convinced we´ve gone into quality.

Plus, with Merchas, you practice your German.

He understands Czech as well, but yes, we speak German together. I can brush it up with him, that´s true. (laughs)

Rafiu Durosinmi is also back in training after a long injury. Did that make you happy?

I don´t want to jinx anything, but he´s getting better every day. We were on the ball at the weekend in Plzeň, so I´ve seen him for the fifth or sixth day and he´s really coming up. I´m pleased with how he´s moving. But we know that it will take a while for him to be 100 percent conditionally, but he´s doing very well on the ball. So the return may be quicker than we expected. But as I say, I don´t want to jinx anything, but we are happy.

What is in store for the players in Benidorm in the coming days?

Two-phase training sessions are planned, of course they have to get some half a day off. The first week will be more voluminous, the continuity of that heavier build-up. But we´re not running some kilometres, we´re on the pitch every day, it´s game-changing for the players. Two phases, nutritious. The next week will be more towards the start.

Is it a bit specific that we play two European games and then enter the league?

If in Europe it can be a bit of a disadvantage that our opponents are already playing in Belgium and Spain, then for the domestic competition it can be an advantage. Because no preparatory match can replace such a hard fierce duel. So I see this as an advantage in the league. And we´re looking forward to it!