Coach Kovačević: Congratulations to everyone in the club, we will winter at the top, but we can be even better

Congratulations to my players and everyone at the club on the autumn title, first place at the halfway point was important to us both psychologically even though we are aware that what will happen in May is important, at the end of the season, emphasized Dinamo's coach Mario Kovačević immediately after the victory against Lokomotiva with 2:0 at the end of the autumn part of the competition.

- I think we should have settled the game in the first half, we created chances, hit the crossbar, we were better by at least those two goals. But when you don't score, the opponent gets a chance, as was the case now. Then we woke up a bit. We made changes, after the second goal we had more situations, several transitions, but okay. The most important thing is that we won. At times it was very good, at times it was clear that it could be better. It wasn't easy, Josip Mišić got injured. Overall, we deservedly won and I congratulate my players - added coach Kovačević.

How does the Maksimir coach evaluate the autumn season?

- We started well, with four victories, but then a little crisis came. Look, no one expected us to play at the highest level for six months, we know what all happened and that it's a process. There are a lot of European matches, there was a drop, but in the last five games we have recorded four victories, we outplayed Hajduk as well, but it ended in a draw. That's the kind of game we need to play, the Croatian First Football League (HNL) is the most important to us, we will do our best to continue like this. We will do a deeper analysis, but let everything settle a bit. I am aware of where we made mistakes, after that drop there was a lot of negativity for no reason. Despite everything, we are in the position we wanted, but we are aware that we can be even better.

Captain Josip Mišić left the game due to injury in the 35th minute.

- We will see what his condition is, he felt pain in his knee. I hope it's nothing serious. We will see after the examination, but I believe it's nothing more serious.

Dion Drena Beljo has caught the rhythm, scoring goals, but rarely plays the full 90 minutes on the field.

- Oh, he will score more goals. It's not easy for him, we want intensity, everyone needs to return to the defensive phase. It's important that he scores goals, but as I said, I expect them to do other things on the field as well.

Will there be significant changes in the squad during the winter break?

- I really believe in this team. Look at young Fran Topić who wasn't in the spotlight at the beginning of the season. We have a selection coming up, someone may even be dropped. But only someone better can come into this team.

In the media, there are frequent remarks that coach Kovačević is a great character and a good person. Journalists were interested in whether he considers himself better as a person or as a coach.

"I don't know what to answer to that. If I greet everyone, that's a matter of culture. I want to be the most normal off the field, while on the field I do my job as best as I can. In all the clubs I have worked in, I have had successes. Literally in all of them. I love my job, I do it to the best of my ability, and I don't burden myself with media ratings. I will always be who I am," concluded coach Kovačević.