Dinamo coach Jerko Leko, a celebrated former Dinamo player and Croatia international, has taken charge of the first team for the upcoming matches. In a short space of time he has worked his way through an important part of the coaching pyramid: last season he led Dinamo's under-19s, in the current campaign he has been in charge of the B team, and on Sunday, after the mutual termination of coach Mario Kovačević's contract, he took over the first team as well. In the coming short-term period, Leko will lead Dinamo on Thursday away at Sunderland in Matchday 4 of the Europa League, and then on Sunday in the league match in Varaždin.

– When I arrived at Dinamo last season, the original agreement was that I would lead the B team, but that project couldn't get off the ground straight away. Dinamo B only started this summer, so last season I coached the U-19s, and I'm glad it turned out that way, that perhaps I slowed that rhythm down a little, because we did good work with the juniors. Since the summer I have been with the B team, and together we are trying to achieve our basic goal, which is for our young players to develop. Now, here I am, with the first team. Sunderland await us straight away, a new challenge for the team and for me. I'm ready and I believe we will rise to the occasion – said coach Leko.

The news of the first-team takeover found you in Zmijavci, where you led Dinamo B to a win over league leaders Croatia. The very next day you were with the first team. What is the basic idea, the main goal in this short-term period?

– That's football, you never know what awaits you, especially in coaching, anything is possible. Things change quickly, but I was ready for that from the moment I started doing this job. Dinamo is my club, and I came here so that we could “shake things up”, add some new energy, bring in some new things... I've spoken with the players, everyone is motivated and ready for a proper reaction, and we believe we can deliver it. There isn't much time, I've only been with them for two days, we held our first training session on Monday, we talked, and now on the trip to England we will get even closer and focus on the problems we need to solve in order to be better.

So I take it you received positive feedback at that first training session, and the players' initial response was encouraging?

– Yes, you can see in training that the lads are motivated. I'm not afraid of what's coming. Quite the opposite. The players are motivated, and so am I, to pick up positive results in these two matches before the league break. The focus is on Sunday's match in Varaždin, given that the league is the most important thing. But Sunderland is first on the list, we are thinking only about them, and I believe we will rise to the occasion on Thursday.

This will also be your second trip to England this season, as you recently travelled there with the B team for the Premier League International Cup. Have you had time to study Sunderland, and what awaits you there?

– We have watched them and analysed them over these two days. They're a side that perhaps has some problems in the technical aspects. They aren't doing well in the league, but in Europe they have two wins and a draw. There will surely be rotation on their side too, just as there will be on ours, because we also have an important match on Sunday. We are adapting, and over these two days we will go through some tactical details to the extent that we can. We'll also bond a little through communication... These are all players who have been through a good part of their football education, it's not the same as with the junior or B team, where young players need to be shown a bit more, spoken to more and asked for a number of repetitions. I believe they will grasp the idea we want to show in these two matches.

So just three days after England comes another league test, in Varaždin. Unfortunately, it wasn't possible to arrange the schedule differently, but that is another demanding challenge.

– There will be certain rotations and changes. But they are all professionals, they are waiting for their chance, and some will get it now in England. It's up to them to show that they deserve to wear the Dinamo shirt and to prove themselves for what lies ahead – concluded coach Leko.