“The players have done very well” - Niko Kovac interview

Niko, what did you make of Eintracht’s 3-1 win over Erzgebirge Aue?

Niko Kovac: “It was a good test against a strong opponent. Playing against clubs from the second division is never easy. Those teams are very astute tactically and they work incredibly hard, so it’s important to keep a high tempo against them. We struggled to do that in the first period, but we improved a lot in the second, when we managed to put into practice certain things we’d worked on in training. We made a few changes in the final period, which also worked well.”

How are things on the personnel front?

Niko Kovac: “Marius Wolf suffered a muscle injury during the game. He felt something go, so we took him off as a precaution. Mijat Gacinovic recovered in time for the game and didn’t have any problems.  Taleb Tawatha has been struggling with a thigh issue that prevented him from taking part today. It was obviously great to see Omar Mascarell and Marco [Fabian] make an appearance. Marco still needs a bit of time [to return to full fitness], while Omar was able to show glimpses of his full potential. He always demands the ball and spreads the play exceptionally well.”

What are your thoughts on Eintracht’s training camp in Alicante?

Niko Kovac: “We’ve had absolutely excellent conditions. The two pitches here are in great shape and our hotel is right next door. It’s always nice to have good weather, too. The players have done very well, as I expected them to. The intensity was very high, but we obviously can’t work miracles in the space of five days. We still need time to work on areas that need improvement. We want to improve step by step.”