Quique Gonzalez spoke to the press in Abegondo this morning.

The Deportivista forward stated the lads are aware that “the team can improve. That’s what we’re working on. The margin to improve is big, and we’re working on it every day.”

He insisted “all of us are here to contribute. There are no regular or bench players. What makes a strong team is twenty-something players at their maximum level. Competition is always good; and this team has it. Nobody can relax here because Deportivo is what’s most important. I’m convinced that whoever plays up front on Friday (8 pm, at the Francisco de la Hera in Almendralejo, against Extremadura), will do their utmost best to help the team.”

He believes the team has to accept the fact that they must play three consecutive games away: “It is what it is. There’s no excuse. This team’s mentality is always the same: go out to win wherever we play, whether it’s away or at the ABANCA-RIAZOR. Extremadura achieved 1 point in Oviedo. Anyone can beat you, and it’s going to be very difficult.”

He praised the latest Branquiazul newcomer, Vicente Gomez: “He’s a skilful player. He’ll gradually adapt to the team, and to what we all want. Patience, he’s just arrived.”

He does not mind who his partner is up front, whether it is another striker or someone with different characteristics: “whoever plays, it’s about trusting your teammate, making the most of his skills; there’s no point in ‘I prefer this one or that one’. There is what there is. Whoever you have to play with, and if I’m playing, you have to understand each other the best way possible, because that’s how goals are scored.”

Regarding the style, the Branquiazul forward believes “the coach wants certain things and he’s conveying them to us. And we want the same. We have to try to adapt as quickly as possible. There’s a clear football style here. Whoever perceives and takes this on the best way possible, will have a better chance of playing. The coach decides. You have to be intelligent in football. If the coach asks for certain things, you do them.”

He agrees with what Natxo Gonzalez said in his press conference last Thursday, “We’re Dépor, but we’re not better than anyone else”. Quique Gonzalez, just like the coach, insisted, “one of this team’s values must be humility. All the teams are the same in Second Division. Doesn’t matter whether they’re called Reus or Deportivo; and I say this respectfully. That’s how you must treat your rival. We focus on what we have to do, work every day, play our football, which we know can get to be a good level. From then on, we face the rival. This is very difficult. You got to see it the first week. Imagine what can happen in 41!”

Along these lines, he summarised the first match week of LaLiga 1|2|3: “There are recently relegated teams that won, in our case we drew. Recently promoted teams like Mallorca who beat Osasuna, Extremadura drew in Oviedo...this is Second Division. It’s very competitive, very difficult and you can already see that in Matchweek 1.”

Finally, regarding last Friday’s controversial penalty against Dépor, Quique Gonzalez said, “there’s no point talking about that any more. The penalty was given. You can’t do anything about it. You’re only going to get more frustrated, because there’s nothing you can do. Dépor has 1 point, not 3. The only thing you can do is win 3 in Extremadura. And I assure you that we won’t remember the penalty and we’ll focus on the 3 points in Extremadura. And then move on.”