CD Javea seeking to get season back on track after Christmas break
The rojiblancos face UD Calpe in the first game of 2022, hoping to end a run of six successive defeats.
Saturday 8th January 2022 – XÀBIA AL DÍA with Mike Smith
CD Jávea v UD Calpe
Sunday 9th January 2022, 11.45am
Campo d’Esports Municipal, Freginal
Referee: Juan José Donate Robles
Preferente football returns this weekend after the Christmas break with Group IV offering an attractive local derby game between CD Jávea and UD Calpe.
Manuel Esteban’s men have prepared for this match with four training sessions this week as well as a clear purpose: to change their form of the last two months, a depressing run of five consecutive league defeats and the elimination from the inaugural Nostra Copa against Sunday’s rival, Calpe.
Xabia AL DÍA has spoken to Manuel Esteban:
How have the players returned after the Christmas holidays, especiall with regards to fitness, COVID, etc.?
The players have arrived better than I thought or what we could have predicted, considering it’s a break where you eat more than normal. The weight without problems but we are waiting for the PCR of some players and we may have some casualties in the team.
It will be important to change the dynamics of the team, the end of the year was very bad.
There is no choice but to win, there are no other things than victory and from there, try to grow as a team and return again to the good feelings of the beginning of the season. The end of the year was very bad but the club has confidence with everyone – the players and the coaching staff – and with that confidence we must be calm and work to guide Jávea back onto the path of victory and return to the good feelings of the beginning of the season.
We have to to ask you about Javi; have the problems with the player been solved?
On a personal level I had no problems with Javi; the problems were his own. He has joined the squad, we have put everything in our power, colleagues, the club in all its dimensions, starting with the president, the management board, the sports director and the coaching staff. So when we all agree to try our best to make the footballer feel loved and at home, we are here to give him the tools and feel like the important player he is. I’m glad he’s back with a smile on his face, training with his teammates and waiting for him to get the best football as he is one of the best footballers in the league.
Against Calpe, do you have the whole squad or are you missing some players?
This week we are also training on Saturday and we are waiting for the results of the PCR tests. COVID is affecting everyone and I will have to wait until the last minute to know the possible casualties, both Josep and Pedro have muscle and ankle problems, others have niggling problems but I expect to have almost the entire squad for Saturday’s training.
Have you thought about strengthening the team or are you still thinking that the players you have are enough?
We have thought of strengthening the team in some position but we started the project with the uncertainty due to the change of management [off the pitch]. We bet on the continuity of the coaching staff and in the project we want to make a good team throughout this season and others to come. There will be difficult times and there will be no reinforcements at the moment as the previous year’s debts are being settled and we must be happy with the staff we have.
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