Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Episode 18: An exclusive interview with AC Horsens GK Matej Delac
376 Plays1 year ago
An exclusive interview with AC Horsens GK Matej Delac (@MatejDelac) where we talked about life as a Superliga keeper, 8 years at Chelsea, promotion and relegation, coming back from a serious injury and much more!
As ever you can help support the podcast and the website by heading to the Patreon page and signing up for the cost of a coffee a month.
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to Danish Dynamite Podcast
00:00:08
Speaker
This is Danish Dynamite, the Super League Podcast, brought to you by footballindemark.com. Hello and welcome to Danish Dynamite, the Super League Podcast. Since the pod began I've been on a mission to bring you the best stories from the league and take other people like myself who don't speak the language deeper into the heart of what makes Danish football so special.
Matei Delach's Role at AC Horsens
00:00:29
Speaker
I'm delighted to be joined by a player who knows the league well and whose performances this season have played a major part in a promoted team taking the scalps of the likes of FC Copenhagen and FC Norjland. So without further ado, I'm delighted to be joined by AC Horseman's goalkeeper Matei Delache. Matei, welcome to the show.
Starting Young in Croatia
00:00:48
Speaker
Hi Henry, hi thanks for your invitation and what to say, I'm happy to be your guest and let's talk. Fantastic, well I thought I'd start at the beginning obviously but you started playing first team football at a very young age and I wondered how you managed to balance the need to develop as a player and mature with the need to perform at such a key position every week with all the pressure that comes with that.
00:01:13
Speaker
Yeah, I started when I was 16. I played my first professional official match, but I was still going in the school and everything. So, but like, like a kid, I was always playing with the older team because before in my time, that was already 14 years, 14 years back, you didn't have every generation didn't have their own team. Like it's now now you have under 15, under 16, under 17 before, especially in the smaller countries like Croatia, where it's not much financial situation.
00:01:43
Speaker
you have like three, four generations in one together. So from really early age, when I was six, when I started to play football, I was playing with the guys with nine years old, 10 years old. So I was already, let's say, prepared for something. And of course, I didn't know that I would be a professional keeper in that young age, but that's also helped me for this what I was when I was need to be ready for a senior football.
Adapting Physically and Technically as a Goalkeeper
00:02:11
Speaker
And I guess also at 16, you're still growing. How much were you sort of counting on adding a few extra inches to your height at that point? Or how much was your career kind of hinging on that final part of your physical development? Yeah, of course, I was lacking some parts of the physical football, like going to the crosses or something. But I was also lucky that I've been in a
00:02:34
Speaker
Not that high high league where is so much crosses i will say creation league is more about technical players as you know how is creation creation players in the europe we are more technical that's also creation league is more technical so there is not much like in denmark i will say where is all around the crosses and everything where is much more difficult for a keeper to develop so uh but yeah i need that i need that sometime but uh then i came to england when i was seventy and a half eighteen and then i saw
00:03:03
Speaker
okay i need to i need to build up my strength because otherwise i will not i will not make it uh in a higher level i was going to ask about england but before i do that you mentioned the technical level in in croatian i wondered did that help you as a goalkeeper given that now it's so important for goalkeepers to be able to play with their feet as well as their hands
00:03:23
Speaker
Yeah, that was also one of the parts. When I was young, of course, they used me more in the build-up in the Croatian League. And when you see a goalkeeper with a 16-year-old who is like, I will say, calm with the feet and doing it good, of course, that's interested in many scouts around
Joining Chelsea and Development through Loans
00:03:39
Speaker
Europe. That's helped me, of course, and we were developing on that point of view. But I will say now in horses, we are a different team. We are not using that much me in the build-up.
00:03:51
Speaker
We are more putting the ball kicking from the five meter or whatever and then we play from there from the second balls. I always said that if you use a goalkeeper with the playing board the feet every goalkeeper will look.
00:04:06
Speaker
Even better, of course, it's a risk of playing. But I think every goalkeeper who is in this level, I think he's fine with the feet. And plus you can develop him even more if you are using him with the feet. So and then people will say, OK, he's good with the feet. Or you can say to the guy who is which team is not using him is the feet. You can say he's not good enough with the feet. But we can never know if he's in that team or if he's in another team who is playing more.
00:04:29
Speaker
then we can give a decision how much he's good with the feet or not. That makes perfect sense. After your time in Croatia, you joined Chelsea and then went on a succession of loans. By the time you left, you were actually the club's longest serving player, I believe. How do you remember your time at the club and were the loans helpful to your development
00:04:49
Speaker
I always, when I'm back to the Chelsea, I'm really thankful for the chance what I get there to be part of that club. Of course, I didn't get the real chance, I would say, to show myself with the games, but that was many circumstances was part of that, because in that time Croatia was still not the part of EU community. So we had the troubles with the working permit and everything in England, so I couldn't get it that easily. The working permit and
00:05:18
Speaker
And it was not that easy. But Chelsea was really honest to me every time when I was going alone. And I will say they had some plan of my career which will go on because they signed also Thibaut Courtois and me in the half year difference. And I was I knew it from the start. That's what they told me. They will sign Thibaut and you and him will be
00:05:42
Speaker
Produce it. He will produce it like a number one choice and you will be produced like a number two choice But we want to have to go keepers for a longer part of the years. So you'll be he's back up So I knew it I will not be number one when I was even both In three four years when I was doing I will be
Transition to AC Horsens and Family Life
00:05:58
Speaker
ready for Chelsea. So And they were always believing in me. They they extended my contract also after first five years They offer me they they like my mentality. They like my development and
00:06:11
Speaker
But it just didn't work out at the Chelsea, but in other clubs I can say they've developed a lot from the goalkeeper's perspective and my human side perspective because I've changed so many cultures Every half a season every year When you look a bigger picture, yeah, of course, I was in many loans in the football picture and
00:06:36
Speaker
Yeah, maybe it was too many, if you understand. Then people thinking, okay, wow, why he's changing club every year. Maybe something is wrong with that guy, because you cannot know. It was the same case in horses when they were interested in me. When I was going in the last year of the contract with Chelsea, clubs are calling me. I remember Coach Bo Hendrickson told me, when we saw you can be free, we was thinking, ah, but he'd been on eight loans.
00:07:05
Speaker
something is maybe wrong with this guy, why he's changing that many clubs. Maybe he's making the troubles in every clubs. But that was just circumstances. I wanted to play in every loan. So, for example, I would take an example of Portugal, Vittoria Guimarayas, which was a good club, good developing club. It was nice for me. I signed the one-year deal of the loan, but I saw it after half year. I'm not playing.
00:07:31
Speaker
And I knew it, I had Chelsea behind me. So for me, it was just most important to get these minutes in the CV and develop. I could stay one year like a second choice in Guimarais, hope for some cup matches or something, but I never wanted that. So whenever I see, okay, there is a chance I can find a club where I will play, I just left and I went to play. So for me, that was the most important part of this loans to get the minutes.
00:07:56
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. I respect that mentality of wanting to play. You do see some keepers who are just a career number two, right? And so I think that, yeah, it definitely says a lot about your character that you went out there and tried to find those starting gigs.
Finding Stability in Denmark
00:08:11
Speaker
How did the move to Horsons come about and how much did you know about Danish football before you arrived? Yeah, I was in the last half year of the Chelsea contract and I knew they would not extend my deal. We agreed that it's the best for me to find something else and to develop my career somewhere else. To be honest, I was getting not
00:08:35
Speaker
many many offers but i was getting offers of course it's always interesting to get the goalkeeper with the chelsey cv i was also 25 good age but then suddenly that offer came from from horses they contact me through to some people
00:08:52
Speaker
And then I was like, yeah, I think it's a good league because I was following some Scandinavian football. And I was thinking it's good also for my family. That was also one of the priorities because I get my son. I had my son, my first son. And then we just wanted some safe country. And of course, like I said at the start, the team where I will be number one
00:09:20
Speaker
And that what nobody can promise you number one position, but I knew it they sold the yes, you're on into FC Copenhagen, and the ball, Henriksen and the goalkeeper coach, Peter Hansen, they told me, you'll be our first choice, we trust you and, and they gave me
00:09:39
Speaker
They gave me, I said, I will say, good. They told me good things. So I was ready and I thought it will be a good step in my career to move to horse and send to Denmark. And five years later, you're still here. So it was obviously a positive experience for you. And how nice is it to feel that somewhere is kind of home? I guess after all of those loans, to be somewhere long term must feel nice.
00:10:02
Speaker
Yeah, it's it's great. It's really great. I think I miss that little bit. Like I said on these loans, you are always changing and you're actually never never in that club. Of course, I will give whatever I play. I give my hundred percent, but it's still different. Like you said, you feel like a home. Now I feel horses like a home and also my family, which is the most important thing. It's coming. My kids are going here in kindergarten. My son already talked Danish, so
00:10:29
Speaker
My daughter is still young, so she's not that much, but that's important part. And then, of course, first I signed two years deal at the horses, which I was thinking, okay, let's show myself, like every football player wants it. Let's show myself for one year, maybe two years, and then I will develop to the next level to the bigger stage. But then horses offered me a new deal after four months, a longer term deal.
00:10:55
Speaker
And that's what you just said it. You already gave the answer. I wanted some security and I wanted some calmness for me and for my family, of course. And that's what Horsens gave me. And that's why I signed the longer term deal with Horsens. And finally, I actually play for one club more than one year in a row. And now it's five years. So it's really nice feeling.
Coaching Styles and Personal Growth
00:11:23
Speaker
And I guess, unusually, in five years of playing at Horsons, you've only had two managers, Bo Henrickson, who you mentioned, and obviously Jens Bertil Ascu. What have you learned from each of them? I would say they are different. Bo Henrickson is more, I would say, a special character, as everybody knows, who follows Super Liga. With him, like, if
00:11:46
Speaker
You like him or you don't like him. There is no in-between with him. Also like a player you can have a good good good relationship with him but suddenly it can drop down after one match. So he's really intense and he's really expecting from the players to give everything on the match day. For him the trainings are of course important but for him that's not the main thing.
00:12:09
Speaker
If you are doing everything on the match and if he sees that you are hungry and you want to die for him, I will say, he will give you everything. You will have all freedom. And he is not that much on to the tactic and everything. He is more on the power. Let's do that. Let's do set pieces. That's how horses play with him. And battle, he is the different type of the person. Battle is more, I will say, like... I will not say, like, army is not that much, but everything is...
00:12:39
Speaker
everything is how it needs to be so every morning every week we know okay this morning you do this this this this this this is our week we know how we're gonna prepare uh he don't want to take anything out out of his control so he want to control these kind of things what he can control so give us
00:12:58
Speaker
video analysis of the other opponent and everything, prepare us for the match much more, I will say it in that way. And he's also trying to develop us much more also in the in the other aspects, not just football aspects, also in another aspect of the of the what you have it in the football. So they are different. But I'm honest with you. I always said Bo Hendrickson was really good for for horses. He developed a club a lot. But if we if
00:13:27
Speaker
the club needed to move to the next step, what horses wanted to put more young players and everything.
Decision to Stay with Horsens Post-Relegation
00:13:33
Speaker
I think it was the right moment for both of both Hendrix and the horses to finish the story, let's say, in a nice way and to give it to the battle, because I think it was also the right man to do it for the next step at a different level. So I'm really thankful for both Hendrix and I really have a good relationship with him. We talk also sometimes, so
00:13:57
Speaker
still so I'm really happy with him how he helped me but also I'm also really happy with battle so I think I'm lucky that I had really two different coaches but for me they were really good.
00:14:08
Speaker
This is the first time I've had a goalkeeper on the show, so I wanted to ask that given it looks from the outside like a reasonable amount of your training is done separately from the outfield players. Does that make it harder to build bonds with the rest of the team? Yeah, it's a little bit of this. If you see it, for example, we are one hour doing our things and then suddenly in some weeks of the training, you are maybe just part of last game.
00:14:36
Speaker
like last 20 minutes if they don't need you for before. Yeah, it's a little bit different. You are in your own world, I will say. That's what I always said. For me, it's also important whenever I've been, and especially now in Denmark, that you have a good connection between the keepers and the goalkeeper coach. For me, that's more important. Of course, it's important to have a good connection with the old squad. But it's really important that we know what is our job, every goalkeeper.
00:15:01
Speaker
that knows and that we support each other and I always I'm always trying to do that also with the new keepers when they come here also with the young ones that we are all together and of course I know it's difficult for them when you are not playing when you are second choice that's the worst position in the squad because you know you you will not come in but we need to be together and if they are if we are good they can push me I can push them and that's why they make my performance good I will say
00:15:28
Speaker
I also wanted to ask most of your time at Horsons has been in the top flight, but during the pandemic, the club were relegated and you spent last season in
Overcoming Injury and Recovery
00:15:36
Speaker
the division below.
00:15:37
Speaker
How easy was the decision for you to stay at Horsons and to fight for promotion? Yeah, it was not easy. Honestly, it was not easy. I was close to go. I was really close to go to the one Swedish club. I don't want to say the name now because it will not be fair to the dead club and to the Horsons, but I was really close. It was, I will say,
00:16:02
Speaker
few centimeters close to that club, but it didn't happen. And then I was thinking, okay, I will be 29. To go down, first division.
00:16:11
Speaker
It will be difficult if we didn't promote. But then that thing didn't happen. And then I needed to put in my head and talk with battle and everything. They were really fair to me. They said that if you get something opportunity, we know we don't want to make your troubles. We will be there for you. So we will not be in your way. So they were really, really nice to me. But suddenly it didn't happen.
00:16:33
Speaker
And then I decide, okay, I'm staying here. I feel good here. Let's do it. Let's make it to the Super Liga. And then from that moment, I was a little bit injured, first two games, so I didn't play. But from the next match, I was there fully in into the season. I also changed the goalkeeper coach because my ex-goalkeeper coach went to Royal Antwerp with Brian Priska.
00:16:59
Speaker
And then I get the new goalkeeper coach Lars Winder from Esberg, which was also a good thing because then I get some new energy, some new things on the training and that's also helped me to develop even more. And then he wanted for me to develop some other things and I was concentrating on that.
00:17:16
Speaker
and yeah we were we had the quality and we were also lucky to get promotion to the to the super league but it was good also for me and for my career to find out how is the first division football uh now i'm also following first division football in Denmark much more than i was following when i was just playing in super league uh i think it's uh if you are if you if you want to know but i think it's also fine level uh you can see the difference between top i would say five four teams are
00:17:44
Speaker
they can maybe compete with the Super Liga. They will struggle of course in Super Liga, but they have a fine squads and fine level. Other teams that are below Super Liga of course, but still the league is really developing and I think it's good for the young players to come there alone or whatever and get the minutes in the Nordic Bad Liga.
00:18:05
Speaker
It was such a dramatic end to the season because for so long it looked like Helsingor were going to get promoted and then they fell off towards the end. Horsons finished strong, Loongby finished strong and so yeah, you ended up as champions and I wondered, you know, you started this season winning away at the Superleaguer champions FC Copenhagen. How much confident did that result give you, you know, back in the Superleaguer that you could compete this season?
00:18:29
Speaker
Yeah of course it gave us a big boost really because we were we were driving with that success of the last season. And then it was important because we knew it we cannot lose anything in park and so. Whoever if they beat us you know you are you're just going to play against the champion so it's a let's say free game. You are there to show when i think everybody was.
00:18:52
Speaker
was impressed, but in a positive way, impressed, because we knew it. Okay, we were playing in first division, maybe in front of 500 people in some games, away games, I will say, I don't want to be rude to some of the teams, but we've been playing in Yammerbook Stadium, where there is no tribunes, and then suddenly you are in park and with 25,000 people.
00:19:11
Speaker
Of course, everybody was impressed, but in a good way. And we took it, of course, we need some luck to be the best team in Denmark, but we get it. So it was really good boost for our confidence to get the win in park. And then we started with that. First half of the season was really good.
Support Systems and Career Sacrifices
00:19:28
Speaker
Now we are a little bit struggling, but we can get to that when you ask the next questions.
00:19:33
Speaker
Yeah, and you've obviously, as a team, had to overcome some adversities. Losing Kasper Tengsted early in the season, you know, such a pivotal goal scorer. But also, your injury, back in October, you were playing away at FC Norjland, and about half an hour in, you picked up an injury that looked quite serious at the time. What do you remember about that moment, and how serious did it feel at the time?
00:19:54
Speaker
Yeah, it was the worst pain in my life. Being hurt, I had my ACL, also surgery of my ACL. I also get it on the match. It was also painful. I get hits in my head and everything, but this was unbelievable pain. I cannot compare with nothing. It's like you're having a cramp.
00:20:15
Speaker
but this constant cramp so it's not releasing so if you have cramp is there for 10-15 seconds but this was for one minute cramp so I was crying honestly I'm tough guy but I was crying how much pain was it caused me I thought there was something serious of course and then we went to MRI and
00:20:38
Speaker
Doctor's first impressions here in horses was that I'm out for the rest of the season which usually people are When you get this hamstring tendons surgery, it's neither time That's also one of the case when I was playing abroad. I had many connections. So I play with many different players So I try to call some of them who had maybe similar injuries I knew it or something and then I found out that there is one of the best one in the world in the Finland Lassen Lampainen
00:21:07
Speaker
He's the name of the doctor. So he's doing that surgeries and I went directly to him. I contact him I find his number on the on the his webpage. I send him email He didn't answer. I try to call him. He didn't answer It just happened in a few hours after I get my that my season is finished because I didn't want to To stop I try I try to to do it maybe as fast as I can or maybe get it before I wanted to hear his opinion and
00:21:36
Speaker
And then he get back to me and said, yeah, just send me your MRI pictures. I would like to see it. And I will give you my opinion.
00:21:45
Speaker
I sent him my MRI pictures. He got back to me. He said, you can come in three days. We can make a surgery. Well, I was like, OK, that's perfect. And you can be back in five months. But first I need to do the surgery and then I will tell you how how it's going to be. I was like, OK, that's good. If I can go to surgery, I was already starting to planning when I can be back on the pitch. And then, of course, I went to the club. I told them
00:22:13
Speaker
about that club said it yeah no war no problems you go there to the surgery i made the surgery he said usually is five to six months after three months if everything is good you can start to train fully and luckily i've been back after four months and five six days i was playing official match which is really rare in that injury but
00:22:39
Speaker
I gave everything when I had the reputation. I had just had two days off. In the Christmas, I went to Croatia. My family was in Croatia. I was just staying here in horses and working hard with my physio. And luckily, I'm back.
00:22:54
Speaker
Wow what a journey and I guess the fact that the Super League has such a long winter break this past season helped because the internet is often wrong but it looks like you only missed was it seven league games? No even less two and then just five five league games. Wow yeah for such a long injury that's pretty incredible. Exactly so likely it was a long
00:23:19
Speaker
break and also the World Cup also helped me, but Yes, it was for such a long-term injury. It was really really I will say really fast recovery also with my ACL when I have it seven years ago I was playing official match after six months, which is also unusual Usually you are recovering after eight months. You see it Manzach for example from Bronby He he was one year out with ACL injury. I think he had ACL injury. So
00:23:46
Speaker
yeah i need to say my body is good to me but i'm also good to my body so when something happened my body giving me back yeah on the back of that coming back from a long injury must have required an enormous amount of mental and physical toughness what was that that period of recovery like for you and who was who were the people who helped you on that journey back to full fitness you mentioned the surgeon obviously
00:24:12
Speaker
Yeah of course he is the most important thing at the start to make a good surgery and it was him but I also my physio from Denmark from horses. He came to me with me to Finland and he was seeing the surgery and he had a talk with the
00:24:29
Speaker
with the doctor and about everything about recovery. So he was really, really big part of it because he could also be off. We had four weeks off. I think the team had four or five weeks off, but he stayed with me every day here in horses. We were working really hard. So he was really, really big support and I cannot be
00:24:52
Speaker
I cannot say it in the words how much I'm thankful for him because he really put everything what he can that we make it as fast as possible.
Competitive Nature of Super Liga
00:25:01
Speaker
And then, of course, my wife and the kids, that was the biggest support in my journey because we, like I said, we already booked the holiday trip to Dubai in the winter, but we needed to cancel it. Of course, I could go, I could went there and have a recovery there for a few days.
00:25:19
Speaker
we know what is my priority and my wife accepted and she knows football career is short so she was also really big support in that so and of course from the mental side was not easy but I just give a shot I give everything hundred percent and it came back to me I'll say maybe you could do the holiday this this Christmas instead I said I said to her there will be time for holidays no worries about it
00:25:44
Speaker
And just finally on the injury, has it changed anything about how you play, whether it's mentally or whether it's in terms of physical preparation? No, no, no, honestly, of course, it was difficult in the mental first two games. I will say first three games, it was difficult for me, honestly, especially in FCK at home, we played, I played one friendly match against Frederica.
00:26:06
Speaker
but it was on the artificial grass no people no no one so it was like of course i did good but it was like okay it's a it's just a friendly match so it's like a training but then suddenly you came after four months.
00:26:20
Speaker
and a half of the break you came where is seven, 8,000 people fans. So it was a little bit tough mentally. But I think when I talked with the battle and with my goalkeeper coach, they said this game will be just be a bonus for you. So it's better to get in this game where is nobody expecting nothing from us than you get in the game in Lingbee, which we play game after.
00:26:44
Speaker
which we need the points or something much more which is expected not to lose if you understand what i mean of course we are not expecting to lose against fc colon but it will be easier to get in that game for after and then we agree i will get the chance in fc colon lucky i made i made the drop for one one shot for one one score when barbara should
00:27:05
Speaker
on me. First half was fine, but I looked at everything positive. I think it's fine. It's happened. Then the next match in Lingbee, I was more aware, which I had similar shots from Roma. On 89 minutes, I saved it. So maybe it's good that it happened. We didn't lose against Lingbee in that match. It was 1-1, and maybe that match will be crucial at that point. Maybe not. We will see it until the end, but it was good to have that match before Lingbee.
00:27:30
Speaker
After the Silkerborg FC Copenhagen game, there were five or six journalists waiting to interview Kemmel Grabara and I sort of threw in one question and I asked him about artificial pitches and I said as a goalkeeper, do you prepare differently for playing on an artificial pitch? And he looked at me like I just asked the worst question in the world and he said, no, why would I do that? It's all the same. So I was going to ask the same question to you and just say, when you're playing at Nordschlind or Silkerborg,
00:27:56
Speaker
Does the ball move differently off the surface? Is it something you have to pay attention to as a goalkeeper? Yeah, it is different, honestly. It is different. You need to be more aware, more concentrated, especially in North Zealand, where they put a lot of water. So, of course, it's faster. But at the end, I will agree with him. It's ball is a ball, pitch is a pitch. So you just need to be every match fully concentrated. But there is a difference, but more for the field players than for us keepers. Got it.
00:28:25
Speaker
Cool. At the time of recording, Horsons are six points clear of relegation with six games to go. How confident are you that the team can survive and how do you help the younger guys in the team remain calm given the pressure is building?
00:28:41
Speaker
Yeah, of course. Before the season, when we start, we were in, not before the season, but in the middle of the season, we were in the comfortable situation, much more comfortable than now, of course. We know the Allborg is getting there. As you can see in their performance, they've been unlucky, honestly, in the last few games. They should get more points.
00:28:59
Speaker
and Lingbee is also getting there so of course it's not easy and I will say we were in the we didn't perform like we usually perform so of course yeah our confidence was a little bit shaky but I think before season somebody told us you listen you have six points more in the last six match
00:29:16
Speaker
I think everybody in horses, every fan, everybody will accept it. So we still need to know that we even if we had bad situation, we are still we are still there where we need where we wanted to be in the start of the season. And we need just to go and stay calm and try to win. Next match against audience will be difficult. Every match in Super League is difficult, but we need to go with that.
00:29:40
Speaker
that mind like we've been yesterday against Mitalin. I think it was one of our better games in the last five, six games. It was our best match. Of course, we miss the
00:29:53
Speaker
something in the last part of the pitch. But we went there with our old horse's mentality of the first season where we just been there and we just go out and then we just say, OK, let's try to win this game. Don't try to protect the lead what we have. So we went there and I think I hope.
00:30:10
Speaker
And I believe we are getting, and we are ready for the Luxys games as we've been in the first half of the season. Yeah, personally, I can't wait because I think that we've got a very tight title race at the top, very tight relegation, battle at the bottom. For the natural fans, it's really enjoying it. I know a lot of players, and for the horses fans, or I would say all of us, it's not nice. But yeah, that's difficult. That's football. It needs to be interesting. It needs to be interesting, and it's good. It's like that.
00:30:38
Speaker
That's how you can develop like a player, also like a young player. That's what I also, when you ask me, sorry, I didn't answer to your question for the young player. That's what I always tell them when we are in this situation, you will develop. You will develop because this is the games where you are developing. You need to fight for something. If you are not fighting for something, it's difficult to develop. So trust me, you will be thankful after in some ways of your career. It's going to make you much more mature and everything in your football for after.
Appreciating Danish Football and Lifestyle
00:31:08
Speaker
Yeah. Through adversity comes strength. Exactly. What makes the Super Liga different to the various other leagues that you've played in? For goalkeeper's perspective, I can, I will talk the mostly, it's like, it's not easy to be goalkeeper in Super Liga. I will say it's a tough league. Sometimes nothing happening. You are not touching the ball for 20 minutes, 25. And suddenly there is a boom, boom chance, maybe one shot, one goal. You are unemployed.
00:31:37
Speaker
the next 10 minutes. So it's not that much intensely for the goalkeeper in the perspective of the shots or something. Even if you are playing against the good teams, because yesterday in Midian they just had one shot in the first half and that was a goal and that was the own goal. Of course, you have always to do something, but it's more about following the game, being good in the crosses.
00:31:55
Speaker
and everything. So it's pretty different than the other leagues, I will say, which I played for the goalkeeper perspective. From the players perspective, it's a tough league. I will say many players who came abroad and which I talk with them, they think, OK, Denmark, I would just come there, be good. It's going to be easy step up for another level. But then they come to Denmark and then they get surprised, actually, how tough it is. The league, I would say it's really tough league to play.
00:32:23
Speaker
Yeah, and I think when you see the sorts of players who have left recently and gone on to play in really top leagues, you know, whether it's in the Premier League or Liga, and they don't look out of place there. So the fact that those guys were mixing it in the Super League just shows you how much quality there is, I think. Exactly. That's what I want to also say. They were ready to take that level. I will make
00:32:47
Speaker
I don't want to be rude on some other league, but I will take example of Croatian league, which would have Dinamo Zagreb, like the best team, but also Dinamo Zagreb players, I know they are playing Champions League, but they go somewhere abroad and they struggle. We can see many examples of that when they are getting sold, even if they are playing for national team and then they move somewhere, let's say to Premier League or whatever, or Germany, and then they are struggling because the league is not that strong enough and then they get a big shock
00:33:16
Speaker
of the temple of everything and when i also talk with the people from i would say from from sweden or they are playing in norway which they play also in denmark they said yeah it's it's a different you get a little bit shocked because it's a really tough league it's much more tough league here they
00:33:33
Speaker
You cannot make a mistake because if you make a mistake, they just punish you directly in Denmark. I love this country really. I really love it.
Football's Influence on Family Life
00:33:54
Speaker
Everything is
00:33:55
Speaker
How it needs to be, I will say. People are calm, people have everything what they need. Sometimes I said to them, the Danish players, you are not thankful what you have. You need to go to live in some other country, like I will say.
00:34:11
Speaker
in Balkan countries or whatever and then you will see what you have in this country so everything is everything is just under control everything is fine it's really good good country for a family they give you much much opportunities about it also to develop kids and everything so i really like mentality mentality i would say is the best thing of Denmark. And outside of training and matches what do you do to relax and do you watch a lot of football?
00:34:42
Speaker
Yeah, I watch a lot of football. I'm following everything. Honestly, I'm following everything. I'm really onto football. I would not say I know a lot, but I think I know almost every goalkeeper in the top 25 countries.
00:34:59
Speaker
who is the first choice or something I'm really following. And especially I've been in eight different countries. So I follow every my ex club, I follow every league where they're playing. So and I have, like I said, I play with many different players, many different nationalities. So I always take a look at on them.
Handling Social Media and Fan Engagement
00:35:16
Speaker
So yeah, I'm, I'm really onto the football. This is my
00:35:20
Speaker
my second thing what I'm doing first thing is trainings of course and the kids and the family but my son he's now five and a half years old he's also watching football with me yeah we are I'm really following every league I will say I'm really following every league I'm not much into the the the movies or tv series of course I watch it sometimes with my wife but mostly it's a football in our home I'm the best football I'm following also the basketball but I'm the real sport guy
00:35:49
Speaker
Also, you're active on Twitter and Instagram. How do you balance the positives and negatives that being available on social media can bring? Yeah, I look at that like you can see it with who you can get, who you can get serious conversation of not or not. You can see like, of course, there is a negative things, but that's
00:36:15
Speaker
For me, that's a key thing, I will say. You know, I'm just laughing at that when somebody writes me something. For example, I remember FC Kometch and somebody write me on Twitter, mate delach, hashtag me and put the Varo face and Varo say hi. And I was just laughing and I was like, okay, yeah, nice. You know, I just press the like, you know, for me, it's a funny thing because
00:36:45
Speaker
It's really unnecessary but I just laugh at that negativity because I know what I'm doing and I know that I give all 100% of that all week and I go to the game and I know it's about me, it's about the team. And of course people will be frustrated negatively or whatever if they lose, maybe they lose the bet on us or something.
00:37:05
Speaker
But I just honestly I just love and I like I like to be of course in social media available to the fans to the real fans When they want to tell you and I also accept the critics, of course I'm not saying that I'm not accepting the critics but good critics you can you can critic negatively But you can also said when somebody performance is not nice You can also said that but in a nice way if you are rude to me from the start I will laugh and I will not take you seriously
00:37:30
Speaker
But of course, we need to be open. I think every player needs to be open for that, for positive comments and for negative comments. And like I said, but you need to know how they are coming and what people want. If they want to tell you honestly, honestly, opinion, even if it's negative, you need to accept it. But if somebody is doing it like a kid or want to make you rude, then you just laugh about that. So you need to know who is who. But yeah, I'm active and I think, like I said, it's also good for defense.
00:38:00
Speaker
I think they will also like it to get that, but it needs to be in respect in the both sides, I would say. Yeah, and I think actually that closeness to the players is something that is what makes Super League so special, the fact that the players and the fans can interact in that way, in a way that I just don't think happens in Premier League or in other leagues like that. Of course, I agree. Being a goalkeeper, you're always quite close to the stands. What's the craziest thing you've heard shouted while you've been in goal?
00:38:31
Speaker
I've been in Balkan, so you know how is the Balkan fans? In Denmark, they are actually nice, I would say. They are really nice. Of course, they are calling me bald guy or whatever, but I just came to them and I just laughed with them because I said, you didn't... That's not negative. I'm bald, so I think that's... You just said honest opinions, you know, sometimes.
00:38:57
Speaker
But yeah, of course, they are saying bad words, but I never take it seriously. When it's the match, it's a match. I know they want the best for their team, which I want also best for my team. And of course, after we have respect to each other. But I just know if I go to their club, they will respect me. So it's just a fun thing that you need to be rude to another goalkeeper.
00:39:20
Speaker
is nothing personal. So that's why I say I don't take it nothing personal. Whatever you said to me, I know it's because of the game and you want your team wins.
Advice for Young Goalkeepers
00:39:28
Speaker
So the guys can do it if somebody is listening from other opposite teams. I would just laugh and I would just say to them, yeah, fine. We just move on. Brilliant. I've got one more question. For someone who is starting out in their career as a young goalkeeper, what's the best piece of advice you could give them, whether it's something technical or mental or anything else?
00:39:48
Speaker
Just be yourself and I will say be there to make mistakes. I think that's what I always say to the youngest goalkeeper. Don't take it too personal if you make mistake or if you screw up the match or whatever because
00:40:06
Speaker
even the best goalkeepers in the world, even the guys who play 300, 400, 500 games in the top level, they still make mistakes. So be there to make mistakes and do everything what is in your hands, what you can do through the whole week. And then match is just a reward. So play match like it's just a reward. I always said this also to the old young goalkeepers and whatever, just do what you can in the whole week and then just relax with the match.
00:40:36
Speaker
And like I said, be there to make mistakes. Don't be afraid of them because they will happen. Even if you are afraid, even if you are not afraid, they will happen. But it's important how you bounce back after it.
00:40:47
Speaker
Yeah and I guess if a striker makes one mistake in a game no one remembers it whereas if a goalkeeper makes one mistake that can be a 1-0 defeat and it all gets pinned on that. Exactly. It sounds like you need a level of natural resilience and you've talked about it whether it's social media or being in the stands or whatever it is you have to just
00:41:06
Speaker
You have to just let it go past you. And I think that that's a very mature approach and great advice for any young goalkeepers listening to
Conclusion and Appreciation
00:41:15
Speaker
this. Matei, thank you so much for giving up some of your time during a really busy part of the season.
00:41:20
Speaker
It's been an immense pleasure and I'd like to wish you all the best for the remaining six games of the season. Thank you, Henry. It was really nice to talk with you and I really appreciate your work. It's really nice to see somebody out of Denmark putting it on Twitter and following us, following the league, also to read it on English. It's really good. Keep up your work and I hope it will grow even more.
00:41:42
Speaker
your page and your everything. It was really pleasure to talk with you and hope guys who is listening will have a good time listening our talk. Thank you, man. Likewise.