Former Levski coach and footballer Emil Velev gave an interview to “Tema Sport“, in which he comments on the team's past fall. Kokala, as he is known among fans, talks about the battle for the title, the Blues' missteps in the first half of the season and whether there is a need to strengthen the squad.
Mr. Velev, what kind of autumn did Levski have?
– We can say that the autumn was good, since Levski is in first place. The Blues must maintain the lead they gained and lift the title at the end of the season. Otherwise it would be a tragedy.
Isn't a difficult spring looming, since you see that Levski's competitors have raised their heads in the last matches?
– With such a difference, nothing drastic should happen and other than Levski becoming champion. We see that Ludogorets is still unstable despite the coaching change. They have a hard time winning. Yes, they win matches, but they are not convincing. There's not much I can say about the other teams. That's how I see things. The Blues have an excellent chance to lift the title.
Did the losses to Slavia and CSKA leave a bitter taste in the past half-season?
– Look, Slavia has been on a winning streak up until now. Only wins and draws, no losses. We can't talk about a lack of luck or anything else. The Whites played quite steadily against Levski, and it was noticeable that they did so in the other matches as well, regardless of who they face. The choice of Julio Velasquez for the starting lineup cannot serve as an excuse either. If you're a Levski player, it means you have to match the level of this club. The Blues also lost to CSKA in the derby, but they also suffered a defeat when Lokomotiv Plovdiv visited the “Lauta“. And we don't see the black and whites as being any kind of stable team. So these missteps should be minimized in the spring.
How do you see Julio Velasquez's work?
– I can't evaluate the work of a colleague. Moreover, I don't watch his training. But since Levski is in the first position, it means that he has done his job. There is nothing else to say.
Why do you think the juniors were not given a chance to play in the cup match against the amateur Vitosha Bistrica?
– This is already a strategy of Levski's management. They are assessing when and who to play. They have clearly assessed that the match is important in order to move forward for the Bulgarian Cup. I don't see anything strange in this decision.
What is your opinion about the case with the photo of Assen Mitkov?
– I don't want to comment on these people. I don't know why the media does it. Such fans shouldn't be given a stage to perform.
Where do you see a need for reinforcement in Levski?
– Every team needs transfers during this period, and Levski is no exception. But I'm not the person to point out exactly where the team should be strengthened. At “Gerena“ they have done their calculations very well and know what they need. However, the Blues need to be strengthened.
Author: Martin Vladimirov