Igor Oca: “We have to go in with the sole intention of playing well to win”

C.D. Leganés head coach Igor Oca appeared at a press conference on Friday ahead of the team’s match against Burgos C.F. on Saturday (4:15 p.m.) at Estadio El Plantío, as part of Matchday 24 of LALIGA HYPERMOTION.
The coach offered the following assessment of the team’s current situation ahead of the match:
Mood: “We’re very happy with how things are going, but we have a clear ambition to keep growing and the conviction that if we stay on this path, we’ll continue to see that remarkable improvement.”
A tough Burgos side: “Last week we matched that record; we’re the second-least-scored-against team. They’re incredibly competitive, with a very clear game plan. Set pieces, transitions… They’re versatile and make things difficult for you, especially on their home turf. It’ll be very tough, but if we want to aim higher, we have to go in with the sole mindset of playing well to win, and that’s the approach we’re taking.”
Absences: “We have to acknowledge everyone’s hard work, which has improved the situation and means I have everyone available except Pulido, who is also on the right track. I’m very happy to be working with them and to have everyone available.”

A good month of January: “That assessment—since it was officially announced that we’d be staying on—is positive, but the current situation tells us we’re in a position that makes us uncomfortable. We have that debt to pay. We don’t feel the same pressure we did a month ago, but we do have that need to show we’re capable of more. We have to prove that in every game, and we have a huge opportunity tomorrow.”

Asué: “He’s a player who was active right up until his national team’s final match in the Africa Cup of Nations at the end of December. His league was on hiatus, but given his athletic condition, he’s in good shape. He hasn’t trained much, but we have a good feeling about him. He’ll raise the level of competition, and we’re very happy with his addition.”

Transfer window closing: “I appreciate the work the sporting management is doing to improve the team’s level. We’re working toward that; if another player joins, we’ll have to fit him in. There are a few days left, and this happens at every club—we have to adapt to it, and if another signing materializes, we’ll make room for him.”

Mid- and long-term goals: “Prudence must be our ally, but that doesn’t preclude being brave and daring. I’m excited to get the three points, and then we’ll take it from there. We want to pull further away from the bottom of the table, keep building momentum, and grow game by game. We have to take those small steps forward and reinforce the positive aspects we’ve shown.”

Dani Rodríguez: “A team that can adapt to different styles of play will be more unpredictable and better able to influence the course of a match. Some players are versatile enough to play in multiple positions, which works very well for us. He’s a good player with an attacking mindset who also works hard on defense, and he can play both inside and outside. Whether he starts or comes off the bench depends on who we’re facing.”
Goals for staying at the top: “Everyone is free to express themselves; we’re not going to limit their enthusiasm or how they choose to channel it. How we approach it from the coaching staff is another matter. It doesn’t bother me that they think big—it says a lot about the team’s drive. I’m a bit more cautious, probably because I’m a few years older than they are.”