Phillip Cocu took a seat behind the desk for the weekly press interview Friday afternoon after the final training session on his way to Willem II - PSV. There, in addition to the match, it was about the events in Paris, Germany and the sad news that befell Maxime Lestienne on Thursday night.
Phillip Cocu on strange week
The Belgian striker lost his father due to a serious illness. Cocu spoke of a tough week for him and his selection. "It was a strange, difficult week for all of us," Cocu said. "The death of Maxime's father, the events in Germany that a number of our players witnessed and of course the drama in Paris where I was myself. It is quite difficult to pick up the thread then. Of course we play football and train, but it is normal that it takes some more effort than others. Fortunately, we had everyone together today, which makes it easier to focus."
Cocu: 'Can't afford to slack off '
Despite the events, an important match is 'just' scheduled for Saturday. At Willem II, Cocu hopes to continue the good series his side started before the international period. "We have to pick up the thread from before the international period. In that we put up a nice series, we want to continue that series," spoke Cocu, who is wary of Willem II despite the Tilburgers' 16th place in the Eredivisie. "In my opinion they are too low, because they play good football and have a lot of quality. The difference seems bigger than it actually is, also because they have had quite a lot of bad luck. Moreover, Willem II away is traditionally a tough game for PSV. We cannot afford to slacken or lose points."