João Henriques, the AVS manager, praised his team’s strong form and highlighted the quality of his players following a 3-1 victory over FC Porto in the Liga’s 33rd round. Speaking in the flash interview with Sport TV, he reflected on the turnaround since taking charge.
“We’ve been performing well for 12 matches now. In those 12, we lost only two – not bad for a team in AVS’s situation. The players have suffered a lot. When I arrived at the end of December, I found many who didn’t believe in themselves. Today, they do, and everyone sees what they can do. Fortunately, they are now showing their real value, and the team as a whole helps individuals shine. This is our fifth consecutive match picking up points. We took four points against two title contenders and won away at a team fighting for survival. That clearly shows we transformed a side that had an unimaginable first half of the season. With these three points, we have achieved AVS’s best-ever second half in the I Liga. The average points we have gathered since my arrival would have secured safety, but football is like that. It’s unfair to these players. We fought for dignity in the league, for the people of Aves, and for every player here. We have another goal: to break the internal record by getting points in a sixth straight game. I told the players in the dressing room not to let anyone outside say they are not good players. They have quality, and together they have built a team that can compete with anyone in this championship.”
When asked whether the credit for the recovery belongs to the coach or the players, Henriques replied:
“It’s the merit of the players, the coach, the staff, and the administration. I found a family here. Together, we built something that, under normal circumstances, would have us fighting for survival – maybe even mid-table. It’s never the work of just one individual. Individual awards are nice, but they only come through collective effort. I always told the players they were not the ‘ugly ducklings’ of this league. The table is a lie regarding the quality of these players.”