Interrupting their preparations for the CEFL Bowl XI, both teams’ coaches took the time to gracefully give short interviews. Their answers were very interesting.
Projekt Spielberg Graz Giants head coach Martin Kocián:
Q: You had very tough games this season, losing only once to Tirol Raiders but beating them in the rematch. Did the success of your team come as a bit of a surprise to everyone?
MK: I wouldn’t say it’s a surprise to us. That’s what we were working and preparing for since the end of the last season. We knew we can do some big things if we stay focused and work hard. I would say we got to the other side of the game now, last year’s we were losing those close games and this year we are winning them.
Q: Does playing for the title make anything different in your preparations?
MK: We will stick to what got us here. It wouldn’t make sense to me to change our preparation if it was successful for us so far.
Q: How well do you know your CEFL Bowl opponents?
MK: I was following the season and know that Serbian teams are very tough and well coached, plus they have some really good athletes. And Vukovi are best of them, so we are expecting a very tough football battle.
Q: What do you think will bring favor to your team in this game?
MK: It is always nice to play home and not to have to travel.
Q: What are your team’s strongest suits? Any players or positions you’d like to point out?
MK: I think our strength is balance. We are playing solid across the board and in all three stages.
Q: Are there any individual matchups that the spectators and the TV audience should pay special attention to?
MK: I believe Vukovi´s pass offense against our pass defense will be something to watch for.
Q: What are your expectations for the game?
MK: Fun, entertaining, hard fought game. Every championship game is special and you don’t play one every day.
Belgrade SBB Vukovi head coach Sean Embree:
Q: SBB Vukovi are still unbeaten this season in the national and CEFL competitions, playing for trophies in both. What do you think separates this team from the rest and makes it so successful?
SE: What separates us from other teams is our competitive nature and willingness to play for each other. The Vukovi family is like no other and we respect and love each other as teammates and friends. We don’t take shortcuts and we strive every day to become better. Everybody is coachable and the “Will To Win” outweighs any adversity that we run into.
Q: Does playing for the title make anything different in your preparations?
SE: No, our preparation is the exact same as the last 2 months. As we move further into this long season, we have more mental practices and take the pads off. But nothing will change for us this week.
Q: How well do you know your CEFL Bowl opponents?
SE: Really well. Giants are an organization that the football world knows of, no matter where you’re from. They possess great tradition and integrity that every coach should strive for in their own organization. I look forward to seeing them in person and having the opportunity to play against a great organization like theirs.
Q: What do you think will bring favor to your team in this game?
SE: Giants are a great team, and I don’t believe there is any favor for our team. We have to play well, if we want to compete, and our game plan is to eliminate mistakes and have tremendous effort on every play.
Q: What are your team’s strongest suits? Any players or positions you’d like to point out?
SE: We are both good at what we do… It will be an exciting game and we are looking forward this challenge.
Q: Are there any individual matchups that the spectators and the TV audience should pay special attention to?
SE: It will be fun to watch 2 very good quarterbacks play. I think our guy, Uribe is good, but Chris is a phenomenal QB who can make plays all over. It should be fun to watch those two.
Q: What are your expectations for the game?
SE: I expect this to be a hard fought game on both sides of the ball. Being on the road, Im sure we will have a hostile environment in the stadium and it will feel like us versus the world, but, like I tell my players, we wouldn’t want it any other way. If we can overcome adversity we will have a chance, and that’s all I can ask for as a coach.