Daniel Samek: In the tactical concept of the game, the Italians belong to the top. I would like to score my first starts in Serie A

Daniel Samek has completed his first year on the Apennine Peninsula. And a successful one, it must be said. With Lecce U19 he managed to win the championship title. In an exclusive interview for Ruik and the TOP SPORT MANAGEMENT agency website, he talked not only about winning the league, but also about life in Italy, how often he sees his loved ones and the rise of Italian football.

You’ve had your first year in Lecce, Italy. With the U19 category you reached the championship title. How do you evaluate the past year?

I think from a team point of view I have to be extremely satisfied, we won the Scudetto, which I don’t think anyone expected, plus Lecce made it to the Youth Champions League, which is a great mark and I think it’s also a huge achievement.

From a personal point of view myself, I know it wasn’t ideal. It should have been better, but I’m all the more motivated for next season, both from a playing point of view and from a numbers point of view for the offense.

Still, you were a great offensive weapon for Lecce. What do you prefer, to score the goal yourself or to pass it?

I’ve always said, and I’m still sticking to it, that I’d rather pass for a goal, but I haven’t managed to score a goal in the whole season I’ve been at Lecce, so I’d definitely like to score one.

Was there a big celebration?

Not really, because the day after the final we took a 10-hour bus ride back to Lecce, because the final was played in Sassuolo. We were all so tired after the journey that we were glad it was over. Plus, most of us are foreigners, so we were all looking forward to going home because the season was really long.

You communicate mainly in English, how are you with Italian?

At the beginning it was just English and I didn’t understand much, after about 4 months I was starting to understand, but it wasn’t too much to speak yet. Now towards the end of the season I basically understand everything and I’ve even gotten better at speaking, even though it’s not perfect and there are mistakes, I’m pushing myself and getting better.

If we go to a restaurant or I need to run an errand, I usually don’t have a problem.

How is it actually in Italy with the fan attendance at youth games?

I have to say that unless a match coincided with an A-team game, the interest in our games, especially towards the end of the competition, was great and the fans came to our games in large numbers. Even at the final, fans travelled to see us because it was an experience for them too that Lecce were fighting for the title.

To win the title there must be good spirit in the squad, who did you sit with the most?

As I mentioned, most of us were foreigners, so we all got along. Of course, I found teammates with whom I found common ground on a lot of things, but not that I have an outright best friend yet.

How do you spend your free time?

We used to have practice mostly in the afternoon, so I didn’t get to do much during the day when we had practice. If we got the day off after a game, if I was with my girlfriend we would go on a trip somewhere, towards the end of the season we could go to the seaside, it was that much easier.

If I was without my girlfriend, I spent most of my time at home either playing video games or watching other games or analyzing my games.

Now that you mention a girlfriend. How many times did you see your family during the season and how often do you visit with your girlfriend in particular?

If I remember correctly, both my mom and dad have visited me twice. Dad was even there when we won the regular season.

Since my girlfriend is studying, it’s more complicated sometimes, sometimes it worked out that we were together for like three weeks straight, then we weren’t together for a month, but we manage. We always look forward to seeing each other.

And you didn’t get home during the season?

I was there for four days at Christmas.

Do you like life in Lecce?

The city is comparable in size and population to my hometown of Hradec Kralove, for example, rather ancient but nice. Plus, I like Italian cuisine, so I’m happy in that respect.

Another thing is the beautiful sea and beaches that are around Lecce within driving distance. So far, both my parents, siblings, girlfriend or the agent who spent the first days with me after the transfer, were absolutely thrilled with the sea.

Did you manage to attend any Serie A matches or matches of Italian teams in the European Cup?

If our game didn’t overlap, I always went to the home game. In March, we played Inter Milan in the morning and went to San Siro in the evening. It was an unforgettable experience to see a stadium with such a huge history and capacity.

Before you left for Italy, you managed to play a few games for the Prague Slavia A-team. What do you see as the biggest differences between the concept of football there and here?

As far as I can remember from the beginning, every training session was over the top. I don’t know if it was because I came two weeks before the first league game. It was a battle for roster spots. Over time, I got used to it.

After that, there’s always a big difference in tactics. From the first training session after the weekend you prepare for the opponent in what formation he plays and you study the smallest details. Then 3 days into the game you do basically nothing else.

It’s true that the Italians are perhaps the best in the world in their tactical approach to the game.

If they are not the best, I think they are definitely among the top.

You spent the 2022/23 season with the U-19 squad, where will you start your preparation for the upcoming season?

I should start my preparation for the new season with the A-team if nothing changes before then.

Lecce’s A-team finished 16th in their first season after being promoted to the Italian elite. How is this position perceived among the fans?

I remember a game where, if they had won, they would have secured salvation in the league. They converted a penalty kick in the 98th minute and won. The neighbours around me started celebrating and the town was alive that night.

Even the last home game was celebrated, because salvation was the main goal.

The Italian teams were in the final matches of all three European competitions last season. Do you think Italian football is on the rise again?

I’d be happy if that were the case. Unfortunately, they couldn’t win any of the three finals, but just the fact that they were in the final in each competition is a great achievement and there was a great response and satisfaction in Italy, which unfortunately cannot be said for the results in the final matches.

It’s no secret that you’re a London Arsenal fan. How do you rate their performance in the 2022/23 season and what do you expect from them ahead of next season?

The season initially unfolded in a way probably no one predicted, I won’t lie I believed and wished for Arsenal’s title given the lead after the World Cup in Qatar. Unfortunately, towards the end of the season there was a bit of a downturn in results with the opponents Arsenal should have walked away with three points.

Manchester City, on the other hand, caught amazing form towards the end of the season and couldn’t be stopped, crowning it with a historic Champions League win and I was rooting for them.

Is the Premier League your dream league?

I’m setting myself short-term goals, but I’d definitely like to play the Premier League, I’m not going to lie. To put on an Arsenal jersey one day and play the Premier League along with the Champions League would be a dream come true.

Let’s stop for a moment with Slavia. They failed to win the championship for the second time in a row. Are you still in contact with any of the Sešiovans and do you watch (if possible) their matches?

I’ve been following the whole season, either by watching the games when I had the chance or at least following it via Livesport. I was cheering for the boys and experiencing the games a lot, I was probably the most nervous during the cup final. I kept in touch with a few of the guys, probably more with the younger guys because I was closer to them, but over the season I would occasionally call the more experienced guys and exchange our impressions.

I’m also in contact with the guys on the management team. I wanted to come to a game or a training session for the guys, but unfortunately there was no time for that. I hope I will meet most of them soon and I will cheer for them very much so that the title doesn’t run away for the third time and stays in Eden.

Finally, I want to ask you if you have any individual and team goals for the 2023/24 season?

I would definitely like to keep my place in the A team and score my first starts in Serie A. I have tried to work on myself as much as possible over the break and I hope the work will pay off and pay me back. I would also like to make it into the national squad and make it to the Euros, which are played in Slovakia in two years’ time.