“First season wasn’t always easy”

Rober González became the big man at NEC on Saturday night. The 23-year-old Spaniard scored the winning goal just before the end, which allowed NEC to add the first points of the season. Afterwards he showed his teeth and talked about his time in Nijmegen so far.

“I like doing interviews because it means you played well or scored well,” the Spaniard begins with a big smile to ForzaNEC. “As a team it was very tough, but we worked hard. Some guys are new and still have to get used to it. We have to help them with that and it is getting better and better. Then the red card came and we felt the support of the fans to go all out for the win. This victory is very important. Now we have to keep improving.”

He also thinks he still has a lot to improve. “In everything: physical, defensive, offensive. I work hard for that and feel like a more important player. That’s how I want to feel, because then I can help the team. It’s very different from last year. The first season was getting used to it and not easy for me. I’m starting to feel better and better.”

Right or as ten?

González started the match on the right, but was used as an attacking midfielder in the second half. The left-footer says he has no preference, at least. “It doesn’t matter to me. I just want to play and help the team.” As long as it’s not as a striker, right? “Haha, of course,” he does not hide his laugh at all. “That’s a bit more difficult for me. Especially with the long balls that we played a lot. We now have a good striker again, that helps us a lot.”

The important goal that the Spaniard scored came about with some luck, the leading player says. “I was almost through the goal and thought that Koki (Ogawa, ed.) touched the ball, but it turned out to be the keeper. For one second I did nothing. Then I just had to shoot the ball in as quickly as possible. I succeeded and I was very happy with that, but it was quite difficult.” Offside was briefly checked and González also feared a disallowance. “I was afraid of that, haha. I didn’t really see what was happening before that.”

Spain

Since this summer, González is no longer the only Spaniard in the Nijmegen selection. Iván Márquez returned to the Imperial City on loan and his seven-year-younger compatriot is very happy about that. “That helps me enormously. Not only for me, but also for my girlfriend and his family. We quickly became best friends and spend a lot of time together.”

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This summer, NEC exercised the purchase option of the 23-year-old left-footer, which meant he did not stay in Spain, but returned to the Netherlands. “The weather here has also been very good lately haha. Now it was raining, but I scored. I love Spain, but I want to be here, work hard and the most important thing: win.”

González is now a permanent member of Rogier Meijer’s selection and also a player that the fans can expect something from. He hardly feels that pressure. “The first person who expects more from myself is me. Like I said: I want to win everything, even in training. I put myself under pressure, so I don’t really feel any other pressure,” the cheerful attacker concludes.

Foto’s: Orange Pictures