Altamura's Memushaj Calls for Calm After Opening Win

Altamura coach Ledian Memushaj, speaking after his team's 1-0 debut victory against Monopoli, urged caution despite the positive start to the season. He highlighted the team's strong performance with high tempo and vertical play but stressed the importance of daily work and continuous improvement.

When asked about the team's promising start, especially after two previous seasons that began with less favorable results, Memushaj stated, "We hope so. It's only the first game. I don't believe much in these coincidences; we have to work day after day. This is our journey, and we've been here for a month and a half, steadily working. These statistical points only matter up to a certain extent."

The crowd appreciated the team's direct attacking style, frequently seeking out Rosafio and Simone behind Monopoli's defense. Addressing this, Memushaj commented, "Today was the most difficult game to face. I believe we were playing against one of the most organized teams in the league; they have been working together for many years. We knew we would encounter difficulties. At times, we did very good things. We need to build upon the positives we've shown, extending their duration, and strive to control the game more."

Regarding the team's performance, with high intensity in the first half followed by a drop in the second, possibly due to summer training loads, and the decision to keep Malcore on the bench for the entire match, Memushaj explained, "The first half was very intense, so it's natural for the rhythm to decrease in the second half. I repeat: we were facing one of the most challenging opponents at this time. They have been working together for three years with the same coach and established players. We have only been working together for a month and a half. They are a well-organized, well-built team that also plays well. As for Malcore: he played against Foggia, but not today. These are choices I have to make. Eleven players start, and today I needed different characteristics."

Memushaj also made tactical adjustments to the starting lineup compared to the Foggia match. Besides Simone, Mogentale was a new addition, playing in a deeper role, first on the left and then on the right. When asked if he sees Mogentale as a versatile player, Memushaj clarified, "More than anything, we had prepared for the match thinking about Valenti, who is an important player for them. To contain him, we deployed Tobia. It was a tactical choice. Tobia and Michele can interpret all roles well; it was simply a decision related to today's game."

The team appeared physically strong in the first half, but a decline in the second allowed Monopoli to leverage their individual quality. Memushaj addressed whether this drop was a deliberate choice or a necessity: "We had to be good at interpreting both phases of play. There would be moments to keep possession, as we did at the start, and moments to endure pressure. Monopoli is a seasoned team that, with their passing game, can dominate anyone. We knew we would have to suffer at certain junctures. Physically, it's normal to experience a slight decline in the second half: it's August, and this was only our second high-level match. Before Foggia, we had played friendlies against Serie D teams, not top-tier opponents. It's natural not to be at peak performance yet; we need to work through the training loads."