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Heitinga: Hard Work Will Pay Off
Lucas Brown
Goal.com
Wednesday 23 July 2008
John Heitinga believes that all
the hard work Atlético de Madrid are doing during
their trip to Mexico will pay dividends in the Champions
League qualifiers next month.
The Dutch defender is revelling
in his first few weeks with Los Colchoneros and despite
not having tasted victory yet he is pleased with the
way pre-season is going.
Against Tigres in Atleti's third game against Mexican
opposition Heitinga scored, but he it was the performance
of the team and the improvement of fitness levels he
was more concerned with.
"I am very pleased to have scored my first goal
for Atlético. But I know that my job is not to
score goals. I know very well that I am a defender and
that is my first responsibility," he told AS.
"It is still clear that we are not at our top
level yet and we have more work to do to improve that.
I think in our first official game though the work we
have done in Mexico at altitude will show.
"This club has spent 12 seasons without being
in the Champions League and that is a long time away.
Now we have to win the qualifier and make it through.
Right now, that is our main objective.
Coach Javier Aguirre will be able to choose where to
play Heitinga after he revealed that his favourite position
is not at full-back, but in the middle.
"I like to play in the centre of defence the most,
more than playing at full-back or in midfield,"
he continued.
Despite there being almost five weeks until the start
of the new season, Heitinga is excited about the prospect
of playing in la Primera for the first time.
"I am anxious to start. I
really want to know what it is like to play in the Spanish
league. I am also really looking forward to making my
league debut at home in the Calderón," he
added.
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