Răzvan Raț was the hot favourite for the MVP awards in previous months. In October his dominance was strongly contested by in-form Alexandros Tziolis. The Romanian international remained on top however, as he was voted MVP for October as well. He earned 41% of the vote, ahead of Tziolis’ 34%, and became the first player to win three consecutive MVP of the Month awards. PAOK’s official website, paokfc.gr, spoke to the Romanian full-back who is away on international duty:

You were voted MVP of the Month for a third consecutive time. What do these accolades mean to you?

I am really happy to get this award. It’s nice to see the fans acknowledge my efforts and I wish to thank them. I also need to thank my teammates –without them, nothing is possible. We are a team, we all work together as one and that is why I left Thessaloniki disappointed this week after losing to Panathinaikos.

It was PAOK’s first league defeat for the season and you watched it from the stands. What are your impressions from the game?

Our performance was not as good as in previous matches. Perhaps we were a bit wary on the pitch and didn’t realize that we could have snatched that victory as well. Perhaps we lacked concentration, carried away by the talk about the standings and our distance from Olympiacos. We were not clear-minded as such occasions demand. We made errors and paid a heave price for them.

The pressure of top spot will be there in upcoming games as well, starting with the match at Tripolis against Asteras. Can it affect the team?

I hope we learn from our mistakes against Panathinaikos and manage to deal with the psychological pressure. In such encounters, we must play as champions. It’s crucial to be mentally ready for all challenges.

Perhaps the fact that PAOK have not been accustomed to being at the top is responsible for this lack of concentration?

I don’t know, perhaps. We were used to chase our rivals, not being chased. We must learn to handle such situations in order to achieve our goals.

In the next 30 days, PAOK face a series of many tough and decisive back-to-back encounters. At Tripolis, at Karaiskakis, at Xanthi, the two European matches… Is the team ready for this new marathon?

We have a difficult schedule ahead, it’s true. We need to realize that this month will be decisive for our future and that we must get the maximum in order to keep our options intact. We have to qualify to the UEFA Europa League next stage, get maximum points in the league and let’s not forget the Greek Cup, as we still can qualify. It is just one match and we need to win it. To achieve all of the above, we need to do everything right and be smart on the pitch.

Until then however, you are on international duty. Fans are worried about a relapse if you play in Romania’s matches. How do you feel?

In cooperation with the coaching and medical staff, we decided that it was too early to play against Panathinaikos. It’s the same case at Romania. My participation will be decided after speaking with the federation staff. I trained lightly at Toumba last weekend. Just jogging. I did the same with the national team on Monday and Tuesday, training without ball in order to diminish the risk of a relapse. On Wednesday I started training with the gymnast and followed part of the session with my teammates. Rest assured that I will not take any risks with my health. I have a responsibility towards Romania, my national team, but towards PAOK as well, as they are my club and I must be ready to play when I return from international duty. I need to return in form and help PAOK in their tough schedule.

Reveal to us the secret of being a defender but at the same time becoming a vital cog in PAOK’s attacking plays?

That comes through experience. As time goes by, I understand much more about football. I have learned to watch things from a different angle and it is becoming gradually easier for me to participate in attack and be solid defensively at the same time. I am happy that fans acknowledge my work. I always strive for the best. There is no big secret. I have learned to put on physical effort and use my brain as well, as every player should.