The press conference begins on Friday morning with a brief look back at Wednesday evening: Ajax – Inter. "It is good if we can take the UEFA Champions League experience with us to Eindhoven. It is a good next step and you want to see further development in the team," says Heitinga. "We came away with a good feeling from the first half and we need to carry on those good moments."
Clash in Eindhoven
PSV away is the next test for the Amsterdammers. "We are travelling to Eindhoven for a result. I am curious to see to what extent we can take the next step in the process we are in as a team. I want to see things from the past matches and I want to see progress. That progress has been visible in the last few games, but not yet for ninety minutes. The aim must be to show it for the whole match."
"The most important thing at this stage of the season is gaining certainties and consistency," Heitinga continues. "We are working towards having a squad where all our players can play ninety minutes three times a week. We are not there yet, but we are working hard on it. Some players are coming back from injury, so sometimes we have to rotate. But ultimately we want as many players as possible who can handle the busy schedule."
"That is how you create stability. Ideally, you would play with a fixed midfield, but you have to take creativity and fitness into account. In that respect, sometimes we have to make choices," says Heitinga when asked about his midfield for Sunday.
PSV
Then to Sunday's opponents. "There is a lot of quality at PSV and they have a very experienced coach. They have some new players and we know how Peter Bosz generally likes to play. PSV are a good side and as a team we have to be well prepared for that. But I am focusing on ourselves, on my own team, and then you look at where you see opportunities. Above all, it depends on us how we present ourselves there. Team discipline has to be good."
He knows from experience what it is like to play there. "These matches are always played in the heat of battle. They were always great games when I think back to that period. You had to stand your ground there. Everyone is looking forward to the match. It will be a good benchmark on Sunday."
Squad fitness
Whether Steven Berghuis will be involved is still uncertain. "We are going to test him shortly, so he is still a question mark. The rest are fit," says the coach. One who will be travelling to Eindhoven is goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros. Heitinga was asked about his keeper: "He is level-headed and has a lot of potential. He is a thorough professional, calm, and he does not let himself get unsettled easily, which is impressive at his age."
