OFC Media: You’ve been in charge at Auckland City FC since 2011 and enjoyed a good run of success – how hard has it been to keep that standard so consistently high?
Tribulietx: I’ve been in charge of the playing style since 2010, although shared the first season with Aaron McFarland in 2011. I think it is a matter of being consistent with your work, keep preparing and planning the same way, try not to leave anything unprepared, basically create a culture where you work to your best level every week.
OFC Media: The club won its first ASB Premiership title since 2009 was it good to get that barren run off the club’s back after a long wait?
Tribulietx: We have been immersed on a change of style and maybe that meant we made some mistakes in crucial games, but we had to focus on the processes to make sure the change of habits was achieved. Despite not having won the final since 2009, we won three minor premierships which for me is the best barometer to determine the best team in any championship. This season’s domestic title success was more of a confirmation that the work put in in the last few years was worth it.
OFC Media: The OFC Champions League is a very tough competition to win, what do you enjoy most about it and what are the toughest challenges?
Tribulietx: I enjoy the atmosphere in Oceania environment, it always feels like a real football atmosphere and every time we have to play away it is a big challenge for us to adapt to the circumstances we have to overcome.
OFC Media: Amicale have emerged as a strong club over the past six months, what do you expect to see from them over the two legs?
Tribulietx: A very strong team with a lot of experience, prepared to win, smart with they play, great challenge for us and very difficult for sure.
OFC Media: Do you think the standard of the top clubs in the Oceania region is improving? Is it getting more difficult to win the OFC Champions League?
Tribulietx: Definitely. Every year it is more and more difficult to reach the same levels of achievement. The clubs in the Oceania region possess a lot of talent and coming up against this particularly on their own turf is very difficult.
OFC Media: Emiliano Tade has emerged as a key figure this season after being on the fringes of the squad in previous seasons – where has he improved as a player do you think?
Tribulietx: Emiliano Tade has improved his physicality a lot and his work ethic. I’m very happy that positive things have happened for him, he definitely deserves this recognition for the amount of work he has put in over the last season. Winning the ASB Premiership golden boot was a nice reward for Emiliano on the domestic front.
OFC Media: Auckland City FC squeezed past a difficult semi-final situation against AS Pirae – what was your view of that tie?
Tribulietx: The game played out as we expected – we faced a very aggressive AS Pirae and we did not quite manage to control the game the way we wanted. But our mind was set on trying to score an away goal that could be definitive, and we did so. I think the Auckland City FC club supporters have to be very proud of their players. They’ve competed well over the course of a very long season and performed admirably.