Ten Cate ready to go for broke at Inter

Having been Frank Rijkaard's deputy when FC Barcelona won the UEFA Champions League in 2006, Henk ten Cate knows exactly what it takes to progress in the competition. Now the coach of Panathinaikos FC, his attempts to steer his side through Group B received a major boost with a 3-0 victory at Werder Bremen last time out, leaving the Greens in charge of their own destiny with two games to play. Ten Cate took time out from his preparations for the first of those matches, away to FC Internazionale Milano on Wednesday, to discuss the season so far with uefa.com.

uefa.com: How will your team approach the game against Inter?
Ten Cate: We have nothing to lose. We are building a new team and matches against great opponents like Inter can give us an idea of where we stand. If we remain organised we can surprise any team. We respect Inter a lot, but we are not afraid of them. Over 90 minutes, anything can happen. Aside from Inter, who are almost through, it's a very open group. We have to go to Milan with the strong belief that we can get at least a point and build from there.

uefa.com: Do you think the performance at Bremen was the best of the season?
Ten Cate: We played great football, made very good combinations and created a lot of chances. I am happy with the way we are performing in Europe so far, except for the game away to Anorthosis [Famagusta FC].

uefa.com: What's your opinion of Anorthosis?
Ten Cate: They're a very solid team with a strong defence. They are very well organised and up front they have players who turn almost every chance into a goal. Nobody expected them to do so well. However, by beating Greek champions Olympiacos 3-0, they had already given everyone – including us – an early warning. However, our match in Cyprus was our worst performance this season. There was too much pressure on us to win what was, theoretically, an easy match.

uefa.com: Matchday 6 on 9 December coincides with your birthday. Can you imagine qualifying for the next round on that night?
Ten Cate: It would be the greatest birthday ever! I hope that the team can do something for me, but we'll have to wait and see.

uefa.com: What is so special about the UEFA Champions League?
Ten Cate: It's the music, the kids in the centre circle with the banner, the packed stadiums, the media attention. The build-up to the game is special. The Champions League is the biggest event in club football, televised all over the world. Billions of people are watching. It's great to participate in this competition.

uefa.com: What was it about Panathinaikos's offer that prompted you to come to Greece?
Ten Cate: The administration of the club made a fantastic impression on me. They told me their plans and I wanted to be part of the project. I also remembered the game we played with FC Barcelona against Panathinaikos in 2005. Panathinaikos were strong, we struggled [drawing 0-0], and the crowd were fantastic, singing and cheering for 90 minutes. Those memories and a couple of visits to Athens, to get a feel for the city and the people, also influenced my decision.

uefa.com: What are your goals for this season?
Ten Cate: If we make it to the next stage of the Champions League, it will be an enormous boost for the players. On the domestic front we want to win the Greek league title and I am convinced that we still can because we play the best football in the league. What we are looking for now is consistency in our performances. We are close to it. The crowd is very much behind us, and they like the way we play, so I think we are on the right track.

uefa.com: What is your footballing philosophy?
Ten Cate: At Panathinaikos we want to develop a different, more attractive style of football, with more movement in the team. We want to be the team which dictates games - we want to have the ball.

uefa.com: How do you rate the Greek league?
Ten Cate: The Greek league is much tougher than anyone can imagine. There are many small clubs with passionate support, who are particularly tough to beat when they're at home. One has to be imaginative, create openings, dribble and be able to score goals in a very tight space with lots of bodies around you.

uefa.com: Apart from implementing your style, what's the most challenging aspect of your work?
Ten Cate: When we have no injuries and I have 26 fit players, that means that eight players don't even make the 18. Seven players don't make the starting eleven. So every week I have to disappoint 15 players. Every footballer wants to play. These 15 players are the ones who require my attention more than the ones who play. I need to keep them competitive. I don't believe in rotation, but I believe in keeping everyone sharp, so I can find the ideal starting lineup for each match.

uefa.com: How do you deal with negative results?
Ten Cate: I speak with the players a lot to ensure they don't lose their confidence. I also find the small positive thing in a negative result that you can seize upon and point out to the players.

uefa.com: The pressure on the big Greek clubs to win their league matches is huge. Do you feel it?
Ten Cate: Everybody expects you to win every match in Greece, regardless of the opposition, and that's impossible. Of course I feel the pressure, especially when we have setbacks. However, I've already swam in many seas – there is pressure everywhere, from the biggest to the smallest of clubs. However, there can't be more pressure than the pressure I put on myself.