EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW TO PERCY ISENIA, L&D AMSTERDAM FIRST BASEMAN

For the "European Cup 2011: the Final Four" new exclusive interview to Percy Isenia, L&D Amsterdam star. Here the First Baseman talks about the victory of the Dutch Title and tells us his expectations about the upcoming Final Four 2011 in Brno.


DANIELE MATTIOLI: The first question is about the Hoofdklasse Championship that you won same days ago against Vaessen Pioniers. How do you feel after this important success?
PERCY ISENIA: It felt real good, we worked hard all season long and I feel that we deserved to win the championship this season. We have a very special group of guys.

DANIELE MATTIOLI: You reached the Final after the victory in the last game of Round Robin against Door Neptunus, where you won 5-4 in the tenth with an important comeback in the ninth. In that situation you was the key of the success, with the single that keep alive your hope of victory. What did you think in those seconds, when you hit the ball?
PERCY ISENIA: It was a very exciting game and also a must win game for us. These are the games that makes you want to play baseball. I hit that hit in the tenth and it was a great feeling. I did not smoke the ball, it was more of a texas leaguer, but it didn't make the feeling less. After me Bas Nooij hit a great double wich tied the game. It was awesome!

DANIELE MATTIOLI: Is the first time that Round Robin is used in Hoodfklasse Championship. How do you think about this formula?
PERCY ISENIA: It is nice to play a lot of games, the more the better in my opinion, even better when it's against the top 4 teams, so it is an ok thing, but I think that the maybe the union could think about a slightly different setup by giving the teams a certain amount off starting points. I think that the team that ended up nr 1. after 42 games should have a little head start over the nr 4. Which would mean that the nr 4 team starts with 0 points, nr 3 with 2, nr 2 with 4 and number 1 with 6. Something like that. It would make the game at the end of the season more important, in stead of the team thinking: we made the play offs, so it doesn't really mather anymore. Now the teams only played for home advantage.

DANIELE MATTIOLI: After the bad 2010 for Dutch Teams in European Cup, in this 2011 you return to fight for the European Title the next week.
PERCY ISENIA: It is great! To bad that Neptunus did not qualify and represent another dutch team. The team is very excited about it and we are gonna give our best! We have got only one thing in our minds and that is to win it all! Play hard as a team and keep the focus, I think that that could bring us a lot of good result and fun at the end.

DANIELE MATTIOLI: You will face the T&A San Marino in semifinals in Brno. What could be the key to interpretation of this game, in your opinion?
PERCY ISENIA: We are expecting a strong team with good pitching, thats what we prepare for. As we all know pitching is the name of the game, so if we can find a way to eliminate that factor against San Marino we got a good chance to win.

DANIELE MATTIOLI: In June, you played against Bologna. What is your idea about the 2010 European Champions?
PERCY ISENIA: It also is a good team with the complete package, good hitting, pitching and defence. 2010 is in the past and next week there will be crowned a new champion. We will do everything to get our clubs name on the trophy!

DANIELE MATTIOLI: Talking about you, what are your expectations about this Final Four?
PERCY ISENIA: I expect a high level of fair playing baseball. Offcourse I expect us to win the semi's and compete and win the the final for the championship. I think if you don't have that mentality you will never win tournaments like this. Let's play ball!