Jorge Jesus hailed Portugal's 4-2 win over Denmark on Thursday evening at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen in the UEFA Nations League.
The head coach also tackled the controversy swirling around Cristiano Ronaldo in recent days, insisting it had done nothing to fracture the group.
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Speaking after the match, in comments reported by Portuguese newspaper"A Bola", Jesus said: "What pleased me most is the win, naturally. This is our third match, and I feel that the team is improving match after match. We develop with the analysis we carry out on the matches, and in the next match the team usually delivers a higher output, defensively and offensively."
He added: "Winning 4-2 here is not easy. Denmark are a big team, hard to stop, with technical quality and very strong on set pieces. And we were good again in that aspect defensively."
Jesus also admired how his players coped with the high press. "I liked the pressing a lot, and the way the team believes in defensive pressing. Playing like this is very complex," he said.
Asked whether the group was following him, Jesus refused to describe the players as being under his control, preferring to stress their belief in his ideas. "I do not have a group in my grip. I have a group that believes in the coach's idea. They believe in my ideas, and because they have great individual quality, things become easier," he said.
"If that means I have a group in my grip, then yes I do, because they walk hand in hand with me and with my ideas," he went on.
The Ronaldo controversy
Ronaldo, the Al-Nassr star, left the national team's camp before the Denmark match, angry at being left out against Norway. On that storm, Jesus said: "After the next match we will see what happens. Until then, I have to stay focused on the next match, just as I was focused on today's match."
Pressed on how hard it was to keep his focus through such upheaval, the Portuguese coach brushed it off. "It is not difficult for me to focus. Do you know what is difficult for me? Not understanding what is going on inside. Not knowing how to coach my players. That is what is difficult for me. And the rest... zero," he said.
Jesus signed off by underlining the togetherness of his squad. "What matters is what we have to do. The things that happen do not divide the group, they have not divided us and they will not divide us," he said.