His first statements as coach of Marseille, AEK’s opponent in the Europa League, were made by Gennaro Gattuso, after the announcement of his recruitment by the Marseille team.
The Italian coach emphasized that he has experienced difficult situations before, similar to the one currently prevailing in the ranks of the club, adding that the climate must change and everyone to regain enthusiasm which existed at the beginning of the season.
In detail what he said:
For his mindset: “My character; In my career, few people spoke well of me. Off the pitch I listen to my players a lot, I tell them things to their face. I try to be honest, the players appreciate it when we tell them the truth. I still need improvement in my relationships with the coaches I had, but not with my players.”
About what will change: “The courage of a coach is to make as few changes as possible. We had two very good training sessions, we also watched our next opponent, Monaco. We also need to know how to suffer during the race.”
About the situation at the club: “I too have experienced protest situations. I talked to the president about it. I told him: “if we have to receive a slap, we should be silent.” I know the situation. I know she’s tough. We must move forward. Focus on the future. After all, we only have one life. For people who love this job, you can’t say no to this club.”
For the Velodrome: “It is one of the rare stadiums that can be compared to those in South America. It’s really an incredible atmosphere, you’re shaking. There is a lot of pressure. I coached in Naples, the two cities are a bit similar.”
As for whether the top four is the target: “The slogan is Europe. I have a contract extension linked to Europe, Champions League qualification, so I want to finish in the top four, otherwise I’m going home. We have to come together race by race We have to make sure the fans are happy to come to the Velodrome.”
For Ligue 1: “I haven’t spoken to anyone, it’s a fitness-based league, unpredictable.”
For his style: “Games are won in training all week. You need intensity. Modern football needs it. You have to break the boundaries, have a fast team… We will be a bit pushy towards the players, but we respect them.”
For the system: “I don’t like to talk about my predecessors. I’m not a fan of 4-4-2. I prefer 4-3-3 or 4-2 -3-1. I have a different vision for the game than Marthelinos.”
On the loss to Paris: “I saw the fight. Paris is an unplayable team at the moment. From what I saw, I liked the mental state of the back four and the midfielders. The score could have been heavier.”
For his priority: “I would like to play starting from very low, I want a solid team, that sweats the shirt. I want us to play as a team. When we lose a pass, I want us to win it back, not yell at a teammate. The priority is to get the excitement back.”
Source: Sport Fm
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