The goals have dried up in the last few games, how do you address that and how important will the senior strikers at the club, Bamford and Rodrigo, be?
I think we need all the players. Of course in the last game we didn’t have many other options to substitute some attacking players but now we are working with more players and I suppose if everything is right in the next training session, we’ll have more options for the next game. But that’s not important for me. We always try to prepare the next game with the players we have and always will have a good squad and I trust all the players.
You won your first home game but the next three at home, Brighton, Forest and Crystal Palace, how important is home form and do you have to make Elland Road a fortress?
Crucial for us. We know first of all that playing with our supporters is always better, they help us in the last home game, in my opinion it was the difference to be able to win the game and I expect the same for the next game, playing at home or playing away. When we play away you can see thousands of people supporting you and I want to thank them because they are supporting a lot and we can feel it. It’s true in the last home game against Southampton, the atmosphere was unbelievable and it was what we need to get the good result.
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You’re two weeks into the job now and you’ve had your first full week of uninterrupted training, what have you learned about your players?
I can confirm what I said my first day. I can see in every training session, day in, day out, the attitude they have, the commitment they have. All of them are looking forward to the next game. The points are really important for us.
How well have Luis Sinisterra and Rodrigo trained this week?
They are doing something with the team. Some long-term injured players need a process to adapt and to come back with the team. They are doing something with the team and in the next training session, we will evaluate where they are, if they can help us in the next game or if it’s better to wait.
How different are you expecting the team to look on Saturday?
I expect the best, the best team, the best face because we need it and working on that, trying to improve the things we have to do. I see the players motivated to play the next game and try to achieve the points.
How close do you think Patrick Bamford is to being the striker we saw a couple of years ago?
I think Patrick is an important player for us. I don’t know if the level now is better or worse than before but what I’m really focused on is trying to help him to give his best. It’s my work and I try to help him to do it.
We know about your backroom staff, can I ask you about Chris Armas and what’s happening with him?
He’s not part of my staff. When I came, I came with three, Juan (Solla), Zigor (Aranalde) and Mikel (Antia) and there were other people at the club working before my arrival. He’s not here and maybe the club can explain better.
Are you looking to add to your backroom team?
I have enough staff. We have the people who came with me from Spain and in the club we have people like Michael, like Marcos (Abad), there are people working with us day in, day out and we don’t need more help.
Brighton could be on the verge of their best season, what is it they do well?
I agree, they are one of the teams playing better. They’re really strong attacking, scoring I think is the fifth team with more goals scored. Always in a good balance, you can see in all the games, they always show their quality. They are playing really well, it will be a demanding game for us, for sure. We trust in ourselves and we have prepared very well for this game.
Roberto Mancini spoke about Gnoto possibly being a striker playing through the middle, where does he do the most damage and could you see him as a second striker?
Yeah, I think it’s a good option. In the last game against Chelsea, when you started to play he was a second forward and after when we changed the game we put him on the left to finish the game. I think in both positions he can make the difference, his qualities are good to play in both positions as a second striker and as a left winger as well
You watched the U21s earlier in the week, what did you learn and what is Sam Greenwood, a centre midfielder, an attacking midfielder or a striker?
I could see the game and I love to share the game with young players because I think they deserve my support as well. They work really well every day and help us to prepare much better all the games we have to play. In this case we had the chance to see the game and I did. If you ask about the best position for Sam, I would tell you ask Sam where he prefers to play because knowing that is maybe the best answer for your question. After that maybe I have to choose for the balance of the team that he has to play on the right or centre-midfielder or second forward, the qualities he has give me different options to put him in many positions.
You’ve said you need other players to contribute when it comes to goalscoring, have you spoken to them about taking more responsibility this week?
Yeah but I don’t think we have to talk about it, we have to do it. Everybody knows in the last game we missed some chances but we created chances and that’s something good for us. Now we have to be focused on trying to finish better. This week we did many different exercises to improve and try to finish better. The moment in the game is the moment in the game, it’s different to training sessions and you have to show in that moment your character and composure to finish. What I can do is try to support my players to give them the confidence they need and I’m sure with the work they are doing in the next games we can see the difference.
We know the Elland Road crowd is important, do you have to consider that in your style of play to bring the fans into the game?
I think we need the fans and they know it. It’s not something about this moment, it’s about the history, always the fans were really close with this team. At the end of the season when we need the points, it’s more important for us. It’s something I don’t like to speak about because it seems like if I’m asking something they don’t do it. What we have to do is try to give them with good play, good results, try to give them the reward that they need in this moment, with points and good matches.
The club spent a lot of money on Georginio Rutter in January, what have your first impressions been?
Everybody can see he’s a young player and he needs time to give the best face but he always try to do the things well and help the team. When we didn’t have another number nine he gave us a chance to play with him knowing it’s not his preference to play alone, but he did it and he helped us to play. Like the rest of the team, in my opinion we have a young team, we need to work to improve because we need results as soon as possible but at the same time we need to keep confidence in the young players to help them improve. It’s a long way, it’s not only for one or two weeks.
Do you think he can be a number nine, what’s his best position?
We spoke about it in other press conferences but I think his best position is to play with two, another number nine as a second forward or on the side, he can play in many different positions as well. But, when you don’t have any other option you have to choose.
Georginio came with lots of potential, do you think his big price tag has impacted the way he is settling in and his form?
What I can say is that for me as a coach, it’s a pleasure to work with these kind of players. I don’t know the price, I don’t speak about money, I speak about what I see in training. In this case Georginio is no different, he is working hard to improve and to try and help the team, that’s what I can say about him. It’s a pleasure for me to have players with that attitude and mentality.
You mentioned you’ve been working on finishing, who were the best finishers?
I can’t tell you that, it’s a secret! Maybe Brighton will put a close mark on the best finisher! No, all of them try to improve and it’s not only about the strikers, it’s about all the team to attack, defend and have the balance we need. Only doing all these things well we have some chances in the next game.
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