You mentioned that the data indicates the team is progressing, but why isn’t that translating into results? Is it belief, confidence, or perhaps luck?
“I believe it stems from belief, confidence, and a certain level of aggression—it’s a combination of factors. Sometimes what we perceive as luck occurs when we play with more conviction. Just look at Liverpool, who often clinch victories in the 90th minute. There’s something about successful teams that breeds that kind of momentum. Conversely, I feel like we’re experiencing the opposite effect. We’re playing well, yet things seem to go awry at critical moments. We need to rectify that, which typically comes with securing wins. If you examine our games against City and Fulham, we have our chances, like when we scored against Burnley, yet we ended up with a draw instead. I genuinely believe we can do better, but it falls on us. We’re actively working on improvements throughout the week to ensure a better performance in the next match.”
You mentioned that you’re open to change if necessary. Are you considering altering your approach now, or was that discussed in your meeting with Sir Jim regarding your system?
“No, no, no. Not even the Pope—this is my job and my responsibility, my life. I won’t change my core philosophy, but I will adapt the system. There will be an evolution, but we need to take the right steps to get there. If I’m a player with a coach under pressure to change tactics—regardless of outside opinions—the team may start to view me differently. Every decision has a profound impact on the team, and we must weigh that carefully. I maintain that evolution is necessary; I will continue to implement my approach while recognizing that some aspects will need to adapt. I hope I have the time needed to make those changes, and I am confident that we will evolve.”
