First team

THE CHAIRMAN GIVES AN "OUTSTANDING" FOR THE START OF THE SEASON

18/09/2017

He evaluated the good start, including the club's rotations, and argued it's easier to improve from high in the table, rather than from low down it. He said he's "delighted with Berizzo" and asked for "responsibility" ahead of Wednesday's match with Las Palmas

Club Chairman José Castro appeared on the new season of Sólo el Sevilla making a full evaluation of the state of play in the club. Amongst many other things, Castro awarded an "outstanding" to the Nervionenses: "It's clear. Ten points out of twelve, seven matches undefeated, having got through the Champions League playoffs... An outstanding month, absolutely outstanding. It would be premature to say the team is playing well, there are days where we play better and others worse, but as games keep coming the most important thing is to win. I'm sure our game will improve even more being high in the table rather than being weighed down at the bottom of the table."

The Chairman asked for patience, because "this season the Director of Football is new, there are nine new players, new coaching staff, there are a lot of changes, but there you go... We have started well. In past seasons there have also been a lot of changes and we've achieved our aims... and I wonder to myself... Are all teams capable of making changes year after year whilst continuing to achieve their goals? I leave that question there."

"There are days where we play better and others worse, but as games keep coming the most important thing is to win"

He continued: "There are things to adjust, without a doubt there are things to improve, it makes sense that we have to change things, but I'm happy with the results. The results don't happen by accident. The truth is that the team is still assimilating new ideas from the coach which he did very well at Celta and he has an enormous future... We're lucky to have him here and I'm sure that we're going to achieve great things. Once again, when games are won, they're not won by accident. Yesterday we didn't have a good first-half but in the second as well as Luis Muriel's goal we had clear chances to finish the game off more clearly."

" For a Chairman, having these coaches who know how to carry the group and make sure everyone is in their place makes you calm"

Asked further about Eduardo Berizzo, he said "We are delighted. He is a serious, responsible coach, who is already imbued with Sevilla's idiosyncracies. He's a coach who we wish the best for, not only because he's at Sevilla but because he's also a good person as well as a good trainer... For a Chairman, having these coaches who know how to carry the group and make sure everyone is in their place makes you calm."

Moreover, asked about aims, he repeated that "we're insatiable, we want to win everything and give our everything. Trying to achieve everything is a way our team can ensure they give their all. The truth is it's difficult to achieve goals year after year, but we're ambitious and we have to give it everything. In the Champions League we have to get through the knockout stages which we reached last season, the Copa del Rey is a beautiful tournament and in just a few matches you can put yourself in the final and the league - you know how competitive it is with such powerful sides... But that's not going to stop us trying to get as high as possible... We've started well and it's always good to start with good results. Our coach is using all the squad players and it's important to have them all involved because the season is very long and they all need to feel important."

"We've got our first options in the majority of positions... I believe it's the ideal squad to achieve aims that are within our reach"

"I like to get people excited but with realities... I'm convinced we've built the best squad possible and I believe the best squad in the history of Sevilla FC, though the numbers will prove that... We've got our first options in the majority of positions... I believe it's the ideal squad to achieve aims that are within our reach," he added.

Changing the subject, the Chairman, when asked about Vitolo, who could return to the Sánchez-Pizjuán this Wednesday, he said "It's the same to me whether he comes or doesn't, because its history in the club. I'm not going to speak about a player who plays for another team."

"It's my responsibility to treat the game as just one more... rather than have a hostile environment that could harm the club"

In that regard, the Chairman asked for responsibility from the fans ahead of Wednesday's match, with the hope of avoiding possible sanctions: "Although on other points the game is going to heat up, it's my responsibility as Chairman to try and make sure this is just one more game. I think indifference is a good measure, more so than a hostile atmosphere that could harm the club... I remember we've been subject to two sanctions because of insults and it's also true we cut those insults out. The fans haven't insulted again, they've understood supporting does not mean insulting, and we want to continue along that line because if there were insults it would be a step back."

"Matches heat up on their own, they don't need anyone to heat them up and if a director were to, that would be irresponsible for me. I'm not going to enter into that"

Finally, asked about the recent quotes from the Chairman of UD Las Palmas which aluded to Sevilla FC, Castro did not want to fall into a trap: "There will be time to answer the Chairman of Las Palmas, as Chairman of Sevilla it's my responsibility to avoid the match heating up. Matches heat up on their own, they don't need anyone to heat them up and if a director were to, that would be irresponsible for me. I'm not going to enter into that. I'm sure there will be time to answer."