MENDILIBAR: "THE PLAYERS LIKE WHAT WE ARE DOING EVERY DAY AND THEY ARE VERY COMMITTED"

José Luis Mendilibar spoke to Sevilla FC Official Media for the first time this pre-season after Monday's training session.

The coach began by assessing the team's week of training at the camp in Montecastillo: "I think it's been a very good first week in terms of the sessions, the intensity, a bit of everything. There are players here who weren't here last season are getting used to our sessions, with a match in the middle so they pick up the ideas we want to see throughout the season. It's a very nice place, it's quite warm, but I think we're doing well and everyone's happy."

He believes the team spirit has been key: "It's a very good feeling. Since I got here, I've realised what quality there is here, their spirit... Good players want to win and always be at their best, you can see it in the sessions. The players like what we are doing every day, they are very committed in every session and I think we're all doing well and enjoying pre-season. I think they quite like what we're doing and these ten days will be to get a bit of a feel for everything, so that we can get through a season of few training sessions, because we'll be playing every three days."

The Basque coach has made sure there is ball work in his early sessions, and he reflected on that idea: "Years ago players came back for pre-season and the first week was all about losing weight, now players come back and they're already ready, you give them the ball and they get back into a rhythm straight away. Pre-seasons used to be longer and there was more fitness work, but you can get them on the ball on the first day now, they really like that."

Another important aspect is making sure every player gets enough minutes: "I'd like each player to be able to play three games of more than 60 minutes. In the first game we gave each player 45 minutes so they feel the same way, I want the minutes to be shared equally. That can change because of injuries or little niggles, but that's why we've arranged quite a few games during this spell."

Regarding those injuries, Mendilibar spoke about Marcao's recently confirmed injury: "Marcao is out, but it's a setback that's not good, although we hope he recovers quickly. Rekik also has a little knock and then there's those one-day problems that everyone has, but there's so many sessions here, so if a player can't train in one session it doesn't matter too much."

"Everyone will have the same minutes in matches and sessions"

The Basque coach was also asked about his closeness to the players in each session: "I've always done it. I've tried to correct and support them in the moment, I'm very close or involved in the task. We are always told that a good coach is the one who sees everything from the outside, but I want to feel more than just seeing from the outside. By being inside you hear them talking, breathing and you understand how the player might be at that moment."

"I want players to come and enjoy a session. I've been a player and you picked up good things from coaches, I've always said that. If you're happy when you get to work, it's much better for you, there'll be days when someone isn't having a good day and you also have to understand that."

Mendilibar is also keen to treat all players at the camp in the same way: "I don't differentiate between anyone who's out on the pitch at 9:30am. Once they're here at Montecastillo, everyone is the same. I don't care if it's the youth team player that we know is going to be with the reserves or out on loan, or if it's the player who is coming back from being out on loan, or whether we'll be counting on them this season or not... for me they're all the same and they'll have the same minutes in matches and sessions, we have tasks prepared for all of them equally."

He is looking for top performances from all of the travelling party: "That's why players who were out on loan last year are here. My job is to get the most out of a player who's returning, nowadays there's more talk about the financial side of things so everything counts. If we are able to make a player who was away last season come back and complete the season with us, the club will also get something out of it so that we don't sign any players. There's a lot of players here, some have to leave, I don't know if we'll sign a lot of players or not, but on a day-to-day basis we try to make sure that no one feels bad because we miss them."

On that note, Mendilibar insisted that group management is crucial: "The good thing is that I have a good relationship with all of them. I can tell them off as a joke, I can make demands in different ways and I have to see who I can talk to. They are not all the same and I always have to be there."

"Sevilla are so competitive because they always think about winning"

As for his outlook on football, he stated that he has always stayed faithful to his ideas: "Those who have managed at big teams for so many years have their merit because they have done things to be there. I have spent many years in teams that fortunately stayed in the top-flight, I've always been proud of that. Now it's time for me to be at a club with bigger aims, but I also have a better squad. We are good coaches for any category, then you have to know how to manage a group and since I started in the Regional Divisions, I haven't changed in the sense of how to manage a team or in the idea of football. I can't change any more."

Regarding the competitive spirit of 'his' Sevilla, he was keen to stress that "what we've done in the past is no longer worth anything. Everyone was quite afraid and thinking about the worst, all that has been forgotten, perhaps by the player less than anyone... as soon as you raise the bar a little, the demands change. That's football and that's why Sevilla are so competitive, because they always think about winning."

The coach then focused on the role of the academy players: ""The academy players give life to the team and train well. There is no difference because you know them, but when you come from outside, you see the training sessions and you don't know who is the canterano or the star, because the interest and the spirit they put into it is on display."

Mendilibar then turned to new signings Federico Gattoni and Adrià Pedrosa: "He's an Argentine centre-half, he bites. He needs to take a bit of a step back... I'm not about duels, I'm more about anticipation. I'm a coach who believes that my player has to be smarter than his opponent and that's what he has to learn a little bit, to take a bit of a step back, to know how to hold on... but as he has that spirit, I'm sure he'll learn quickly. I know Pedrosa more, he's very attacking, maybe too much so when he gets forward, but we all get used to that comfort."

He also wished to highlight that all of his players have a chance: "It all depends on the result, whether the ball goes in or not. You can do things wonderfully well and then the ball doesn't go in, you can play a league match and then play a European match and then make eight changes. If we win win nothing happens, if we lose, the first comments are aimed at me for making so many changes... even the starter who considers himself a starter thinks that he shouldn't rest that game, when you know that there are moments when you get tired and you have bad moments. I have to be aware of that and try to manage it as well as possible, if it works out well for you to give more people a chance, you'll keep the group very happy, if you only play with 14, you're always going to have others with a bad attitude... for that you have to have a fairly compact group."

"If it works out well for you to give more people a chance, you'll keep the group very happy"

Mendilibar then spoke about the fans and their constant backing: "Sometimes there you don't know who is cheering for the other. When the team isn't doing well you hear more silence, when you score a goal the fans start... or not. Against Manchester United, you could see the coach greeting, the start of the game, the togetherness. It's the fans that push you up and that helps. At other times the fans keep quiet because they see that the team isn't working hard and it's the team that has to take that step forward... but it's key because the opposing team feels it too. I want to tell the fans to keep supporting and helping the team at all times, don't stop doing that. There will be bad moments, but don't go for the club or the players, the first target will always be us, the coach, we are the first target that everyone can have. Anyone who goes out onto the pitch has to feel supported and I'm convinced that this will happen."

The coach also spoke about the role of the analysts: "I haven't had an analyst for a long time, but now that I have one, we're going to bring him into the group. He will have to know what we're doing before our opponents do, and that's why I've demanded that the analyst be on the pitch, as it's important for him and for us."

Changing the subject, he is looking forward to the UEFA Super Cup clash with Manchester City in Athens and a season with four tournaments: "They have shown themselves to be the best team in Europe for what they have won, for what they have done in their country... it will be exciting and it will be good to compete against them, play against them and have the chance to bring another title to Sevilla. Sevilla fans want more and we'll try to compete in every tournament. We're starting with LaLiga, then the Super Cup, LaLiga again and then the Champions League and the Copa del Rey. We're going to demand a lot from the players and I want them think that we're going to have to be good for a long time." 

"It will be exciting to compete against Manchester City and have the chance to bring another title to Sevilla"

Another challenge for Mendilibar will be his first time in the dugout for a UEFA Champions League fixture: "We're in Pot 1 so let's see if we can take advantage and qualify for the last 16, we know it's difficult. I think we'll be ready and be able to beat everyone."

He then focused on the challenge of another LaLiga season: "There are two sides who have to do very badly to not be up there, that's Real Madrid and Barcelona. Then there's a third team who are normally in the top four, that's Atlético, and then there's the rest of us. If we have a perfect year and we can win a place, all the better, but there are also those who have been ahead of us this year who want to compete and get into Europe. It's going to be complicated, but I think we'll be ready."

Mendilibar is also keen to have all of his players back and he almost has his wish, with only Loïc Badé still away after his time with France U21: "In the end, you can't wait for us all to be together at the start of the competition. We've talked about pre-season and travel, and I'd say the same about the national teams. Nowadays there are also official national team games and they play your games and those of their national teams, they don't have enough holidays to be able to switch off completely, but I hope they come with enthusiasm ahead of a year with Champions League action. The players come prepared now. As we've said, they come in good condition and in that sense they are prepared with fitness coaches and nutritionists in addition to what the club offers."

"For everything to run smoothly and for there to be no problems, there have to be many people who do well"

To finish, he spoke about the commitment of everyone at the club: "The people above you are involved on a day-to-day basis and that's encouraging. You talk to them face to face, you can solve any issue on the spot and it's important that they are concerned about us and the players, who have to feel important too. The people who work in the shadows, sometimes we don't even know each other's names, we are all important, as the club is not just about the players and the coaching staff, but for everything to run smoothly and for there to be no problems, there have to be many people who do well."