ORTA: "THE COACH IS AT THE PERFECT STAGE IN HIS CAREER"

Víctor Orta answered questions from the media at the presentation of Francisco Javier García Pimienta as our new head coach. Our Sporting Director began by pointing out that ‘my role is to monitor coaches and he has shone in Barcelona's youth teams, improving players, with good results... He was very close to being the first coach of that club, he was that highly rated. At Las Palmas, he changed the face of the team, he secured promotion and he created a real team spirit. They had an impressive first half of the season; even if the end didn't reach the same heights, he showed signs of what this club is looking for: hunger, ambition, knowledge, enthusiasm; he breathes football... We conducted a very extensive recruitment process and he was the one and only we entered negotions. We are very happy that he is with us’d

Reflecting on recruitment in the second half of the season, Orta said that 'the winter market was positive; two players who came in what was a difficult market played key roles for us. We brought in what the coach asked for, and while he didn't give some of them as many minutes as they had hoped, others like Agoumé and Isaac performed very well. We will try to increase the reliability and success rate of our signings,’ continued Orta.

"When Sevilla calls, everyone listens."

The Sporting Director responded on his desire to start the season with a very advanced work: ‘It is an ideal situation to start with the more the better. We depend on external situations, on some of them leaving.... We have a very clear plan, to find players of the right level. When Sevilla call, everyone wants to listen, then we'll see if we agree or not. We're looking at some very good players and we are going to try to bring them in as soon as possible. Hopefully we will have assembled 60-80% of the squad by the start of the season, meaning we don't have to be busy in the last few days of the window.’

‘The coach is now at the perfect stage in his career; he is hungry and is ready for the challenge. I, likewise, have been working for the last 20 years and I feel more capable than ever. I don't care what the resources are like, we have to step up and be more innovative. The coach will of course bolster our ranks. It's going to be my best summer without a doubt,’ he said.

"He has the winning identity that Xavi had"

‘I think a winning identity like the one Xavi has is key. That's what I like, that [García Pimienta] improves the players and gets results. He has been very clear in his interviews, he wants to win and he will try to do so with what he has", he added.

The Sporting Director finished by saying that ‘I work with what I have, and I'm totally fine with that. The circumstances of the project are what they are and I can't complain. I have accepted all this to try to take Sevilla to the top and to be able to help the club financially. Everything in life is complicated. If we have the capacity to make these next two summers a success, it will be much easier, so we have to make the most of it with hard work. My biggest failure thus far is that I couldn't manage to take the team where it needs to be in my first season, but I am determined to change that.’