Gattuso: “The shirt carries history, and we have to respect it”

Presentation 

This is the first time that I have seen Mestalla and Valencia. It is a great honour to coach this team. I thank Peter Lim and the board for giving me this opportunity. I know I have a tough job, but I'm not afraid. I think we can do a good job. When I talk about the team, I'm talking about everyone; there are 55-60 people working here, not just 25 players. We have respect for everything, but fear nothing. 

The team have gone three seasons in a row conceding 53 goals. In Italy have your teams always conceded? 

It depends on how you look at it. If I score 85 goals and concede 50, I still have a positive tally. If I score 50 and concede 50, we are at zero. It depends on the perspective. I like a style of football in which we command the game. We must score 35% more goals than we concede. 

Have you talked to the captains? What have they said to you? 

I have not called any of them because it seemed right for me to have the presentation first. Today I have seen Toni Lato and Hugo Guillamón. I expect that in the coming days I will call the players one by one and talk to them, to find out their desire and their feelings. 

How does Gattuso the footballer resemble Gattuso the coach, and how is he different? 

Anyone who likes football will understand my style. When I played, I always gave my all. I was always running. Today I see football differently. I like that the team play football, with players who think, who have technique and use their heads. Gattuso the coach is very different from Gattuso the player. In football there is one fundamental thing. Here we have legends who have shown what I want, those who have fire and play good football. Those who want to improve stand out. The difference is made by those who train well, who think that the priority is what they do. When I played, and sometimes it seemed presumptuous, that was given to me by my daily work. My life was centered around the game. I worked to play and to win. I would like to find that in the Valencia CF dressing room. 

You are the third Italian coach here. Have you talked with them? How did you get here? 

The key word is enthusiasm. This past year I didn’t want to work, because I did not have the necessary desire. I have spoken with other teams, but I am here because I am convinced that I am at a great club. I was one of the first Italian players to play in the UK, the first World Cup winner to play in special situations. I know the problems there may be, but it's worth suffering to be at a team like this, with a stadium like this, with players like these and with fans like these. It is worth taking a risk to win. 

Two years ago you left Napoli. How are you going to transfer your experience to face this challenge? 

You talk about Napoli, but I would take a step back. I came from Sion, from Crete, from Pisa. It's difficult to play football there. Here it is not difficult to play football. I am at a great club. A club where you can feel a sense of belonging every day. I am proud to represent such a team. Valencia CF are in the same category as Napoli and Milan. The club isn’t going through good times, but it has incredible history. We have to work hard and work all together to achieve excellent results. It's worth making sacrifices. 

Which coaches do you want to be like? 

You cannot copy another coach. Each coach has their way of speaking and of experiencing a game. I’m sure that all of my coaches have left something in me. The important thing is that you can win with all styles. Ancelotti was tougher than Lippi, but everyone has their way of working. I am a coach who has fun coaching. I really like listening to my players and talking to them, but on the condition that they always be professionals on the pitch. Outside of that, I can accept mistakes, we can joke around. But on the pitch, the utmost professionalism is necessary. Training is sacred for us to get results on the field. 

How would you like Gattuso's Valencia CF to be identified? 

We will start with a back four. That is for sure. Then we can talk about the number of midfielders. We are certain to have a line of four, players wanting to have the ball and with a lot of professionalism and respect. I’m certain that we are going to look for a style of football that I like. 

You were recently in Singapore. What has Peter Lim asked of you? It would be nice if you clarified your relationship with Jorge Mendes. 

I started my coaching career eight years ago, and for the moment I have never signed a Jorge Mendes player. He has been an agent for 27 years, with incredible respect, and he is a friend. Me being a friend of Jorge Mendes is your problem, not mine. I haven't done any transfer with him. The first person who called me from Valencia CF was Anil Murthy. Then I got in touch with Jorge Mendes to let him know. However, I hope that if there is a player who can be useful for me, he can help me, because that will mean that we can sign strong players. I like to always tell the truth. On May 29th I went from Malpensa to Singapore with Anil Murthy. The next day I got the news that he was no longer president. On the 30th my relationship with Sean started. I did not go there with Jorge Mendes. He arrived on May 31st. I spent two days talking to Peter Lim about everything: The problem with Soler, with Guedes, with Gayà. If these three players left, we spoke about what could happen, and he was a person who looked for solutions. I started working and my only two contacts were Corona and Sean. What I have found is a president who knew the solution and what to do if different things happened. He asked me about the football I wanted us to play, and he was aware of everything. 

Javi Moreno has told us about your character on the pitch, but that you were his best teammate in Italy. 99% of the fans are against Lim's management. When the time comes that you see things you don't like at the club, what will carry more weight? The good person Gennaro who is tied to Lim and doesn't want to criticise, or the Gennaro who doesn't keep quiet if he sees things that are wrong? 

From minute 1 I was already talking to my superior -with Lim in this case. He told me everything. From there, you have to think whether you accept it or not. At another club they told me some conditions, they were not fulfilled and I left. I am aware of the problems, I know the situation, but I want to be judged by the way I work and the results. If the team lose they criticise me, there is no point in criticising Peter Lim. 

You say that Lim told you about Guedes, Soler and Gayà. Can you imagine a scenario in which these captains are not at the club? Do you think they will be with you next season? 

I hope so. I will talk with them. But I believe in the data. 58 goals were scored and Guedes and Soler scored half of them. I'm not thinking about the role of captain, but rather about the importance of these players in terms of talent. I know the situation and I want to speak with them calmly to see what can be done. We don’t know what will happen, but we know the importance of these figures. If they left, we would need players with the same mentality and the same spirit. 

Are you a lion or a pussycat? 

What do you think? In two months time we can talk about this. You will see whether you think I'm a pussycat or not. 

You said that Lim talked about the need to sell players, about Guedes, Soler, Gayà... 

I think the question is not correct. We are talking about Guedes, Soler and Gayà, who have one-year contracts. I want to talk to them to find out if there is a possibility of negotiating with them, to seek solutions with the president, to find out if there is predisposition to stay or not. If they had three-year contracts it would be different. 

Has Lim explained the need to sell players? 

We haven't talked about that. We have talked about the fact that if they leave, one thing might happen and if not, it won’t. He has not said that he necessarily has to sell. Losing players like Guedes, Gayà or Soler without making a profit would be tough. 

Do you think that a lot of changes are needed in the squad to play the style of football that you want? 

In April we had contact. It was not clear that I was going to coach Valencia CF. The decision was made when I went to Singapore. In this month and a half I have watched several Valencia CF games, and I am clear about what I want to improve. I am clear about the importance of the players we have been talking about, but it is not only these three players. We can't just focus on those three. I think we have some very interesting youngsters, a very interesting team, with quality young players and with room for improvement. Working together, good results will be achieved. 

In your conversation with Lim, did you ask for a specific player or a position to strengthen? 

We talked about positions, not names. It’s hard to talk about names now. He listened to me about how I want to play and what the team need. The path we have to follow is functional. I know what we can do. If they are not big names, then that is almost better, because it is a better challenge. We drew it up on a big blackboard. I was with my assistant who wrote it down, and I dictated. After an hour, Lim liked what I had to offer, and after two hours he liked it more. 

Other coaches have had trouble giving their opinion in the transfer market. What importance will you have in the market? 

We have talked about our way of seeing the team, formations, technical aspects, but above all we said that we want players who are eager, with fire inside, who want to win. Players who think that playing for Valencia CF is like playing for Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. I would like to work with players who have failed -with a losing character- who really believe in this team. 

What do you remember of the best times of Valencia CF? 

I remember a fearsome Valencia CF. I never played against them. I remember a team that never gave up. We want a team that have a sense of belonging in their blood. The history of Valencia CF is very important and we have to keep it in mind at all times. The shirt carries weight and history, and we have to respect it. 

Has Lim told you about the financial situation at the club? The club's accounts say that it is necessary to sell to balance the books. 

I haven't talked about this. I talked about the team. I talked about Guedes, Soler and Gayà, but I'm not an accountant. I don't run a bank. I talked about these three players. 

What makes you think Lim isn't going to fool you, like other coaches have said he has? 

At no time have I had the feeling that he was going to trick me. He made the situation regarding the players clear to me, but he has never told me that we have to sell part of the squad to solve the economic problems. 

You would like a team that controls play, but balance is needed. A ‘Gattuso’ is missing. Do you already have your Gattuso? 

I already have a player who gives me balance. And not just one, I have more than that. I like Hugo. Uros has not played very well but I think we are going to work well together. Koba Koindredi. We have many players. The priority now is to find quality players. 

Are you going to get involved in the transfer market? Are you going to talk to players from your previous teams so that they come to the club? 

I've only talked to Corona and Sean. I have not spoken to players. 

After having worked all over the world, do you want to find a place to call home and have a long project? 

I found balance in my life 20 years ago in Marbella. The only place where I feel at peace is Marbella. My children have practically grown up there. This is how I began to love Spain; I love how they live life in Spain. They live day to day, without making things difficult, and there I find support. I've also been at the same team for many years, and that's not easy. A coach is always looking for a long project and I hope to find it here. It’s not easy. I am very much a perfectionist. Sometimes I am a nuisance. My record has been two years, but I hope to have a consolidated project here. 

What role will you play in the planning of the squad? 

My job is to be on the pitch, coaching. Nothing more. I don't like to talk about money. I talk about players, those who are functional, who would be useful for me, but it will be other people who negotiate. It is not my competence to negotiate. 

What goals have you been set by the board? 

We haven't talked about any goals. We have talked about identity and a style of play. Lim has not spoken to me about positions, but rather about identity, a style of play and what we want to do, and the working methodology. 

You talked about the meeting with Lim. Has he ever committed to something? Has he mentioned that he is going to invest to solve the economic problems? 

I feel like I'm answering the same question all the time. I haven't talked about that. I don't know what the debts are. I do not know the debt of Valencia CF. Now I'll talk to Sean for him to explain it to me.