Poyet: "Experience at Real Betis was the worst I've had as a coach"
The Uruguayuan manager took charge of the LaLiga side at the start of the year but was sacked after just five months into the season.
Gustavo Poyet, the manager of Shangai Shenhua, has spoken about his time in charge of Real Betis in an interview with Ovación and was less than complimentary in his revelations.
"I haven't said it to any people," he said, "but it was the worst experience I have had as a manager, by far."
"It was all very unexpected and I didn't receive much explanation as to why it happened. I went to manage Real Betis for one reason and that was the fans. I went because of the experience I had in the 90's and how it was to play at the Estadio Benito Villamarin. It was a spectacle and a pleasure to go and play there."
"I, however, experienced something completely different. It had changed and there was a lot of anxiety around the place and a lot of division. It was very aggressive.
Disillusioned and hurt
"They same that they are tired of what is happening, but all of this aggression and arousal clouds their ability to think in realistic terms. That does not help the team regardless of results. I accept my responsibility but the team being allowed to play and lets themselves free was not allowed. These things [playing well and the atmosphere] are not compatible. It was better to just end it and there was no turning back. I was disillusioned and it hurt," he said.
Poyet says that his decision to take over at Villamarín "opened my eyes in order to make decisions in the future" and he says he would study a proposal in a different way in the future.
Since the departure of Poyet, Betis have won three games at the Bentio Villamarín stadium before playing Leganés on Sunday afternoon.
