Simeone: "I have always believed in Atletico and in my players"
El Cholo gave an interview to the club's media department just a couple of days after signing a contract extension until 2020Europa League Final 2018: Marseille vs Atlético Madrid live
Among the items in Diego Pablo Simeone's schedule on Thursday was a lengthy interview with Atlético's media department. After he had been part of the club's representatives at the presentation of the new Metro stop at the Wanda Metropolitano, El Cholo sat down to talk to the club's television channel about his new contract, the FIFA transfer ban and the future that lies ahead for Atleti.
Enthusiasm, motivation and a common desire to make Atleti bigger and better
On the last day of the Calderón, you told the fans that you are staying because the club has a future: “That's how I feel about it, I'm not a person who doesn't feel things. It just came out spontaneously as I was trying to express how I have seen things at the club for some time. Atleti has grown an incredible amount since 2011, since we started. And I have always seen the potential that this club has to grow more - much more. Time has proved me right. Many people say to me: “Well, you'll renew your contract again with Atleti, who have always had problems, and next season won't be as good...”, and I never believed that. I always believed in this club because I know the people who work here and I have always believed in the players we have had to continue turning the club into a better one. We brought together a set of people who all wanted to work together to improve Atleti. And during all of that time I've seen lads become men, overflowing with enthusiasm; and the younger playing taking on all of the experience they have been soaking up from the older ones. That's something which keeps me going, it motivates me and boost me and it's why we have decided to stay on”.
Challenges: “I've always enjoyed challenges. I get annoyed when people say this or that can't be done, or being at the club for a long time is complicated, or spending too much time with the players is difficult. Why is it? If the players are happy and understand that their responsibility is to play and give their best for the club, then the only thing the coach needs to do is ensure that our results keep improving. When you have both of those things, then you can say that maybe things aren't so difficult after all.
"Because I have people alongside me who have known me for a long time, who help to manage the dressing room so that the younger players will have the strength they need to take another step in their development every day - and that is what will put us in a privileged position. I am very grateful to the players I have and above all to the. Because right from the start, when the club was going through a bad time in 2011-12, they remembered me; when Falcao was sensational and we had the chance to sell him and the club wasn't economically sound enough to keep him. They made a huge effort, took a chance and it paid off. They had faith in the coach, in Falcao and after that we started winning trophies, and began growing together - the club, the players and me”.
FIFA transfer ban: “If you said to me: ‘Griezmann, Saúl and Koke will be leaving but we'll have huge amount of money to buy players; or alternatively: none of them are going anywhere but we can't sign anyone’, I know which option I'd prefer - the second one. Because they are extraordinary players. And when you have extraordinary players, you always have the possibility to improve as a team. The return of the lads who were out on loan, like Vietto, will be good for us, and meanwhile we have other players who are improving like Savic, Gameiro, Vrsaljko and Gaitán - this season, all of them will have a chance to show why they are at this club. When I received the message that we couldn't sign anyone, the only thing I asked the club was to make sure no one leaves. And that's how it was. And that's why we all of us continue as one, and each one of us keeps fighting to ensure we all pull together in the same direction”.
Continual improvement
Contract extension: “When I returned from the holiday's and renewed I felt, and feel, the same feeling of hope. I have more energy now than when I first started because I know the club and the players that I have much better now. My contract renewal was just part of the forward trajectory this is club is on, and for the challenges which lie ahead. Moving to a new stadium caused apprehension for many fans at first but when you see it for yourself, you will see how this club is progressing. All of us like like to think we are advancing, progressing. The fans are going to love the Metropolitano just as much as they did the Calderón. Deep down what they really love is the shirt - and while that doesn't change, everything around it will have the chance to improve”.
