André Jardine keen to make América the most attacking team in Liga MX
The Azulcrema coach is clear about the style of play he seeks to impose on his team.
The André Jardine era has only just begun at América but the Brazilian coach is clear about what style of football he wants to see his team play. With the most expensive squad in the Liga MX, expectations are high for the Águilas and Jardine is keen to forge a team which is strong going forward without losing balance in defence - an area in which the team has suffered in recent times.
In an interview for TUDN, Jardine spoke about he sees América’s genetic makeup and how he hopes to mold it to his style of play - creating a side that is constantly on the front foot and looking to attack. “It’s very difficult to change América’s specific style of football - the DNA is too strong. They have players who are capable of adapting - we see ourselves playing a much more attacking style of football in the league, perhaps the most attacking of all. Having said that, I also like consistency - it’s more about being solid as a team than looking to attack,” he said.
He continued: “Finding the balance between attacking and defending is always a very fine adjustment. If you think about the coaches who have managed to achieve it, their teams are reliable, consistent and that’s what we are looking for and hoping to instill in a short time”.
Jardine was asked about the possibility of América lifting the Leagues Cup. On Friday, his side take on Chicago Fire with a place in the Round of 16 up for grabs. The Azulcrema coach praised the mental strength of his players and said that overcoming adversity will be key to making the next round.
“We were in a similar situation against Columbus but soccer is dramatic, things may not work out for you and so you need to be prepared to react positively to adversity. The team needs to be stronger, especially mentally, especially when they are up against the clock and time is running out. It’s not enough to have good, skillful players - you need time to go though and accept defeats, correct mistakes and all of that will make us stronger,” he concluded.