On to the big signing so far this season, Hosogai. What do you think he can add to the team. And will he disrupt the existing squad, like Wisarut, who had a strong breakout season last year?
First of all, is his experience. No doubt about that. Seven years in the Bundesliga speaks alone about how good he is. I knew him from Germany already, and that’s why I was following him in Germany because I follow the Bundesliga. So when he came to Buriram I was very excited to see, and I believe that the beginning he was struggling a bit which is always possible when you come to a new country and new culture. The way he plays, I strongly believe that he fits better in a team like Bangkok United than Buriram. That’s why I am very happy to have him with us. He is a player who is very aggressive in that position, and we need that, but at the same time, he has a lot of quality with the ball. Because we are a team that is trying to build up from the back and play out from the keeper, I think he will help us a lot and I am very happy to have him with us.
You have also managed to keep ahold of your foreign players, like Vander and Everton. How important is it to hold on to them, and how are you getting them motivated for the new season?
I believe continuity is one of the most important things in football. If you see Liverpool now, they are probably the best team in the world. And what are they doing? They’re keeping their players for a long time. For three years we have seen the same front three, the same midfield, the same goalkeeper, the same back four. I mean, this is just one example of how important it is to keep the players and don’t make crazy moves. Of course, we try to make some important additions to the team, like Hosogai now who I think we need, that kind of player to play not alone in midfield but with Anthony or Wisarut. To have these two players there to be a little bit more solid, to give a bit more freedom to Tristan and Peerapat to know that we have players now to cover them. And it is very important that it is the second year – the second year of Anon, of Tristan, of Peerapat, I believe this can help us a lot.
During the rough sequence of results, there were some fans who were “Mano in” and some who were “Mano out”. You made a post addressing the situation to the fans. What were your thoughts when you were writing that, and in hindsight, do you think it was a good decision?
Look, normally people say that as a coach, when the business comes to that, you will always have people for you and people against you. And the key is you should stay quiet, do your work, and don’t interact with them.
I am a guy who is usually very open to that. Maybe I am still very young, maybe I won’t do it anymore, I don’t know. But I was just trying to explain some things. I wouldn’t say I regret that; I’d just say that it’s part of the business that you will have some people behind you and some people that won’t support you. Especially in football. If you’re winning you’re the best, if you’re losing you’re the worst, it is not a very balanced criticism that you see. So you have to filter this, you have to see how much it is bothering you, you have to try to not read too much. But today, with social media, even if you don’t want to read people will just tag you and it just appears to you, and you’re curious so you just click there and you see there. Normally you should not do that, but it is how it is. Or someone sees that before, takes a screenshot, and sends it on Whatsapp! So yeah, I didn’t see it, but now since you sent me the screenshot now I’ve seen it!
You should let these kind of things affect you, of course. You have to just keep working very hard. I can only say to the fans that, again, I accept that, I take it as a part of the business, I know I am trying to do my best not only for my coaching career but for the team, for the club, and I will continue to work very hard. If the day will come where I have to leave and someone will be happy with that, ok, the day will come. If not, the people who are supporting me will also be happy, and again, I know this year is a year where we have a chance again to fight. The board gave me the chance and I will do everything to give them back the faith and the trust they are giving to me now.
