Presentato il nuovo allenatore Pep Clotet

This afternoon new Triestina manager Pep Clotet was introduced to the press. The meeting with the media was preceded by an introduction from the General Manager of the Sporting side, Alexander Menta.

Menta:

"We cannot deny that the results have not met our expectations and ambitions. It’s time for a change, and it is with great pleasure that we announce the arrival of our new head coach, Pep Clotet. We recognize that this team needs a jolt of new energy to rediscover its potential and face the challenges ahead. Clotet’s passion, experience, and determination are exactly what we need to get back on track and fight for the results that our fans deserve."

Clotet:

"I want to thank the club and the director for trusting me with this important challenge. My staff and I have come with the mentality to give our all in addressing this difficult situation. We know there's a lot of work ahead, but we are ready to dedicate ourselves to these players, this club, and this city, to try and reach the goals we have set. Right now, my only clear objective is the next match. To fight and secure survival, it's crucial to be highly competitive and to understand that we need a mindset that focuses on battling for every point available.

I know it's a tough moment, with suffering among the players, the club, and, most importantly, the fans, who are hurting as they watch the team in this state. Our first priority is to become fiercely competitive and fight for every point, for every minute we’re on the pitch. That is the most important thing for me. That’s what I told the team today: I want everyone to have the right mindset, with the goal of making each training session the best it can be. The same goal applies tomorrow, leading up to Saturday’s game, which right now is the most important one of all. We must always give our best, with the right mindset, day after day. I don’t want the team thinking about anything other than today—this, I believe, is the first step towards raising our mentality, our cohesion, and our ability to fight together for every point as if every match were a final.

I believe the support of our fans is vital. My job is to ensure that this team plays as one, playing for the fans. It’s up to the team to call on this fanbase, and I believe we all need to work together—club, team, and city—to reach a goal that is difficult at the moment, as we’ve secured very few points after many matches. I understand that I am the third coach in a short time, and that this is a massive challenge, but I am confident that if everyone gives everything they have, we can and must become a team capable of fighting for every point available, focusing on the short term, match by match, starting with Saturday. From now until January, everyone will have the opportunity to show what they’re worth, and then we’ll assess whether something is missing. I have been very clear and direct with the team: they must forget everything that’s happened up to now, reset and start fresh with all of us, and focus solely on Saturday's match against Pergolettese, to show they can help Triestina fight, first and foremost, for survival.

Do I come into this as an ‘outsider,’ into a situation where expectations have not been met? I told the team that in their minds, they should focus only on survival. It might come in the last minute of the last game, or it might come sooner—I don’t know. But the mindset must be focused on that. We’re in a difficult moment now; we thought we could do something, and we didn’t. So, what do we do? Reset and focus on what we need to do now—become a team with a clear mentality for each match, a team that competes fiercely and values every point, every action. We can’t afford to relax.

I’ve brought with me an experienced staff: Sean Rush as fitness coach, who worked with me in England at Leeds United and Birmingham City, with experience in both the Premier League and Championship. He has come with great energy and has already made his mark. Physical preparation is extremely important to me, and from my experience, I’ve learned that the intensity and mentality of English football can greatly benefit a team in a situation like this. I already tested this approach at Brescia. I’ve also brought assistant coach Berto Llado, who was with me in Moscow. He comes from Girona, from a family deeply involved in football, and has played at Barcelona, where he also directed the youth academy in Moscow. Francesco Benussi is our goalkeeper coach, who managed the methodology for all goalkeepers at Venezia. Gianluigi Ghia and Jordy Kluitenberg, who already know the players well, will stay on with us, and if we decide we need further reinforcements, we’ve left room to add another figure.

It’s true I speak several languages, but I will speak to the team in Italian. We can help in English for those who don’t understand, but I will tell them they need to learn Italian. If I were in Spain and foreigners arrived, should I coach in English? I don’t think so. You coach in the language of the country you're in, and if needed, we assist."