THE Rafa Benitez he appeared particularly ready in his presentation to Panathinaikos. He had already learned a Greek word.
Rafa Benitez started answering the questions of Panathinaikos reporters with “good evening”, since it is the only Greek word he knows, as he explained.
The Spanish coach’s answers
For the transfer budget: “I am surprised by the question, because it is excellent, it is very good. Few knew that we did it on a low budget. The main thing is to be able to improve the players, to bring from the Academy. We will do this. Now if the president wants to put in more money, we will gladly accept it. We want to maximize what is there. I was a coach and then I became a manager and then both. We must all work together, with the technical director, with the Academies, to build the future, not just the present.
If you listen to the press conferences, I’ll say we’re looking at it game by game. My goal is the next race. One by one things, each time improving what we have. Thinking about the future, we should all work together, be on the same wavelength. Coach and technical director we must work together, for the best of the club. We must keep in mind that we have the right tools. If you have money, so much the better. If you haven’t, you have to keep doing your job.
We have good players, I have to see them, talk to them, see what everyone is thinking and doing and then I will think about the future. It will be fantastic if we can bring Greek players as well. We have to keep this balance in mind. You may have very good Greek players, and that’s good, but you don’t have too many players from the country to guarantee a good course, you also need foreigners. Money is definitely important.” About the Greek league: “We saw that there are people here who speak Spanish.
There were also players who passed through Panathinaikos, such as Cisse. There are also Spanish coaches here. This gives us information. The staff is there to give you the information you need. We still have a lot to learn, we will learn every day. The main thing is to improve our own level”.
On his long-term goals at Panathinaikos: “At some point, what some teams asked me was to be competitive and fight. They didn’t tell me we had to win. Game with game. The main thing is to improve each thing to go a little higher, a little closer to the top. All this depends on emotions, tactics, the situation of the players. Basic is the highest level. If we have a championship game, we should do everything to win it.
We want to be sure that step by step we are building something right, that will take us higher. What will happen after 3 years? I can guarantee that we will do everything to go for the titles. I can’t say whether we will beat them, but we will do our best in that direction. Everyone should understand this. Luck also plays a role in football.”
On the fact that it is considered by the fans of the team, as the last chance to return to the titles: “Know that in my staff there is one called Jesus, so I have brought Jesus as well. Let me tell you why I am here. Because the team is making an effort to change direction, trying to change everything. Nobody can guarantee anything, but we know what we have to do to win. You may or may not be the best team in games, there will always be wins, losses.
The main thing is to do the right thing, the right thing, to win. With the help of the fans who must always be by our side. Demanding, but next to us. To have the passion. When you get irritated with the club it is precisely because you have the passion, you want it more. I like to have fans who push the team, push it to be better. When you are confident you also need support. If the team is doing well, doing its job right, the fans will help it, push it.
We will all do it together, I need help from everyone. I don’t know if you are professionals or if you have the team at heart too. If you say it to me after a match that didn’t go well, you’d be right, but the main thing is to know what the team is doing. For quite some time the club did not win any titles. But with confidence and ambition we will win where we deserve.”
As for whether Panathinaikos is a personal bet for him: “Certainly! My idea is to be competitive in all matches, but game by game. The goal is there, but we will go step by step. If we start building something and the players believe in it, and the fans and the staff, then we have a better chance of winning. We will be at the highest level. I’m sure we’ll be there. I don’t know how long it will take, but if I’m here it’s because I believe 100% in the project.”
For the pressure on the team: “What I said before. We want to win the first game, that’s the goal. If not, we go to the second one. I want us to think we can be competitive. What we need to guarantee is that we are managing properly. How do we do this? Winning matches, using all tools. We will go into every match with the belief that we can win. That will be the mood. I will be very happy if we are at the top.
How close from the top? Maybe, in a few months I can answer you. But my goal is to be at the top, to be in Europe as well. I don’t want to start making promises. And if something doesn’t go as we would like after 3 games, people will say we lied. No! I will guarantee that we will do everything and I believe that we will succeed.”
On whether he will be a coach or manager in the European framework: “I’m a coach, it’s clear. But I believe in the relationship with the technical director and the people around him. I listen to everyone. It’s all about working together. There’s no point saying I want this player, then the president giving the money, we lose some games. We also have to work with the technical director. What we did at Liverpool, we built from the Academy. It is difficult, because you need young players with quality and passion. With a feeling of belonging to the club. You build with strangers like that. We can all succeed together.”
For the Panathinaikos roster: “The team is good. I know we have good players, there is faith, confidence. We must all work together for the new plan. I saw the match against Feyenoord on TV. I can’t tell you that we need this or that. I have to get to know each one, not as a player, to see their mentality. When you talk face-to-face with each player, see what they convey to you. How competitive or combative he is. Possibly others need help from those around them.
Yesterday I saw some players and the main thing is not to tell someone that they are going to do this. It is to have a collective cooperation. If we do this for a few months, I will be able to answer your question more clearly. Do you think after a few months I will tell you that I need this player? Yes or no? No is the answer.
Because I will tell the technical director. But if you ask me in a few months I will tell you that I don’t know, we all have to work together. We have to do the best for the club, to win together. I will try to be as honest as possible with you, I will not lie. If I can’t answer, I won’t answer. We will do everything to win. The players give everything on the pitch and the results will show it.”
On whether he spoke to Djibril Cisse or Sebastian Leto: “I honestly haven’t talked to Leto. I haven’t had a chance, but I will talk. Cisse told me “Forever alone”, at first I didn’t understand what he meant, but as soon as I came I realized what he said. People told me they enjoyed every moment here.”