Voro González: “I’m sure that we are going to be a competitive team”

Valencia CF coach Voro González talked to the media ahead of the Matchday 21 LaLiga contest against Athletic Club.

Squad fitness

Kluivert is fit, we are without Hugo Guillamón due to suspension and Paulista is also suspended. Thierry could be back by next week.

Rumours about potential coaches

I am not aware of what is published. I have no life outside of here; I spend many hours here. The club have not consulted me about anything. The club will do their job and I will have to do mine, which is what I have to focus on because the situation requires it. They don't have to discuss any type of situation with me. I know the club perfectly and I am here to help and find solutions.

The club have not communicated anything to me and I don't think about it. I said it the first day I was appointed: If the club at any given time consider that I can contribute, I am here to find solutions. I'm not a problem. The club must make the right decision when it has to be made. I'm not a problem. The club must make a decision on if a coach should come in or not. My focus is on tomorrow's game and what we can improve. That is my responsibility and my commitment to the club.

The fans

I have absolute respect for the fans’ right to express themselves as they deem appropriate. They will make their decision as to whether to come into the ground or not. At this time we need the support of the fans. We are not in a position to ask for anything, but the reality is that in the Copa del Rey against Athletic Club, after conceding the goal the team fell apart mentally.

We have to focus on our opponents, focus on what we have to do and offer the fans our effort and our commitment. I have no doubt that the fans will get behind the team.

Looking for a reaction

Of course I feel empowered from the conviction of experiencing other situations, many similar situations for the team at different times, and the certainty that detecting what we can improve, working on it, talking about it with the players, seeing it on video, training for it, can help. This is a squad that works well, it is not an unstructured group. If it were like that, it would be known that there are problems in the group, and it is not like that.

My conviction is based on what I see and what we can work on and improve. We have had more time to work now and we have influenced different aspects to improve. I am sure that tomorrow the team will be convinced of what we do. There might be mistakes, but as a group and with the idea about the game what we have worked on during the week, I am sure that we are going to be competitive and that we are going to be a daring team that need to win. From the first minute with very clear ideas, we will be competitive and go for the game, because we need the points.

I don't regret saying I couldn't do more. We went to Girona with great enthusiasm and we lost, with the need that we have to win... but I do my best and I am doing it because it is the least that you can ask of a coach. The club thought that I could contribute and since I stepped in I have started to work to find solutions for the players so that they have the best performances. I don't see any other way. Seeing that path forward and the day-to-day training, and seeing that we have detected where to improve, we must transfer it to the pitch, compete and take a victory that the team need, which is what gives you the confidence to continue growing.

The Copa del Rey game

It is a very recent precedent. Athletic Club are a team that have a way of playing that changes little. They are aggressive, well organised and put pressure on you with clear ideas. If you press, they play long and do it well. We know that the opposition we will face tomorrow have many good qualities.

In that game we made mistakes and those mistakes cost us goals, the team got nervous and we went from playing with the ball to going long. We know the opponents and have been thinking about ourselves: What do we have to do to counteract this? We have to implement it on the pitch with conviction and the greatest desire to compete, focus on ourselves and win the game.

The dressing room mood

The dressing room is fine. They know the situation we are in, the players are aware, just as they are when they are doing well. We have had a week to work on the aspects that we believe we have to influence to improve performance, using everything so that the information reaches the player in the clearest possible way. We have had a week, with a day off, after 42 days without rest and after 10 games in 35 days. It seems like an excuse, but it is a reality.

Now we have the responsibility to get out of this situation and need to recover mentally and physically to be competitive and be in the best position to beat the opposition.

Changing things in a week

We had a match on the Thursday in Madrid and on the Sunday in Girona. I'm focusing on what I can contribute and what I can't, I don't waste a minute thinking about what names are thrown about.

We have to be clear. The most important thing now is that, after losing those two games, the objective is to avoid relegation. It is very clear and we have discussed it with the players. It is a difficult situation. It doesn't matter if there are 17 games left, the important thing is that we have to get points now and think about the next game.

The coaching staff

From the very beginning, the club told me to bring in the people I think are appropriate to improve performance and offer the best solutions for the team. We have recruited people, and Alberto Pardo was scheduled to come in before I became coach.

The club has told me that I will be in place until the end of the season. In my contract it says until June 30th, but this is football and I already said it on the first day: If we don't win then the club will have to find solutions, and I am here to find solutions, not to create problems.

I am not at all concerned if the club are looking at coaches. Where I can help the group is through analysis, looking how to improve the aspects that we consider necessary and put it into practice on the field of play. I repeat myself a lot but I don't see another path in football.

The three rumoured managerial candidates knowing the club

I repeat. I have nothing to say about whether or not a coach comes in. I focus on the fact that I am here as a coach. I reduce the focus to what I can offer the team. From there, the club will make the decisions they consider correct, when they consider it correct.

Keeping a clean sheet

I think the team should improve this aspect. We have spoken with the players. There was a moment of the season in which the team played in one way and in recent games we have seen that there were more long balls. Now we will try to grow in a defensive aspect. We have had a few days to work and we have worked on different aspects in which we believe we should grow. Tomorrow we must put what we have worked on into practice on the pitch at Mestalla.

Whether a draw would be positive

We are not here to settle for a point. We will go for all three. Our focus is on winning. The team need all three points, avoiding anxiety, haste and mistakes. If the opposition beat us, let it be because of their quality and not because of our mistakes. From the first minute we have to go for the game.

Three centre backs

The most important thing is to use the formation that can help you most to achieve the objectives, depending on the players. As a player, I always played with five at the back, but as a coach I have rarely done so. We look at every option.

Javi Guerra

At this time we won’t go into issues about individual players. We must grow as a group. We have Javi Guerra, but we also have other players available.

The possible defensive line

I have chosen it. We look at the four centre back that we have to choose the best for each moment. The choice for the last few games also had a component of the minutes played. We also take into account that there are players on four yellow cards. I am clear about tomorrow.

Ernesto Valverde

He is my friend. Athletic have a philosophy that has been the same with many coaches. They are a team to which Valverde gives his style, but it is not relevant that I know him. We have to look at ourselves and improve. The focus is on us. We have worked hard and all that remains is to put it into practice tomorrow from 9pm.

The playing style

General concepts do not change overnight. With Gennaro, the team did very well with the ball and we believe that we should improve in other aspects. We have 1 point from 18, conceding goals and not scoring too much. However, collective concepts are not taken onboard overnight. The important thing is to know what we want to improve and work on it.