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INTERVIEW, PART II – Back in Portugal, after a short adventure in Almería, Mário Silva dreams big of Rio Ave, albeit with his feet firmly on the ground. The debut will be in Bosnia and the coach is confident in the team’s ability
Mário Silva sees the legacy of Carlos Carvalhal as an honor. Rio Ave’s level has risen and the new coach is willing to raise it a bit more, assuming the responsibility of re-qualifying the team for Europe.
What led you to accept the Rio Ave challenge?
-It is easy to accept a project with the size of Rio Ave. It offers all the conditions to do a good job. After about three weeks of work, I am happy and really looking forward to the competition starting. With the help of the team, I want to bring joy to the club’s fans.
Did this invitation arrive after the negotiations with V. Guimarães ended or was it already in place for some time?
-V Guimarães was mentioned, but Rio Ave presented a proposal and I accepted it immediately. I spoke only to Rio Ave and I am here with great pride, joy and determination.
Did the possibility of leading a team in a European competition also influence the decision made?
-Rio Ave has always been a reference club for me and I even knew the facilities, because I have one of my sons here. It has grown a lot in recent years. All this gives stability, but I also know how football works: the coaches are judged by the results.
Is the strong heritage of Carlos Carvalhal, who brought the club to a historic marker, an inhibiting factor for a manager who will make his debut in the First League?
-No way, it will work as a challenge before. We must grow, be stronger. If you had inherited a failed computer that offered no guarantees, it would be more complicated. We must continue to do everything so that the club continues to win and aims to overcome. With the bar raised, we will have to be at the highest level.
Does it make sense to think about overcoming after the team lost Al Musrati (Braga), Nuno Santos (Sporting) and Taremi (FC Porto)?
-It is the law of life in football. People pass, but the clubs continue. Rio Ave makes it grow, empowers the players, but has closed these outings with other players. I hope they correspond to our wishes.
Bet on a new European classification?
-We know that other teams have invested a lot to achieve the same goal and, therefore, we will not fight alone. You have to work, be competent and be lucky. That was what happened with Rio Ave last season.
Is the team already at the desirable point for the game with Borac?
-We have little more than three weeks of work and what is happening [a pandemia] has conditioned some situations. He extended the previous season too much, so the holidays and preseason were a bit short. I feel like the team is motivated and full of ambition. There are still a few days left for that game, but I feel like the team is ready. Because of the opponent’s name, we tend to think that things will be easy, but they won’t. Even one of the club’s secondary teams has already created difficulties for us. Borac already has seven Bosnian league games, one Cup and one Europa League round. That can never be a disadvantage, but it is a draw played away from home and in one hand. Even without an audience, anything can happen. We are optimistic, not expecting facilities.
Are more adjustments to the template warranted?
-The market will be open until October and, at any time, there may be entries and exits. We have quality players, but I think the squad could improve with the arrival of a defensive midfielder.
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