‘We need to make some changes’: New boss Ronald Koeman demands more intensity and insists he ‘would like to work with Messi’ after returning ‘home’ for leadership of crisis club Barcelona
New Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman said he would talk to Lionel Messi about his future, but also warned that he only wanted to work with players who are committed to staying at the club.
“I do not know if I should convince Messi,” he told reporters at Camp Nou. ‘He’s the best player in the world and you want the best player in the world on your team, not on the other side.
‘For my part, I would like to work with Messi. He wins football matches and I would be really happy if he decides to stay. ‘
Ronald Koeman (right) poses with a shirt as he is revealed as Barcelona’s new head coach
The outgoing Holland coach is putting pen to paper ahead of his first Barca press conference
Koeman aims to keep Lionel Messi’s best player in the world and will speak to his fellow stars
Vice President Josep Bartomeu (left) hopes he can point Barca in the right direction
But the 57-year-old former Barcelona defender later added at his first press conference: ‘I only want to work with players who want to be here and if they are not happy, let them say it.’
On the subject of Messi, he added: ‘He has a contract. He has one more year left. He is a player of Barcelona. ‘
Koeman was asked if he would name the players he wanted to leave, just as Pep Guardiola did in 2008 when he took over and revealed that he did not want Ronaldinho, Deco and Samuel Eto’o on his team in his first season. .
The former Holland boss said: ‘I will not talk about single players individually. I know there are certain players of a certain age that there can be doubts about.
Koeman speaks on stage after seeing a montage of some of his highlights as a Barclona player
Bartomeu handed over the giant to Koeman after he fired short-serving Quique Setien on Tuesday
“Out of respect for the players, I will not talk about individual players here.”
Commenting on whether this was a clarification from older players, he added: ‘A 33-year-old player is not necessarily ready. It’s all about when they are hungry.
‘There are 20-year-olds who are not hungry. We need to have the best for the team. I only want to work with players who will give the maximum for Barcelona. ‘
Presenting Koeman, Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu referred to his past as one of Johan Cruyff’s key players and the club played a video of Koeman’s goal at Wembley that Barcelona won their first European Cup.
Bartomeu is set to run in March, which could mean that Koeman will run for president.
Koeman accepts that he faces a challenge to revive the club, but says he is aiming for silverware
Koeman admitted that he saw Bayern Munich’s 8-2 victory over Barcelona. He said: ‘I was very saddened by the result, as were all the fans of Barcelona.
‘That’s not the image of the club we want. It was a sad day. But after a sad day, you are hoping for better days.
‘Everyone knows what Barca means to me. It’s my house. This is a challenge. Even in the good times, it is not easy.
‘It’s tough, but I like a challenge and we have the players to win things.
Koeman announced that he is not planning a ‘revolution’, but wants his team to play with intensity
‘We need to make some changes. We will work hard to put Barcelona on top. The team needs to play with more intensity. ‘
Asked about his style of play, he added: ‘I am Dutch and we would rather have the ball instead of after the chase. ‘
He has signed a two-year deal, but he knows there will be elections next March that will bring in another president who may have different ideas.
“All I can do is get good results,” he accepted. ‘I have a contract for two years and I know there will be elections. But there is never much security [in any job]. ‘
Koeman spent two-and-a-half years in charge of his country before moving on to his ‘dream job’
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