The coach ahead of Ascoli: “We are in retreat because the club was not happy”
PALERMO – The Rosanero team, who have already been in retreat for a couple of days, are preparing for tomorrow’s match (Sunday 5 May) against Ascoli. A team arrives at the “Barbera” that desperately needs points to survive, while the Rosanero must win to regain enthusiasm and motivation. Palermo coach Michele Mignani presented the challenge in the usual press conference on the eve of the match.
“I confirm what I said in the conference last match. If I were to notice that any player had unplugged I would have left them at home. These, however, are guys who train with intensity and commitment. The match is something else. I stay on that line. The withdrawal is simply a signal that the club gave us to make us understand that they were not happy with the last few games. It was to say that we have to stay focused on the game and we have to stay together for this. I also embraced this choice.”
“It’s not an in or out game tomorrow – added the Rosanero coach -. It doesn’t determine a final outcome, but it is an important race for ourselves and for the ranking. We need to regain that confidence that perhaps we lost in the last two games. It’s the best moment of the championship for me, I prefer playing these matches than the ones at the beginning of the season. You have to be able to interpret it in the right way because sometimes knowing that the race is very important, maybe someone adds something instead of taking away.”
Palermo’s problems
Mignani then explained what, in his opinion, is the problem his team has at the moment: “I believe that in life there are few people who are born with a shirt and get to the end of their existence without worrying about anything. They are lucky people. Then I think that sometimes the problems in life, which I transfer to our moment, are useful for growth. The best thing is to solve the problem because it makes you feel strong and gratified.”
“We realize that something is not going well – continues the coach -, we must have the desire to try to solve this problem. There are those who are looking for help, those who hope and we must show our character and get out of it together. I hope the people of Palermo will also lend us a hand, we must have the desire to sacrifice and give up. This is the only way I know. Then the words no longer count but the facts count.”
“I was hoping that in these five games we would do something more in terms of points. Until Parma the team was growing. The difficulty this team has is struggling to react, it’s a head problem. But if I didn’t think and believe in this team there would be no point in moving forward. I would be dishonest not to go home. Through facts and the spirit of sacrifice we must put this priority”, admitted Mignani.
“When you change a coach there are some problems. I know Corini and I know that he is a worker and is a good person. When we coaches don’t have work we are excited and eager. For me it was an important and beautiful occasion, I knew that all occasions can hide pitfalls and our job is to try to resolve them. I want to move forward with the spirit that this team can do something. We must start reacting from tomorrow.”
On the rosanero team
“I said very honestly that in my opinion the problem of this last period is that this team is struggling to react to adversity. Maybe some players are certainly not satisfied with what they are doing in the last period. I think the only way is to react and have character,” says Mignani.
The former Bari coach also added something about Palermo’s results up to this point and in view of the last matches: “The moment you reach the playoffs you don’t look back. Don’t count draws or victories, defeats leave scars. When you get to the playoffs you have to go straight to the finish line.”
“I’ve been involved in football for some time and I’ve seen mistakes like Lund’s – says Mignani on the American’s carelessness in the last match against Spezia -. He hit the ball with his weak foot, but I think he proved that he is a reliable, serious player who is focused on the match. I’m not discussing the technical gesture, but I repeat if I were to notice that someone had pulled the plug I would put it aside”.
“I accept mistakes, I don’t accept putting my head down and not reacting. We must be hungrier than others to have supremacy on the pitch. It could happen that we go under, but I demand the team’s reaction. There was a reaction in the second half in La Spezia but we weren’t able to be as dangerous as we would have liked. We are always inclined to make a judgment based on the result. I am aware that the performances can improve, but in the second half the team reacted so this is a sign for me”, concluded the coach.
