Sky Sports has recently launched a series of interviews with managers who are currently looking for new challenges. I had the privilege of being one of these managers, and I would like to share it with you all.
You can see the full interview by clicking here. Below, I leave you with some of the main thoughts from the chat.
Highlights of the interview with Sky Sports
It’s difficult to return, even when your achievements and numbers are good.
Have I been a little bit more selective when looking for a club? Yes, I would say I have been, the main thing for me now is the people I am going to work with. I want to know what they really want, how they feel and whether they know me, who I am. I don’t care about the name or the history of the club.
To anybody who wants to manage in England, I would tell them that it’s a totally different place. If you don’t realise this then it will be a shock, and then before you know it, you’re out. If your first experience is short and bad in England, then it’s really difficult to get back.
If I come close to seeing one of my teams playing the way that we played at Brighton, I would be very happy. The players came to an understanding of the game in every aspect.
They asked me two things at Sunderland: one, stay up and two, beat Newcastle. And we did both. We connected with the players, somehow, we stayed up, it was a miracle, and in the year and a half that I was there we beat Newcastle 3 times. We also went to Wembley and played in the FA Cup final against Manchester City. So, when people ask me about Sunderland, I say yes, it was successful.
I would love my next job to be in England. I enjoy watching different English teams, I am still learning from them. If you know how to convince the players then that’s the main thing, and you’ll become a better manager.
