The Spaniard has been working his players hard with double sessions most days, while putting their practice into action with two training matches against Italian outfit Empoli and Wednesday’s meeting with Spanish side Cadiz. But the head coach – who is taking daily English lessons with his coaches in an attempt to deeper embed himself into the country’s and club’s culture – understands the fine balancing act between being demanding of his players and allowing them time to rest and relax so not to increase their likelihood of picking up injuries.
On Marbella training camp
“It’s a pleasure to be here. We feel good, we are working very hard in the last days, looking forward to improving the team and, of course, to translate to the players our way to work and I’m happy with that at the moment.”
On his first few weeks in charge
“My first weeks I’ve been very happy with. Of course, I am getting to know all about the club, all the staff, all the people in the departments, knowing more about the players, and then knowing more about the Wolves.
“But at the same time, I feel that I’ve been working here for a long time, and now it’s time for us to arrive in the key moment to play the last friendly match, to prepare in the best way for our first official match against Gillingham.”
Warming up for the first morning session. 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/0vEbGUlqvG
— Wolves (@Wolves) December 6, 2022
On building relationships with his players
“They are working very hard. They want to show us their strengths and their skill to translate to the coaches that they are ready to compete.
“For me, it’s very important to be competitive, and the daily work, they have to feel that and that’s going to be better for us and it’s going to help us to improve.
“I am trying to translate this spirit and, after, trying to translate different tactical aspects.”
On balancing intensive training with rest
“We have been working double sessions on some days, but today we work in a low level because we have to be ready and rest all this energy for the next match.
“The most important thing is about the injuries and little injuries, because when you work with a very high intensity and it’s demanding in physical terms, you have always the risk to have injury.
“Now you have to feel this balance between being demanding and having no injuries, so this is the important and key situation. At the moment, we have little things, but I hope that we can continue these little things all together and improve.”
Boss. 🐺 pic.twitter.com/LHeAzPWclN
— Wolves (@Wolves) December 11, 2022
On taking daily English lessons
“I have to improve, and I promise I will improve a lot. But I am brave, I go and I speak, I am not afraid of making a mistake and in the matches it’s the same – the players cannot show fear. It’s a mistake, but I go ahead. It’s the same.
“I’m going to improve, and I think it’s important because I know I have a lot of Spanish and Portuguese players, but for the rest of the culture, for the country, for the club, I have to be able to translate my sessions in English.
“I try to convey this, and I do this every day, so I am going to continue to translate and if I don’t get to translate my message, I get Edu [Rubio].”
