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González: "We need to have a good game and win"
The coach underlines the importance of victory against Racing Santander
RCD Espanyol face Real Racing Club de Santander this Saturday on the road, with coach Manolo González emphasising in his pre-game press conference that victory is of paramount importance.
“We want to have a good match and win. My concern is because I want to win. It’s an important game, but it’s not a final for us. Our goal is simply to play well and win tomorrow. We are in Matchday 10, and everything -from our style of play to the overall feeling -is starting to carry more importance. The team have shown promise, but the results haven't come. It’s my job to keep working and try to improve the side," he explained.
González made it clear that the responsibility is down to the team, saying that “it doesn’t lie with any single player; it’s a collective matter. We aren't a team that wastes time or plays dirty, but we do need to get better.”
Regarding his own position, he stressed, "I’ve felt like my job has been on the line almost since the day I arrived; I don’t feel as though my position is specifically at stake tomorrow. I can’t complain, but I’m really hurt because the team aren't winning. I know what my job entails, and it really bothers me when we don't win. I see how hard the team train and how many hours they put in, so not winning is tough for me. All I want is for the team to win and compete at a higher level."
As for Racing, González emphasised that his players must "control the different phases of the game and avoid making mistakes against an opposing side that attack relentlessly. They attack differently and commit many players to the attack. If we find the keys to hurting them where we want to, we’ll be able to attack them effectively. If we manage to do that, we can come out on top,”
"I believe we all need to step up. No player wants to lose. The message I’m getting from the dressing room is that we all need to step up. It’s down to everyone," he concluded.