Marcelino: “We have the obligation to compete to the maximum”

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“We defend a great club and therefore, the maxim of a competitive athlete is to go out and play a game with the sole intention of winning,” said the rojiblanco coach.

ANDhe Athletic faces the last day of the league championship without any objective other than closing the course with a victory. Even so, Marcelino and his family they are clear that their obligation is none other than to compete at their best level to try to win. He is aware that at the level of concentration it is difficult, but “for dignity and pride” they must go for the three points. In addition, he has stated again that he wants a shorter squad, although he is aware that it will be difficult to start the preseason with this closed after the exits and entries. He has also spoken about the need for all offensive players to contribute to the scoring section, since he does not have a scorer who adds more than 15 goals per season.

What do you ask the team to compete to the maximum despite not risking anything: “We have to compete because it is our obligation as professionals, we defend a great club and therefore, the maxim of a competitive athlete is to go out and play a game with the sole intention of winning. In addition, there is a influence on a rival who is playing the chances of remaining in the category with all that this entails and more so in the times in which we live. At the same time, it also has the negative circumstance that they do not depend on themselves, but we are what we have to do. It is difficult for all of us to become aware of what that means and that after this the season is over, but the fact that we know what usually happens to those who are in this same situation does not imply that let’s not compete with those who start from one to ninety “

Does the team want to disconnect?: “Yes, if I said the opposite I would be lying. It is logical because until three days ago, although in a difficult situation, we had the illusion and hope of reaching that seventh place. Once any possibility disappears mathematically, it is logical that there is a We also have a lot of injuries in our squad, players who have an important stretch playing with discomfort and all that entails the enormous merit that these players have, who always show their willingness to perform at the highest level. We have to go there to compete and try win. With more or less precision, but there is nothing to object in the attitude against Huesca and Real Madrid. Now we have the last 90 minutes left and we have the obligation to compete to the maximum. At the level of concentration it is not the easiest, but is what corresponds to us “

Their teams improve in their second season: “I believe that Athletic fans are always excited and we have to show what they want to see on the pitch in matches. Practically all of our experiences indicate that the second season is better than the first. I think that in all They because only in some of them there were certain conditions for which they did not work under the same conditions. I don’t want to talk excessively either. The facts are what will be able to show us if we are going to be a better team. Yes, with the numbers that we have. In my head I was not absolutely sure that we have to improve the numbers this season, I think it would be best not to start. If we start it is because we have within us that conviction that the team is going to compete at a very good level. and we hope that we are all satisfied with their behavior “

Prefer a short template: “I always came to state that we had a squad that I considered excessively wide and we always worked with shorter squads. More so in this club because we always have to be backed by the quarry, which is the main supply that this team of the Athletic in its first squad. I think the excess of troops in the first squad makes a stopper for all those players we want to see. The club and we try to establish a common standard of behavior to seek the best for Athletic in the medium and long term . Then you have to make decisions. In a high percentage, more or less we have an idea that we are contrasting with the sports management to make a decision, as well as those players that the club believes should join Bilbao Athletic “

Achieve goals without a scorer: “We cannot expect Williams to be Aduriz, Llorente or Urzaiz because their characteristics are different. These three are spikers and Williams is not. Villalibre is more of an area player. It is clear that the profile of one and the other makes them different players. Now we have to live a stage where we hope Athletic has a positive evolution, but since Aduriz left it is difficult to have a player who scores more than 10 goals. I think that is what the numbers in the league say. We cannot stay there. We have to look for different solutions to the game. The goal is what defines your matches. We will have to fit less behind, you leave a clean sheet more times and look for all those automatisms in the attack game so that the most offensive players we have and those of the second row accumulate goals. If we do not have a footballer who assures us 15 goals we will have to arrive and surpass that number between all the possible ones “

Start the preseason with the squad closed: “I am flexible and I believe that we all need to know our position within the team. We have to reconcile the number of footballers with the performance we have to achieve in the preseason. We are going to incorporate some players from the reserve team, so the number more excessive is what we consider ideal, we will have less chance of profiting from the preseason. We have to see what is the best solution for all parties and, through dialogue and decision-making, face the preseason with the sole intention to reap the maximum possible fruit. A coach wants to have the final squad as soon as possible. How many times is that achieved? In my experience, and I speak of many years, very few times. Therefore, we will try to find the best solution possible among all “

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