Eriksson: Coaching in China my biggest challenge
Source: Xinhua |
June 19, 2013, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
IT certainly recalled memories from the "good old days" in Italy and England for Sven-Goran Eriksson, when he was surrounded by journalists and fans.
"This will be one of the biggest challenges in my coaching career," Eriksson, who took reins of Chinese Super League side Guangzhou R&F two weeks ago, said in his debut speech before more than 50 journalists in Guangzhou on Monday.
"I've learnt that football is very important in this country, so it is a difficult job and a big challenge for me," the Swede said.
The 65-year-old has had less than three weeks to make a difference for Guangzhou R&F as former coach Sergio Farias was sacked immediately after the team lost to Guizhou Renhe.
"I am not worried; you can't take a job when you are worried. I think it is a good job. Everyone is born to make mistakes, and I am the one born to be optimistic," Eriksson said.
"My job is to make the team better, try to beat the other teams in the league. Certainly it is not easy for us. We are now 12 points behind third place. But we are going to try and we will see," he added.
With a 1-1/2-year contract, Eriksson knows he can hardly afford any disappointing results in the half-season left this year, despite the club not setting any mandatory targets for him.
"I don't know if I will stay after the first year and a half. But if we go down, of course I am finished. The club wants to play in the AFC Champions league, I believe sooner or later we will," he said.
The team has been struggling this season, picking up only 12 points in 12 games and dropping to 13th in the CSL table. At the same time last season, it had already harvested 24 points.
"I think step by step we will get better, and we should be very much higher in the table than now," Eriksson said.
It will certainly not be easy for the Swede to manage a team whose players come from China, Brazil and Nigeria. R&F's former coach Farias seemingly lost control both on the pitch and in the locker room as the team fell to seventh from the third in five games last season. The new season didn't bring any fresh air, and players were quick to blame lack of communication.
"Communication is very important inside the club, the players should speak to each other on the pitch, the coach should talk to every player and also the club officials," Eriksson said, adding that he would keep his door open for all players.
"I think we have a lot of good Chinese players, which is very important for the club."
Eriksson's words were uncannily similar to Guangzhou Evergrande coach Marcello Lippi's inaugural address to media in the same city almost at the same time last year.
Since then the same-aged Italian has collected two league titles and a Chinese Football Association Cup.
"This will be one of the biggest challenges in my coaching career," Eriksson, who took reins of Chinese Super League side Guangzhou R&F two weeks ago, said in his debut speech before more than 50 journalists in Guangzhou on Monday.
"I've learnt that football is very important in this country, so it is a difficult job and a big challenge for me," the Swede said.
The 65-year-old has had less than three weeks to make a difference for Guangzhou R&F as former coach Sergio Farias was sacked immediately after the team lost to Guizhou Renhe.
"I am not worried; you can't take a job when you are worried. I think it is a good job. Everyone is born to make mistakes, and I am the one born to be optimistic," Eriksson said.
"My job is to make the team better, try to beat the other teams in the league. Certainly it is not easy for us. We are now 12 points behind third place. But we are going to try and we will see," he added.
With a 1-1/2-year contract, Eriksson knows he can hardly afford any disappointing results in the half-season left this year, despite the club not setting any mandatory targets for him.
"I don't know if I will stay after the first year and a half. But if we go down, of course I am finished. The club wants to play in the AFC Champions league, I believe sooner or later we will," he said.
The team has been struggling this season, picking up only 12 points in 12 games and dropping to 13th in the CSL table. At the same time last season, it had already harvested 24 points.
"I think step by step we will get better, and we should be very much higher in the table than now," Eriksson said.
It will certainly not be easy for the Swede to manage a team whose players come from China, Brazil and Nigeria. R&F's former coach Farias seemingly lost control both on the pitch and in the locker room as the team fell to seventh from the third in five games last season. The new season didn't bring any fresh air, and players were quick to blame lack of communication.
"Communication is very important inside the club, the players should speak to each other on the pitch, the coach should talk to every player and also the club officials," Eriksson said, adding that he would keep his door open for all players.
"I think we have a lot of good Chinese players, which is very important for the club."
Eriksson's words were uncannily similar to Guangzhou Evergrande coach Marcello Lippi's inaugural address to media in the same city almost at the same time last year.
Since then the same-aged Italian has collected two league titles and a Chinese Football Association Cup.
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