Congratulations on the win it was obviously a strange day with results elsewhere but what are your thoughts right now?
Well, happy with the performance the result, and most importantly having our fans back again after such a long time. Thank you so much to them because if anyone was doubting about their reaction they showed really how much they want to support the team. So thank you so much to them on behalf of myself the staff and all the players.
And then disappointed because we are not in Europe. We made progress from last year in terms of points. 61 points last year would take you fifth. But it shows the level and as well where the league is developing.
Does it feel like a major blow not to qualify for Europe with the way it happened?
Well, I knew what was happening. They were still playing when we came inside and we were following the game. But it wasn’t in our hands. We tried to do our best and win the last five games but it wasn’t enough.
Do you allow yourself to see the positives of not being in Europe and having just one competition that you can focus on next season?
Well, I leave the season sad because this club deserves to be delivered trophies and Champions League and we haven’t been able to do that. But under very challenging circumstances. We have tried to stick together and do our best. It’s not been enough.
Now we have to be very critical with ourselves and myself. For next season prepare the best possible way and take advantage of that. Hopefully, we can have a pre-season because I haven’t had that and have the chance to work with those players and do a better job.
Josh Kroenke was here today. What did he say to you?
The same that he says every time we are on the phone. He’s very supportive very passionate about the club. He wants to take the club to a different level. That’s the ambition and that’s why he’s here.
To challenge those above you next year does this club need to have a very big and very busy summer?
Well, they’re going to get better, they’re going to strengthen and we need to do better. First of all, what we have to do is with our players, get them better more consistent, help them to improve for our way of playing.
Our philosophy I think is in place and now is the moment to take it to the next level. Improve that and improve our consistency because we’ve shown since December until now that we’ve been the second or the third-best team in the league. But it’s not enough six months. The level is so high and we have to do that for 10 months.
How confident are you that we might see Martin Odegaard playing at the Emirates next season for Arsenal?
Well, we have a very clear and strong opinion on what we would like to do, but he’s not our player. We will have to discuss in the next few weeks what and respect first of all because he’s a Real Madrid player and have those communications.
We tried to make everything that we could to get Martin performing for the team, which I think he’s done. He has adapted really well to our way of playing and to our football club. Hopefully we have given him as well the hope and the feeling that it could be a good place for him.
Are you confident that you could convince them to let you keep him for another year?
I don’t know. It’s not in our hands so I don’t know.
You’ve finished the season with five wins and only six points off the top four. Does that convince you that the team is moving in the right direction and there isn’t a need for a massive overhaul that some people say you need?
Yeah, we can’t go against that. I can tell you what I see and what are my feelings when I watch the team a few months ago and when I watch the team right now regardless of the results. In my opinion, we are in a much better place and we will be in a much better place. Hopefully, we can take the club where we want.
How frustrating is it to fall one point short of European football?
Well, it’s frustrating because last season with 61 points you were fifth and now you are eighth. That step as well which we can identify where the level is so high that the only way to do it is to be much better next season and to be much more consistent and that’s the challenge ahead of us.
