Javi Gracia's pre-Southampton press conference every word on backroom staff, fans, Whites remit, team news and visa - YEP 24/2/23

Leeds United face an enormous Premier League relegation-battle six pointer at home to Southampton tomorrow and the club’s new head coach Javi Gracia spoke to the media for the first time today.

Lee Sobot

Just one point separates second-bottom Leeds and bottom-of-the-table Southampton ahead of Saturday’s 3pm showdown at Elland Road. The Whites failed to muster a single shot on target in last weekend’s 1-0 defeat at Everton and the Elland Road club then announced on Tuesday that former Watford boss Gracia had agreed terms to become United’s new head coach, subject to obtaining a work permit.

Leeds and Gracia were still awaiting the necessary work permissions which led to question marks about who would be in the dugout for Saturday’s relegation-battle six pointer against the Saints. Under-21s boss Michael Skubala has overseen United’s last three games following the sacking of Jesse Marsch. But Leeds announced at 12.30pm on Friday that Gracia’s visa had been confirmed and just 15 minutes later the Spaniard was in the hotseat for the club’s pre-Southampton press conference. Here is every word that was said by United’s 52-year-old new head coach.

A guessing game

12.45pm pre-match press conference for the Saints clash, but it remains to be seen who takes the questions. Either way, all the news to follow here. Gracia work permit top of the bill by a distance.

A possible sign...

Still a wait and see

As to whether it’s Gracia taking today’s press conference or not.

A statement from Leeds United: “Leeds United are delighted to announce Javi Gracia’s visa has been confirmed. Following this, we are pleased to unveil a number of new additions to the existing backroom staff at Thorp Arch.

“Zigor Aranalde joins as an assistant coach, having served under Gracia in spells at Watford, Valencia and Al Sadd. Aranalde enjoyed a long playing career as a full-back in Spain with Eibar, Sevilla and Albacete, then in England with Walsall, Sheffield Wednesday and Carlisle United.

“Mikel Antia also arrives at the club as an assistant coach, having played alongside Gracia at Real Sociedad. The former centre-back, also enjoyed stints at Valladolid, Elche and Braga before moving into coaching and also has experience in England with Newcastle United.

“Juan Jose Solla is the final new recruit to the backroom staff, having worked alongside Gracia throughout his managerial career. Most recently working at French Ligue 1 side Marseille, he joins the Whites as fitness coach.

“Michael Skubala, who oversaw our two games against Manchester United and the match against Everton, will also remain in the first team setup. Paco Gallardo will now take charge of the Under-21s side, replacing Skubala at the helm.”

Here we go!

Gracia is here!

This week from your perspective - has it been a waiting game - and how much of an impact will you have on the team tomorrow? Will you pick the team?

“We have been keeping an eye on the time and on the team and preparing many things. From today I have the permit and then we prepare watching some matches and speaking about the game and I think we are well prepared and the team and the players know what we are going to do tomorrow, that’s all. Full of energy, full of commitment because we know it’s a crucial game.”

Are you excited and are there similarities to Watford?

“Something similar, something different but in both clubs I felt, and today I feel, really well. From my first day, I realised when I arrived here it was an amazing club and to be honest I felt the same in Watford, a great family where I was really well and a grateful experience for me and I hope here in Leeds will be the same with good results and good football and with all our supporters enjoying with the team.”

On conversations with Leeds, what have you been told and is the remit to stay up?

“For sure. I think the club is focused in this moment on the target, the target is clear and this helps all of us to work in one direction and one way. When I spoke with them they were clear with me, we have to and we need to achieve the objective and from my first day I was in the same way. I was looking for one opportunity, one chance like this one and it was easy to speak with them and to arrive here.”

When did you know you would be in the dugout tomorrow?

“I arrived...l don’t remember to be honest because the last days have been really busy, sleeping two or three hours and preparing a lot of things. But I arrived on Tuesday and I had a meeting with the club on Sunday and it was easy after my conversation with the board, it was easy to decide that I want to be here and I want to accept the challenge and during the week we have been working and preparing the game and doing the things as best as possible and I think we are really prepared for the game which for me is the most important.”

On his contract

“You know our situation, it is not easy for the coaches! Maybe you stay one game or maybe you stay one life. You never know, but to be honest I am focused. When I accepted the challenge I accepted because I wanted to be here and I wanted to be here to be in the game and to try and help this team to achieve the objective. After that, we will speak. I don’t want to be here because I have a contract. I don’t want the club to have a difficult situation because the club has a coach that they don’t want in the club. I think it is better to be focused now on the next game and it’s my objective as well, try to win as soon as possible one game and try to finish the season with the objective. I am not worried about my future.”

How will you play?

“Try to play well! And after we can speak about this and what is to play well. But I think we have to play in the way that the players feel comfortable, in a way that the players feel secure and in a way that our supporters enjoy with the team, all these things. We have to find a balance and after we decide if we play with 4-4-2, with 4-3-3, with 5-3-2, with whatever you want. But the most important in my opinion is all these things than these numbers.”

Team news

“There are some players injured. You know better than me because I am here but I have a lot of information now, there are some players injured for a long time and to be honest in this moment I prefer not to speak about this, sorry but I prefer not to say anything.”

On the Prem and Southampton

“I watched all the games of Southampton and not all but most part of the games of the Premier League because it is my job and because I have three kids who love the Premier League and then I have to do it!”

Taking over at this stage, how do you prioritise changes in terms of tactics?

“I think you have to first analyse the team, try to understand why different things are happening and after try to find the balance you are looking for. In this case, in my opinion, the team is conceding goals - the third if I am right - and you have to improve that and to improve that is not you are going to be more defensive but you have to find more options to win to get better results. There are different things to improve. I know we don’t have much time but we need time to work on it and to give the players solutions and the way the players feel more comfortable on the pitch.”

Could you take over any team or did you see something here that you thought would suit your style?

“I can’t tell you something concrete. I love different teams playing different ways. In my opinion there is no bad game. The difference is the eyes are looking for the game. I am open to find the way my players characteristics play better or feel comfortable and we take the best of them. That’s my job and I try to find it that way.”

Where does the confidence come from to give you belief that you can keep Leeds up?

“The players because before coming I didn’t know more things about Leeds. What I know is what I see on the TV or what I see in the games and when I see them and the club called me then I look at what I was seeing in the team in the games, the way they were playing and knowing the players have many things to improve but I like the way the players were playing and I can see the ambition, the passion, all the things you can see on the TV.”

Is it gradual change and not changing too much too soon?

“In the time I have been here I cannot change many things. I can say whatever you want but I don’t have time to change many things. I have to be clever to know we have to change because we need to change things but at the same time I have to know the players don’t have time to know many informations or many different things. That balance can give us the best way to compete tomorrow and to try and get the result we are looking for.”

How much pressure is there on the players and how much of this job is psychological?

“I think the psychological part is important but I think they are well, I think they know they are doing their best they are showing their commitment with the club and then I think they are the confident that we will improve in the future and I think they are confident because they are doing their best. That’s the best thing I can say about my players, they are confident and they trust that at the end of the season we achieve our objective.”

Do you still have to prove yourself after the ending at Watford?

“When I finished my job in Watford I didn’t know if I had another experience in the Premier League. I had the chance to be in Spain in Valencia, I had a chance to go to Qatar, working as well, different experiences of life and working as well. But when this experience appeared I didn’t have any doubts. It was something I was waiting for because all these years I had other chances to train but I was waiting for something in the Premier and it was really exciting for me.”

How would you describe your management style - it was said you were a disciplinarian at Watford - fining players of they were late? Is that something you will continue?

“That’s not true! I try only to do right things and when I have to be one way I do it. In that case, I felt the best thing I can do was to speak with the players, explain what I was seeing and try to convince them how important it was to do something in this case. You have to always try to convince what you think you have to improve and that’s all. In that thing you are speaking about rules and all this and I spoke with my players and everybody at the end accepted what we thought was the best for the team.”

First impressions of Yorkshire as a place to live?

“Yesterday I was in the club with all the people that is working there and it was a really warm welcome and I was excited and really very grateful. but these kind of things makes the difference. When you arrive at one club you feel this you fell really, really well. Then the atmosphere in the club is very good and I only want to give them back all my best and to try in my job to give us good results.”

The atmosphere at Elland Road is one of the best in the Premier League, how much was that a factor taking on this challenge?

“I know. I know the atmosphere is really good and of course I am looking forward to the game. Tomorrow I expect our supporters will be the player number 12 for us. We need them and what we have to do is give our best from the beginning to the end. What I said to my players today is that tomorrow we have to do an extra effort because the team need it and tomorrow is the day.”

What has been the most important thing that you have had to do with the players this week?

“I think everybody knows the potential of this squad and the commitment of this squad and the energy and the passion they have to play. It’s without a doubt. And for me, from my first day they showed me all these things that I have said. They, in this moment, need a good result to change the dynamic because the rest of the things they are doing really well. Then, for me as a coach, it’s easy to stay with them, to work with them because they really want to do it and they really want to improve the situation. That’s the best thing for one coach when you arrive at one club.”

What reaction have you had from the players?

“All of them, from my first day, they showed me a very good attitude and today and in the training before, I felt all of them were really focused on the game and with a high commitment and looking forward to playing at Elland Road and to show our supporters that they really want to improve the situation. That’s the feeling I have now and to be honest that’s the feeling I had from my first day. The players want to improve the situation.”

On your backroom team - Zigor Aranalde, Mikel Antia, Juan Jose Solla - who are they and how experienced are they?

“Juan is my physical trainer and he has been with me from a long time ago from my the beginning. We started as professionals in Segunda B in Spain. And Mikel Antia and Zigor Aranalde are both former players and afterwards assistants, both with experience in England before. Mikel Antia was assistant with Rafa Benitez in Newcastle, Zigor was with me in Watford and other clubs as well. In my opinion they are good people, I need good people around me and very good profesionals as well."