July 21, 2020 – Former Croatia national team coach and ex Bayern Munich boss Niko Kovac has been appointed the coach of AS Monaco FC.
Index.hr reports that the press conference lasted more than an hour, at which Niko Kovac was presented as a new man on the bench of the Ligue 1 club.
In the beginning, Kovac greeted those present in French and said briefly that they would try to teach him the language as soon as possible. He then continued in English, and due to the continuous translation, the press conference dragged on for more than an hour.
“The call surprised me, everything went fast and that’s why I am speaking English. The reason is simple – Monaco is a big club with a great tradition. The last few years have not been so successful and our goal is to bring the club back to the top of the league,” he said and answered questions from the journalists.
How will you improve the team and what needs to be added to the team?
“Every coach has his own philosophy, and in the past, I’ve played and worked in clubs like Eintracht and Bayern that are very different in style. We have to adapt, see the players we have, and then decide on the right tactics that can help the team.”
How well do you know the French league?
“French football is very successful, especially the national team. Some of the best players in the world play or have played in this league. I have to improve my knowledge of all the clubs, but above all, look at my team.”
How did the first contact with the players go?
“The first contact was very, very good. The first training was very intense, and yesterday and today we did a great job. It will take time, we have five weeks to improve and I am sure we will find the right solutions to improve the team.”
The club has changed four coaches in 18 months. Are you afraid of that?
“No.”
Who will be in your professional staff?
“My brother Robert, a former world-class player, will be in the professional staff, because I need a close person I trust. Goran Lackovic is a Croat with whom I worked in the Croatian youth and senior national team, and Austrian Walter Greffer is responsible for strength and fitness. The staff is small but strong and well known, I believe it will be a significant tool for this team.”
Have you heard from Danijel Subasic?
“I know Suba, he played here I think seven years and did a great job. I think he started in the second league and immediately in the first season, they secured promotion. We haven’t heard from each other, I think he’s in Croatia and he’s preparing for a new job. I’ll call him, but first Dado Prsa – I played with him, he is a great person and lives near Monaco.”
What is the training center for you? Do you have any requirements?
“I’m very happy because this training center smells like hard work. That’s how it is and I like it. We visited it right away on Sunday and I said I really like it because it’s not glamorous, but small but great to work with. For me, it’s the best atmosphere we can have.”
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