Saturday, March 27, 2010

Alvarez hopes for impact

Alvarez hopes for impact

New Sevilla interim manager Antonio Alvarez hopes to lift the team for the end-of-season run-in.

Alvarez was appointed until the end of the campaign after Manolo Jimenez's departure on Tuesday night.

Sevilla are not certain of a place in the Primera Division's top four and a spot in next year's UEFA Champions League.

But Alvarez, who was Jimenez's assistant for two years, says he will try to improve the mood in the camp to pick up results.

On his plans for the new regime, he said: "Working day to day, encouraging the team and convincing them that we are going to achieve our targets.

"It is a question of mindset, it is necessary to lift the team, after recent results and the elimination from the Champions League, which was a huge blow, the problem is physiological. I see myself as capable of being in the dressing room.

"(They have) a lot of desire to work, a lot of will and want to take the team forward. I have felt very comfortable and welcomed in the dressing room.

"Ten matches remain, 10 finals and there is time to turn our luck around, to play attacking football. This is to say to gamble on attacking football which, of course, means running the risks implicated with this type of football, but I have nothing but trust for the team I have."

Big job

Sevilla initially tried to get Luis Aragones as their new manager, but negotiations with Spain's Euro 2008-wining coach broke down.

And Alvarez admits he is relishing the challenge and the pressure that the Sevilla job brings.

"It is a dream," he added. "As a player I have played here and after this I spent many years working as the second in command and the last two as the technical secretary and finally the day I have been waiting for has happened.

"I have a lot of excitement, ambition and confidence to take things forward. The targets we have are still in our hands. It was my biggest wish and now it is a reality.

"I have worked happily in other departments and I have learnt new things. It has helped me and now the moment is right. (Even) if the decision was different, this moment would have arrived eventually."

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