Mr. Marinakis was the first to address the media representatives and, cracking a joke, he said:
“We had a discussion with Mr. Valverde which lasted half an hour and we mutually decided that he will continue to be the team’s head coach for two more years. I believe that this is something very pleasant for Olympiacos and Mr. Vrentzos will be with us shortly to share with you the details.”
Next, it was Mr. Valverde’s turn to speak:
“I do not wish to say much nor become sentimental. This is a very difficult day for me. The reason I am here is to announce that I will not be the coach of Olympiacos the following season and I would like to take some time to explain to you how we got to this.
Last year, when we renewed our cooperation for one more season, I told the President that it will be my last here. However, we had agreed not to say anything as we thought it was in the best interest of the club so that we could have stability within the team; besides, the President thought that he could maybe make me reconsider. That was the deal, not to talk about it. This is more for you to see the trusting relationship between the President and the coach during these two years of cooperation. Furthermore, in order to avoid all that was said about my agreeing with another team, I would like to make it clear that it is not true. I would like to stress that the President has several times proposed me a renewal for two, three, four or even five years, especially after some difficult times for the team; for example after the draw with Doxa Dramas or the defeat by Skoda Xanthi, when we were five points behind Panathinaikos so as to confirm his trust in me.
It was something really nice but I kept telling him that my decision was final. We waited for the right moment to announce it; when the team would have achieved its goals, that is to say having won the championship and having qualified to the Hellenic Cup’s Final. There are several reasons for my decision. The main reason is a personal one which affects only me; things that concern my personal life and which cannot be discussed at a Press Conference.
The second reason is that I have been with this club for three years and I know that this is a club with high excellence; a team that always wanted to win and this can be very exhausting for someone. Three years is a very long time in football as well as in life itself. I would like you to know that when I first came here in 2008 and signed for the first time with Olympiacos, I had no idea where I was coming. I knew nothing on the club or the country and the first few days were puzzling for me. I was surprised with what I saw. I was wondering whether or not I had made the right decision and I couldn’t decide on the answer.
Now I know that it was the right decision to make and I want you to know that I would also like to extend four different “thank-you’s”. To the President of Olympiacos, as I would like to thank Mr. Marinakis in two separate ways, one as a professional coach and his cooperation with the team’s President, for his trust and respect and another as a person because our relationship was always trustful, even during tough times.
Secondly, I would like to thank all the players, assistant coaches, technical staff as well as all club staff, those who are here as well as those who work at Rendis from the first one to the very last. I always thought that when the working conditions are good then a team can do better as everyone is happy even when the circumstances are demanding. Therefore I feel that everyone is part of all the success that we had these three years, as much as I am.
I would also like to thank the fans of Olympiacos for their continuous support during all these years, for putting up with a coach who usually loses the first match of the season and puts them in a difficult position and for offering me such unbelievable moments. Every match was special and unforgettable, no matter if it was in Karaiskaki,or in London, or in Dortmund or Marseille. The moments with them were magical. One last “thank you” to all football fans who are not supporters of Olympiacos, because of the respect they showed towards me.
Concluding, I would like to say that while I was coaching Olympiacos, I tried to do what was best for the team from the very first to the very last day. I know that many of you feel that I have offered many things to the club -and I thank you for thinking that way- but I strongly believe that you did more for me than I did for you and I will always hold you dear. “Efcharisto” (Thank you).
On his part, the President, Mr. Evangelos Marinakis, stated the following:
“To me, Ernesto Valverde is, above all, a friend and then a collaborator. He represents a chapter for OLYMPIACOS FC which does not end here today. Two years ago, when we began this effort to bring OLYMPIACOS FC as high as possible, the team was at the Greek Championship table’s fifth place and not in the position to participate in European competitions.
With Ernesto Valverde playing a key part in this effort of ours, we managed to win two titles in the Greek Superleague, performed, according to everyone, good football, kept the Greek flag high in the European competitions and our team works, in all aspects, as a family. Ernesto Valverde himself, with his presence in Greece, elevated Greek football and I hope that he will be an ambassador, both for OLYMPIACOS FC as well as for our country, wherever he is in the future.
From the beginning, our deal was set for two years and in this time, apart from the cooperation that Ernesto Valverde and I had, we also became very good friends. As his friend and as President of OLYMPIACOS FC, I ultimately respect his decision; a decision that has nothing to do with the budget, money, or any contracts. This decision has also nothing to do with any deal or contact with any other club.
It is a decision that Ernesto Valverde had to make, for personal reasons and which everyone at OLYMPIACOS FC respects. I hope that this farewell, which will come after our last official match, will signify yet another title for the team, that of the Greek Cup. After all, everyone on the club wants to end the season by achieving the double. We will remain in constant contact and cooperation with Ernesto Valverde and as I said before, the door here at our club will always be open for him.
Apart from that and in regards to our choice of a new coach, we will take into consideration his advice as well as all the discussions we have had so far with him on the matter. I want to make it clear to everyone that the board and I will start discussing about a new coach no earlier than the beginning of June. I would like to point that out to all of you, because of all that is published every day in the Press on the subject. None of it actually corresponds to the truth. We will discuss the matter of who will be our new coach, again, in early June. As far as the club’s future is concerned and after seeing several people worrying about what will happen, I want to reassure you that I will do my best to make our club even stronger.
We will continue down same path we have taken these past two years and we will continue to rise as a club. We will have the opportunity to discuss all these matters though at the Press conference that we will be held in early May.
This day belongs to Ernesto Valverde and we all want to focus on him. On behalf of the entire OLYMPIACOS family, we would like to thank him for the golden pages written during his presence here at OLYMPIACOS FC, the biggest club in Greece.”
