The presentation took place at the “Achilles Grammatikopoulos” hall of the “George Karaiskakis” stadium and coach Jardim was presented to the press by OLYMPIACOS F.C. President, Mr. Evangelos Marinakis.
The Director of Communications Mr. Kostas Karapapas introduced the presentation and the floor was then given to Mr. Marinakis, who said:
“We are very happy to welcome the new coach of Olympiacos. As we did in the past, we will ensure that our head coach lacks nothing. Everything he might need in order to work will be given to him so as to build a team the way we want him to and continue with further success.
We had told you that we would have a new coach by early June and that’s exactly what happened. Leonardo Jardim is a young man, who, from now on, will have the keys to the football department. He is an ambitious and hardworking man. I am certain that everyone on the team will do everything in their power to assist him in his work. To facilitate him so as to help OLYMPIACOS keep on winning titles and making a significant campaign in Europe. “
Mr. Marinakis subsequently referred to the support that he expects the fans of Olympiacos to show the new coach: “I assume that our fans will support the club and our new head coach in our effort to add the fourth star to our shirt by purchasing a season ticket attending our games. Our goal is to win the 40th championship, a record that few teams in the world have achieved, as well as to play good football. We want our stadium to be full and our fans to enjoy good football. “
Next, it was Leonardo Jardim’s turn to address the attendees:
The Portuguese coach expressed his satisfaction about his presence in Greece and Olympiacos by saying: “It is my pleasure to be here; on the greatest team in Greece and one of the greatest teams in Europe. We have high potential and ambitions. Despite what is going on in Greece right now, I believe we can go forward.”
The coach did not fail to mention the crowd of OLYMPIACOS: “My opinion is that together we can achieve our goals and bring even more success to the team. That way, the fans of the club we will approach the team even more. Besides, I already know that our crowd is always by our side no matter whether we win or lose.”
Then it was the journalists’ turn to pose their questions to the President and the coach.
Initially, the president of Olympiacos was asked about his decision to entrust the team to the Portuguese technician:
“For two months we undertook the difficult task to find a new team coach. We spent time and energy to find the best possible solution. We did not haste. We examined many cases; we contacted them in and outside Greece. The appointment of Mr. Jardim was not, in any case, made under stressful conditions. It was a conscious decision. We all believe that Leonardo has everything needed to succeed with Olympiacos. As I said, the keys to the football department are now in the hands of Leonardo Jardim.”
As for the reasons that led him to decide upon working with such a young coach, the president of Piraeus said: “He is a young, ambitious coach, with knowledge and a successful season in Portugal and with the best references from Portugal. However, the most important thing we realized when we came into contact with him was the good chemistry between us. That’s the most important thing in the cooperation between two people who will be in constant, on a daily basis, contact.
The criteria were not limited to his country of origin. There are many things to consider before making such a decision. The fact that Ernesto is Spanish and that we now chose the solution of Leonardo, who is Portuguese, has little meaning. What matters is the mood for work and for our team to do even better.
I think that given that Olympiacos had good results and played good football, Leonardo has all it takes to add something more to it and make us all happy.”
Many questions were also addressed to the new head coach of OLYMPIACOS.
About his goals and his new team, coach Jardim said: “Our first goal is to do well in Greece. Win the championship and the Cup. In the Champions League, we need to exit the group stage and then take it from there.”
“I’ve watched some games of OLYMPIACOS in Greece, but I’ve also seen the team perform in the Champions League. Right now, and until the beginning of the season, I want to take the time and meet my players. During this period we will make important decisions for the future and determine a model on which we will work the whole season. As for my countrymen, I’ve spoken with Mr. Fernando Santos and as soon as he finishes his work in the Euro, we will speak in more detail on all issues related to Greek football.”
About the new era of OLYMPIACOS, the 38-year-old Portuguese coach, said: “I want to have a team with good quality in its game, with respect to our fans who attend our games and appreciate good football. We need to have the ambition to move up and, of course, to continue achieving our goals, be champions and keep on winning.
I do not care for the team to be based on Portuguese players, although I myself am Portuguese. I want to have good players, regardless of their nationality. I want them to be able to improve our team and the way we play. I am not able to know the number of players who will join our team, but I think that 24-25 is the ideal number of players in order for us to work well. I want kids from the Academy to be given a chance, since they will also be part of our work.”
Leonardo Jardim was then asked, whether he feels pressured to be working for a team which sets its standards very high: “I am not pressured at all. On the contrary, I feel urged and motivated to keep on working. It is of no importance to talk about the past and the coach who was here before. The important thing is to keep in touch with Ernesto Valverde, in order to do a better job for OLYMPIACOS now. In my career, I have always wanted to come up against a challenge and exceed it, step by step. What we need to do now is get well into the new season by winning games. For example, we can’t compare OLYMPIACOS with Braga, my former team. That club aimed at ending up in the top four teams of the league. In the end we did better than expected. With OLYMPIACOS, however, the goal is winning the championship but also doing well in the Champions League.”
To look at more pictures from the presentation, clickHERE!
