Letsch in an interview:
“Don’t occupy myself with negative thoughts”
Neo-Salzburg coach Thomas Letsch took a lot of time for a big interview with the "Krone". The 56-year-old spoke about the Champions League clash with Real Madrid, his game idea, the current team and why the job with the Bulls appealed to him so much.
Mr. Letsch, tomorrow you face Real Madrid in your first competitive match as Salzburg coach. How much anticipation is there?
I was in Barcelona in October and was able to look over the shoulders of Hansi Flick and assistant coach Marcus Sorg. I was also there in Madrid and saw the Bernabeu. Now, as head coach, playing against the reigning champions in the Champions League is of course an absolute highlight. I'm really looking forward to it. I didn't do anything to give us the opportunity, but I'm going to enjoy it and I want us to do well. Our big goal is to play in the Champions League again next year.
The roles are clearly defined. How do you want to go about it?
We have to approach it with courage and a positive attitude. It's clear that we'll probably lose nine out of ten games at the Bernabeu. But we have to do everything we can to make sure that this is the one game that we don't lose. As a coach, I've been lucky enough to play against big teams like Bayern, Tottenham and Leipzig and have already beaten them. But I've also suffered really heavy defeats. That's all part of it. We are clear underdogs, but I don't dwell on negative thoughts.
Let's look back. How did you feel when you heard about Salzburg's interest?
That's a good question. When Rouven contacted me and said that we should meet as soon as possible, I initially gave it some thought. I had previously been in contact with a number of other clubs. With some, you go to a meeting and think it's not that exciting. In this case, I thought to myself: 'Wow! Red Bull Salzburg in the current situation! That's particularly exciting. And I also find Rouven, who I've known for a long time, totally exciting as Managing Director Sport. I was therefore delighted to receive the invitation and was curious to see how the interview would go. That was the deciding factor for me, because I realized that we had similar ideas. I then went home with a good feeling. Soon after that, we had the next interview and everything took its course.
What attracted you so much to the coaching position in Salzburg?
In everything I've done so far, I always had to have the feeling that this job would kick me. That was absolutely the case during the talks with Salzburg! It's a difficult, but also a good time to join here. The fact that I was there at some point and live nearby is nice, but certainly not the criterion. It's simply an extremely exciting task. I want to play in the Champions League and I want us to qualify for it again. The fact that I wanted a job where you normally win more than you lose also played a role. With a relegation candidate like Bochum, it was of course different, even if it also has its appeal.
How do you want to get Salzburg back on the road to success?
First of all, it has to be said that the other clubs in Austria have done a good job in recent years. First and foremost Sturm, but also Austria and Rapid. You have to pay tribute to these clubs and it shows that Red Bull Salzburg's many titles in the past were not a foregone conclusion. We naturally have great potential, with a lot of young, highly talented players. It's now a matter of conveying my playing idea to them and getting players back on board who have been on the sidelines recently. I have no idea what happened before me, and that doesn't matter to me. I know what kind of player I am. And with that, we want to turn the team into a unit that works on the pitch. I am convinced that we can turn the right screws to be successful again.
What kind of soccer do you want to play?
I don't really like the term Red Bull soccer. But of course I'm still influenced by the time with Ralf Rangnick, when it all started here. However, all the coaches who have been here have done their own thing, everyone works a little differently. Nevertheless, it's important to me that our focus is always on playing against the ball. It's not so much about how we play in our own possession, but it should be clear that we work intensively together as a unit against the ball and, if possible, win a lot of the ball. When we win the ball, it's important that we switch quickly. We don't need 150 touches of the ball, but should play as directly as possible towards goal.
Do you still need to strengthen the squad?
In terms of quantity, the squad is big enough. There are positions where there is no need at all. And there is also a lot of talent in the team. If we bring in a new player, it has to be someone who we are convinced will make us better straight away. I know that many people are thinking of a new central defender. But we're certainly not the only club looking for an experienced defender. For me, it would therefore be fine to start the spring with this squad. You mustn't forget the league factor. If someone has played in the German Bundesliga or Serie A and isn't ready to play in front of fewer spectators in Austria, then he's the wrong player.
You have a luxury problem in the goalkeeper position. Who will win the race?
You can say that the situation is difficult or you can say that the situation is great. We have two top goalkeepers and if one of them drops out, like Alex did in camp, you don't have to worry. There hasn't been a real duel yet because Alex was ill. That's why it doesn't make sense to commit to one right now.
And who is captain?
The situation is similar there. I know who the captains were, but it doesn't have to stay that way. I want to take my time looking at it. It could be that we make a decision now or after the two games in the Champions League.
Sports boss Schröder said that you are the best transfer. Is that additional pressure?
It's definitely not pressure, because I'm already putting it on myself. I didn't say for nothing that we want to achieve the maximum. It was clear to me that we had to set ambitious goals. I can't sit here and say that we want to finish in the top three and be satisfied with that. That's not possible. But it's also clear that I can't achieve anything on my own anyway. It needs the whole team.
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