Roberto De Zerbi's speech, Friday evening after OM-Auxerre (1-3) in Ligue 1, will remain a highlight of the Olympian season with a few shocking sentences from the Italian technician, very annoyed and marked by this new humiliation, at Vélodrome, where Marseille has only taken five points in five matches (one victory, two draws, two consecutive defeats). RMC Sport transcribes the words of the Olympian coach in full.
Strong words, and a technician visibly touched. Roberto De Zerbi delivered a striking press conference on Friday evening after OM's defeat against Auxerre in Ligue 1 (1-3).
De Zerbi “takes responsibility, is ready to leave if he is the problem.” But he 'does not let go and escape'.
“I take responsibility for this defeat and not just today's: all of the performances at home, to tell the truth. I can't give the players the values and the strength to repeat, at the Vélodrome, the performances we perform away from home We have too many difficulties at home, in terms of character and personality. I try to find the solution but I see, at the Vélodrome, different players. , that's why I take on this responsibility, because I can't change that at home, we can't do it (He pauses).
I came here to Marseille for the VÉLODROME. I insist: TO PLAY AT THE VÉLODROME, and live this exciting experience there. When I see the players during the week, when I see them outside… They have this quality, so I have to take responsibility. I can't give them the right ingredients to play football well at the Vélodrome. Because this team knows how to play football well, and I can't give them this personality, this courage.
Me, you know, I'm a real person. I'm not deceitful. I don't beat around the bush, I come from the street. I told Medhi Benatia and Pablo Longoria that if the problem is me, I am ready to let go of my contract and give up the money I have to take. If the problem is me, I'm ready to walk away and walk away from this contract. I live football 24 hours a day, and it has always been like that in my career because I sacrifice my life for football. Right now, I can't give players the most important part of football which is the courage, the passion, the need to live for this profession of footballer. But I'm not giving up. Let me be clear: I am not escaping. But I take responsibility for it.”
“Don't talk to me about second place! I came here to rock the stadium.”
“I don't live for second place and for the position in the ranking. That's not what drives me or excites me. Playing at the Vélodrome is a privilege. I want to pass it on to the people who are behind us all year what I think about football and how I experience football we didn't get there when we were 11 men, for 20 minutes, against PSG, and that doesn't suit me at all. what we had imagined, what we had thought, what we had put in place against Angers, against Auxerre today or during the second period against Reims, I tell you the truth, it is. It's the same! We were in difficulty. While away… We had great matches. In Brest, in Toulouse, in Montpellier, in Nantes… I don't know, it's different.
I don't live thinking only about second place. I'm not here to take three points either, or be satisfied with a victory. Don't tell me about second place! I didn't come here for second place, for third place, for fourth place or anything. I live and came here to have the conviction that when we enter this stadium, we will play, and succeed in giving pleasure to the supporters, transcending them, making the stadium vibrate.
They can take my money away. Money doesn't change my life. What changes my life is feeling rewarded every day for giving people what they expect. So I say, if the problem is me, I'll walk away and leave the money. I leave him on the bench, after leaving my heart on the bench, brain on the bench and everything on the bench! And mind you, these players are all good people. I put my hand in the fire for all my players, for everyone. And if they can't give more, it's probably my fault!
“The players know exactly that I have only one speech. And I pass on to you what I passed on to the locker room. I am a real and honest person.”
“I really take responsibility, it's not a way of speaking (to protect the players). When I say that I am responsible, it's because I really feel responsible. I'm not trying to hide something. You need to know that what I said to you, I said it in the locker room, obviously I talk to the players first, always, and after what I say to the players, I tell you. to you. I don't have two different speeches. The players know exactly that I have one face and one speech, not two or three speeches.
“You have to arrive here (at the Vélodrome) with determination. You have to have guts, go for it and be a bit of a kamikaze.”
“I think I have certain players who have the necessary character and personality. And that there are others who need to improve in this area. If we put enough passion, if we realize the chance that we have to live and play in this stadium, to feel this club, to wear this jersey… (He stops) I'll even say more: if we go to work like any other employee, without real. passion, that's not okay.
I don't think we need to change the players because they are quality players. I simply believe that we must quickly realize that, to play here, we have to give more… It's not a question of saying 'you stay in the team, you leave, you stay, you're not okay not'. But you need something else, you need to understand the city, the history of this club, give that extra soul, have your head held high, have guts and high standards. We must arrive here with determination, we must not ask ourselves questions, we must go for it and be a bit of a kamikaze. And yes, when there is a lot of waiting, a lot of pressure, our legs are a little heavy when we play, and it's different outside… And it drives me crazy not to understand why. I come back to the same thing: it's my fault if I can't transform my team when they are at home. We must find solutions, understand that we must give more. Even if some players manage to give extra soul.”
