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Garagarza: “I see passion, pride and feeling”
The new Sporting Director approaches this new challenge with "excitement"
The start of a new era got underway with the presentation of Sporting Director Fran Garagarza, in a press conference at the Stage Front Stadium on Friday.
The Basque professional comes from Wolverhampton Wanderers where he was technical advisor, having previously spent 14 years with fellow LaLiga side SD Eibar. After his appointment earlier this week, Garagarza was unveiled to the media to discuss his plans for the upcoming season.
Garagarza said, “I arrived in Barcelona yesterday, I am excited because not even in my wildest dreams would I have expected to be here. I want to have this excitement every day. We are on a yacht, but we must put oars on that yacht if we want to move forward. We are going to have to row”.
He continued, “I am glad that we are all very clear about this. Espanyol is a big Club and it is a challenge and an honour that they have thought of me. I am here because Espanyol called me and that cannot be forgotten, and it is a challenge for me. I assume this position with the greatest enthusiasm in the world”.
The new sporting director explained, “Training begins this coming Wednesday and I want to talk one on one with all the players we have. I want to listen and, from there, start building. I want the players to know that they are going to have to row”.
In this sense, he also explained that he has spoken every day with coach Luis García, saying “I get a very positive feeling, from his essence, from his way of working, from the respect that he has transmitted to me, with a very defined style of play . I am very happy with Luis”.
Garagarza has made it clear that he is relaxed about the preparation of the squad: "If things don't work out, it will be because I haven't done it well, not because I haven't been here three months before. I am quite calm”.
Finally, he concluded by assuring his goal was the same as Espanyol’s: to earn instant promotion back to the first tier. Garagarza said, “The objective is clear. The model seems fundamental to me. I have no doubts about achieving promotion, but with oars”.