Martín Demichelis was presented to the media on Sunday as the new coach of RCD Mallorca. The event was also attended by the club's corporate CEO, Alfonso Díaz, and the CEO of football, Pablo Ortells. Find out what our new boss had to say below.
Pablo Ortells: "First of all, on behalf of the club, I would like to thank Jagoba Arrasate for his work, dedication, and professionalism. There are times when decisions have to be made, and today we are here to welcome Martín. Thank you for choosing Mallorca and for being with us at this difficult time. We are committed, united, and full of energy, and that is what Martín is going to bring us. He has an excellent track record as a player and as a coach, having already coached important teams. He has had great mentors, and we believe he is the ideal coach to turn the team's situation around and achieve our goals."
Alfonso Díaz: "We are delighted to have you here, Martín. And I would also like to remember Jagoba Arrasate. It has been a pleasure to work with him all this time. We would like to send out a message of unity and say that we have 12 games ahead of us in which all of us at the club are convinced that we are going to turn the situation around. We will not stop until we achieve our goal of staying in the First Division. Everyone at the club is fully committed to making this happen. We ask for calm and confidence in the work and in the new coach to turn things around. Unity is what will get us out of difficult situations."
Martin Demichelis: "Thank you very much, Alfonso and Pablo. I am very happy to be back in Spain and to be here. Knowing that there is a very nice challenge ahead, I come from a country where what Mallorca is experiencing today is a breeze. We need unity. When there is that synergy between the people and the team, everything flows more easily and it is much more difficult for our rivals. We are grateful to the fans. May they continue to come and believe. We have an opportunity over 12 matchdays, and I have a lot of faith in the squad to do it. I can see that this is a very receptive group, and I have no doubt that by working hard every day, we will turn the situation around."
On why Mallorca: "In Spain, I understood the phrase ‘yes we can’. Here, there is plenty of talent to improve and help each other. It's clear that the team is emotionally shaken, and that's where we need to focus most. I sense that many of those I've come across feel as if we were in matchday 37. There's still a long way to go. We have to live this week with intensity to go and win in Pamplona."
On improving in the team: “I don't like to talk about mistakes or successes, but I do like to talk about things to adjust. You're going to hear me speak honestly. We are the second most conceded team and we have to start building from there, to be a solid team. The first thing to correct is solidity.”
On the team's situation: “What many see as a crisis, others see as an opportunity. It's a wonderful opportunity for this club to rise again from an uncomfortable situation. I don't consider this a crisis, but it is uncomfortable, and it's a great opportunity for everyone, not just for me.”
On why he signed: “When Pablo called me, I immediately made myself available. I love the profession and I watch a lot of football. I was very excited about the opportunity. It all happened very quickly. We felt empathy on both sides and within a day or a day and a half we were already getting on the plane.”
On changes to the team: "I may have my favorite system, but I'm pragmatic when it comes to tactics. My role here is to try to read not only the mood of the players, but also how they can perform at their best. Hopefully, we can build a solid team that then enjoys playing attacking football. And if we manage to become an unpredictable team for our opponents in a short time, that will be welcome. Can I introduce tactical changes and new names that are not playing? Yes, of course. I told the players that you play as you train. If you train well, you have a good chance of playing well. And from there, I will form the best eleven I consider."
On the team's situation: “I'm concerned that we think today that it's all over. There's still a long way to go. So, employees, players, and fans must be united and believe. For me, how we compete is important, and we will try not to go out and wait for the clock to run down, but to go out and get the results we need. I believe we have what it takes to do it, and that's why I didn't hesitate to take charge of this squad.”
On a balance between tactics and mentality: “It's important to have the most fluid communication possible with all the players because we're going to need them all in these 12 games. The whiteboard can help, but without communication, the system doesn't work.”
On a first impression of the team after the defeat against Real Sociedad: "I went down to the dressing room yesterday and after a defeat you're not going to find happy faces. I asked them, especially the captains, to please understand where life and football are headed. I'm only going to accept the unhappy face of a player who is injured because that's frustrating. I need them to be convinced to give their best in every training session and grow from there. I was clear with the players and it will be up to them who appears in the starting XI."
On problems in the past: "I don't know what problems there may have been in the dressing room and I'm not interested. For me, day-to-day will determine where we go. Today I found a very receptive squad. We trained with ten players and two goalkeepers, and when we finished training with that group, everyone who played yesterday had stayed behind. That's a good sign. I don't know what happened in the past. For me, it's from here on out, 12 games.
On the type of coach and the use of videos: "I hope to be one of the first to arrive and one of the last to leave. That's why we're here. It's a huge opportunity. Videos help, but you can't overdo it."
On an opportunity for players who haven't played much: “There are weeks when I'll be able to tell the team the starting XI the day before the game, and other days they'll find out in the locker room. I analyze everything. Anyone who thinks they're a starter is wrong, and anyone who thinks they're relegated is wrong too.”
On an automatic renewal if the team stays up: “First, Osasuna, and not much else.”
On coaching staff: "I have two assistant coaches: Germán Lux, who played here and has a sense of belonging to the club and is happy to be back, and Gabriel Raimondi. I brought in a video analyst, Mariano Cambursano. Jorge Rey is the physical trainer. And David Quintana, who is in charge of logistics between the club and the coaching staff. So in the short term, the coaching staff is focused exclusively on improving the team."
On physical performance: “I believe that nutrition is extremely important within the discipline. Obviously, I need players who are extremely strong. But it depends on the analysis you want to do. However, it's clear that to play this sport, you have to be physically fit, and that starts in the mind. The team has strong legs and is well trained, and I'm grateful to the previous coaching staff.”
On offensive performance: “We'll see what we find during the week to try to make the team feel comfortable with possession. I really like that the team takes care of the ball, knows how to move it, knows where to attack. And sometimes a long pass is necessary. We have to play smart games. I'm pragmatic, and we're going to look for ways to move forward much more, and emotions play a big role in that.”
On adapting to the tools available, or vice versa: Simeone has always said that he wants intelligent players. We're going to show where we want to go, and whoever interprets it fastest and seems most predisposed, considering everything I know about the squad, that's the direction we'll take. I'm very demanding on the training ground, and hopefully many things will be reflected as soon as possible. Hopefully it will be in Pamplona.