Stefano Pioli has spoken of the ‘honour’ in being handed the Lazio” data-scaytid=”3″>Lazio job, as he asserts his belief the club will strengthen in the market.
Stefano Pioli has spoken of the ‘honour’ in being handed the Lazio job, as he asserts his belief the club will strengthen in the market.
The former Chievo and Bologna Coach was confirmed yesterday in the Olimpico hotseat, following Edy Reja’s resignation earlier in the day.
On from his new President Claudio Lotito’s words of support at his presentation, the 48-year-old reflected to the media on the task in front of him.
“I can only be happy with the words of the President. I am happy, proud and honoured to receive this new position,” Pioli has considered today.
“I and my staff will put all that we can into this to ensure that next season is a positive one. The club had offered me a two-year contract, but I have signed a one-year contract that is automatically renewable if we reach the objective of European football.
“I have come to Lazio to work, to achieve the objectives and to have an important season with results. They have always made me feel like first choice, we are focused on doing the best that we can.
“I like to have a direct approach, do everything and oversee everything, and those who will play on the Sunday will do so for how they train during the week.
“We want to be an aggressive team, playing a proactive football and to do that we have to work hard during the week.
“Fans are concerned I won’t be independent? We are here to work, we can promise that the commitment will be the maximum. We are focused solely on making sure that things will work out in the best way possible.
“Things work in a company when there is unity of purpose and where there is respect for the roles. I am the Coach, I will make the selections.
“Formation? It is important to provide some continuity to the playing system. The characteristics of the players for the initial set-up will be 4-3-3, but we have different options.
“Deeper assessments will be made in time.”
Pioli was asked about the club’s projected targets in the summer transfer window.
“We have talked about names and we agree to increasing the technical level and character of the team.
“The market is long, there may be many surprises and haste is not a good approach – the important thing is that we get players who can improve the level of this team.
“We may lose some important players, but we are looking for other quality players who can build a team capable of reaching Europe.”