2024-08-09 03:38:12
Marcelo Gallardo He was introduced as the new River Plate coach, and after a year and a half of closing his first stage, he will begin his second cycle at the helm of the “millionaire”. During his presentation conference, “Muñeco” acknowledged that he did not expect to return to the club.
“As soon as the possibility began to be mentioned, I received messages. Because of my personal situation, I did not expect a return at this time. I knew that I should not play with people’s impatience. The media generated something that was not even remotely true,” said Gallardo.
“I was at a point in my life when I had to think about a lot of things. Jorge told me where we wanted to go. That’s when I thought it was best to take on this commitment, which is a very big challenge. It has a lot to do with how we prepare ourselves,” explained the “Muñeco.”
He then explained what led him to accept the offer. “It is a club that grows more and more every day. I want to feel that energy that I felt years ago. I am fine and very eager. Sometimes it is good to go out and look at the situation from the outside. You don’t see what is happening when you are inside. Sometimes things were done well and others badly and we were still doing the same. But from the outside you realise things. Having been away for a year from my life and doing a personal reconditioning made me reflect on many things. That is when I said: ‘If I have to come back, it has to be 100%’,” he concluded.
Marcelo Gallardo was introduced at River: “I’m where I belong”
The wait is over for River fans. In a ceremony held in the new space of the San Martín terrace, at the Monumental, Jorge Britothe “millionaire” president, officially presented Marcelo Gallardo as the new coach. Now, the second cycle of the “Muñeco” begins.
“I feel very excited. It seems like I never left, returning to the River world makes me feel very much at home. I am where I belong,” were Gallardo’s first words after being introduced by Brito, and after signing his contract until the end of 2025.
“We have to recover the spirit of the club and the team, we have to recover the desire to continue building. With our coach we are going to give 100 percent of our possibilities. If we all do well, we will be happy. That is what we are going to aim for. I want to thank everyone and especially my old man, who I cannot have here today,” added the “Muñeco”.
He also spoke about the most immediate challenge: the Copa Libertadores round of 16 tie against Talleres. “We have to get to work quickly and not look back. Starting today we are going to start working with the whole team. The expectation in the Copa Libertadores is the same as everyone else. The direct clashes stimulate us. We have to prepare. You can’t go into a match in a bad way,” said the most successful coach in the history of the “millionaires”.