[ad_1]
“Sometimes you will win, sometimes you will lose – but I prefer to win.”
When Jean-Luc Vasseur was unveiled as Everton’s new manager he came with a CV packed with silverware and he hopes to deliver again in England.
But the Frenchman, who won the 2019-20 treble with former club Lyon, knows it will take time with his new club.
The Toffees are aiming to close the gap on the Women’s Super League’s top three and secure qualification for the Champions League – a competition Vasseur won with Lyon.
It is the “project” which 52-year-old Vasseur said excited him the most when he was offered the role at Everton, replacing Willie Kirk, who was sacked in October.
“The project is very ambitious. The club tries to grow the team and to find the European competition in the future,” said Vasseur.
“It is very interesting. It is not the same in Lyon as there is a team to grow [at Everton] and to make progress. So it’s very important for me.”
Everton’s ambitions are clear and Vasseur spoke about his “vision” to improve the squad.
He said it will take time but “the sooner the better” – a consistent caveat throughout his first news conference.
Vasseur wants to win titles so he has demanded ambition from his players and patience from the club.
“I think we will learn and make some rules, definitely. We are going to progress together – the staff and the team. We will improve slowly but efficiently,” he added.
“We need to build. I don’t control the time, you know? I know the high level so I know the way for Everton to progress and maybe to succeed and join the high level. It’s very, very hard. You need patience. That is very important.
“I have changed during my career so I will continue to do the same and to add higher levels of recruitment to my team. It’s necessary that all the players and team are ambitious, very ambitious.
“[You must be] always ambitious and have confidence after you play. We are looking for some energy and ruthlessness to close this gap quickly.”
On a personal level, Vasseur hopes his time in England will improve his language skills but he has already settled quickly.
French forward Valerie Gauvin and midfielder Kenza Dali have been on hand to provide translation support, alongside England international Izzy Christiansen, who played under Vasseur at Lyon.
“I am very happy with what I discovered at the club. It is a wonderful club,” said Vasseur. “The Blues are an amazing club with big facilities and a big community. I love the values of the club.
“The communication is 20% verbal and 80% with body language. When I don’t find a way verbally, with my body language I speak very well. We try to communicate better and to be clear – that is very important.
“Sometimes I am looking for the word to translate and sometimes I ask Izzy, Kensa or Valerie to finish the words for me! But when we arrived, I apologised for my English speaking and like my team, I will improve.
“My team will improve football and I will improve my English speaking so it’s an amazing project!”
Vasseur won his first game in charge against Leicester City in the League Cup on Wednesday night and his attention now turns to a home game against Brighton in the WSL on Saturday (17:30 BST).
[ad_2]
Source link
