Tell me what comes now in terms of recruitment. How soon do you look at what you want player-wise in the summer? And do you feel the club are there to support you in that?
Roberto: “Listen, we have a great relationship with Johan and Vinai and the whole board. I have no doubt, but it’s right because I came to start a new plan, a new project, and the plan was not in Sunderland. It was after Everton, staying in the Premier League. My target was very clear at the beginning. I gave all my best. I pushed to arrive at today. From today, we have to start to work. Look, my target when I came was today, to arrive today, after the last game and planning the next Premier League. I’m sure we have not to change too many players. It’s not right. It’s not right because we are lucky to have a lot of good players, a lot of good guys. I think we have to complete the squad in the best way, with the first level of players, with the right behaviour of the players, because now the qualities of the players are important, but more important is the spirit, the mentality of these players – and now the job starts.”
Do you have a priority in terms of the work you would like to do with the players?
Roberto: “I want to improve the quality of the play, for sure. I want to improve build-up because normally you are focused on the last 30 metres, but you can improve the last 30 metres if you play better in the first 70 metres. In build-up, we have to improve in the ball possession, we have to improve in the control of the game, for sure in the finishing, the last pass, the assists, a lot of things. We have time now to organise the improvement of the play.”
What will summer look like for you?
Roberto: “I’m looking forward to build a new team. I’m looking forward to call these players, to speak with them and to introduce the new season and to speak with the new players we have to bring. We are lucky to stay here and we have to compete in the best way we can.”
