Natxo González: “I can’t defend these numbers”

Evaluation of the meeting: “A good first half, we finished very well. And a second half in which they scored two goals early on and it was a blow. From there the party is different, more heart than head. That is the objective reading of the game”.

How are you?: “I’m sick, like we all are. We were very excited, we were optimistic at the break because the rival had not thrown us. We had two or three pretty good options. We were arriving well, you leave with that illusion in the second half and you fit in quickly. Obviously, it’s a blow. If you go first classified, it does not affect you so much. But in the situation we are in, on an emotional level the team suffers. Above they put the second quickly. Then we run, we put our heart into it, but it’s difficult, even more so against a team like this, with a lot of quality and experience in their players”.

Would you understand a change on the bench?: “My situation is calm. I have strength, obviously. I know what this is and I’ve been on it for a few years now. These are difficult times, but from my position what I am going to transmit is optimism, work and seek solutions, which is why I am here. I was expecting the recurring question about the change of coach. It is not a happy day for me and talking about my job… I understand you, but I will never answer this question. Decisions will be made and that’s it, but don’t ask me for an opinion, I’ll understand if I’m fired. Forgive me, but do not ask me this question again because I am not going to answer it. It is the one that touches and the recurring one, but excuse me ”.

The template is very marked: “I’m not from Malaga, but I work for Malaga and I’m sad. The players are the first who want to win and have to win. His future also depends on the results, like mine and everyone’s. We can be more successful or less. We are all sad, from there we just have to headbutt each other or understand that we are in a complicated situation and that we have to get out of it”.

How to fix this situation? “We have no choice but to continue analyzing what is happening. There is a very fine line between falling to one side and falling to the other. Nobody can say that the first 45 minutes of Malaga have not been good. At 45 minutes we are satisfied, suddenly we left and with an unfortunate move, everything came crashing down on us. When you are in this situation everything is misfortune. Jairo is injured, then the 0-1 play… That hurts emotionally. And it touches you. Then they start ‘mercenary players’ and I don’t know what. Many times we do not put ourselves in the shoes of professionals. We are people and our legs and pulse also tremble when we have an environment like this. I understand people, but it is what we have and we have to solve this. If I had the solution, I would have already posted it”.

Andres Caro, right back: “Defend with four and attack by getting inside and with three coming out. Defensively he is a solvent player, he gives us consistency and offensively he will allow us to have a good start. That was the idea”.

Cries against the template: “The team has to respond to the fans. We are aware of what we all play. I as a coach, those who have a contract, those who don’t, those on loan… We all have something at stake. It’s not an attitude problem. The lack of commitment or concentration of each one is the one of each one. I can’t get in there. I know how I am and we try to work every day on all aspects of the game. You do 45 very good minutes and for a mistake and in a minute everything goes to shit. That weighs you down and the opposing team takes advantage. We work, we train and we are where we deserve to be. We are going to continue and I am going to try to find solutions at a football level. With the gesture at the end of the game (only a few players came to greet the fans at the end of the game) we have to be responsible enough, but we also have to put ourselves on the player’s side. The player is very screwed. If they enter the locker room they would realize that they are screwed there, they are not dancing. I understand the fans, but I also put myself in the player’s point of view. It’s hard. There are a lot of sticks and that is not easy to manage”.

Do you understand that the hobby thinks that your credit is exhausted?: “I’m not going to talk. What I can’t control… I work to do my best and that’s it. I understand everything and I am not the one to say yes or no. Everyone is free to act and think what they want. I know what I am and what I have in my hands. I can not to do other thing. I respect all opinions. There are the numbers, how am I going to defend those numbers? Of course I can’t defend them. I can’t control what people think. I’m going to try to control what I can control.”

Concern six points from relegation: “Sporting thrashing, Mirandés thrashing… I always try not to cause any more anxiety than I already have. I’m a little more restless than last week.”

Jairus injury: “He has noticed a puncture and we will see if it stays in a contracture or a break. Until tests are done, we won’t know.”

Dani Barrio’s mistake: “I imagine he’s obviously annoyed”

More mental than football problem?: “Football-wise, we do things well. We are having a lot of problems in the opposite area. We have had several chances to score when the opponent had not shot us on goal. On an emotional level, this situation weighs more and more. That’s where you see the strength of groups. We have to help each other, grit our teeth and respond to the storm that is upon us”.

Risk of getting more involved in the lower zone: “We have been involved for a long time. You win two games and you get out of there. Lose two and exit. It’s going to be a fight to the finish.”

Adrian Lopez: “I do not know what to answer. When he is made a record it is to count on him. If the matter arises, let’s see if we think that Adrián is going to come and save us from all evil. If it is considered opportune, he will help us. We all have to get this out. We will wait and see.”

Hicham: “On the right wing, like Jairo, who was playing a good game, that’s where we had their most vulnerable area. As long as it’s been fresh it’s been fine. Then the game was long. Hicham will be important and he always has been. Let’s see if we are capable of giving him continuity, especially on a physical level. He is a very unbalancing player”.

Chavarría: “To be a starter, it remains for me to make the decision to put it on.”

Atmosphere in the locker roomor: “On a day-to-day basis, I have no complaints. There are players who are happier because they play, others who are more dissatisfied. Most are having minutes to express themselves. I can talk about what I have been living these 8-9 weeks. That there are some conflicts is normal, but there is no bad vibe inside the locker room and on a day-to-day basis”.

Unsuccessful welcome to the team: “I don’t know what has happened. The players were summoned, they have left the locker room to receive and have not met the reception. We train in the morning, we all eat here together, each one goes home and then each one comes in their car”.

Conversation with Manolo Gaspar: “We usually see each other after the game, we give each other a hug and nothing else. We don’t go into that kind of stuff. Especially when a game ends and we are all sad. After the game we see each other, we shake hands, a hug and that’s it”.