Manuel Pellegrini is at West Ham because he believed David Sullivan always wanted him on every occasion they spoke to each other. And in his first interview with the club he has revealed that he wants to bring in four or five players declaring: “I think West Ham has a very good team.
“I know all of the players and I saw most of the games that they played last season, so I am sure that, with the players we have in this moment in the squad, and bringing maybe another four or five players in, we are going to have a strong team.”
Speaking to the official site he said: “I’m very happy because I return to a league that, for me, and I always say the same thing, is the best league in the world, and especially because I come here to West Ham because every time I spoke with the owner Mister Sullivan, I always had the feeling that he wants me.
“I think that West Ham had a difficult season last season and I hope that next season we are going to play football that will delight the fans. I always play attacking football and we must try to reach important targets in the season.
“Every time you have a meeting you have feelings about whether it was a good meeting or a bad meeting and I had the meeting with him, just talking about football and talking about West Ham. We agreed on a lot of things he wants for this Club in the way I think a football club must be managed, so we have a lot of common ideas.”
He added: “I am excited about this project. My mentality is always to have a winning mentality and I will hope that I can repeat here what I did with all my clubs here in Europe, where I have always arrived in European competition.
“I know that this league is very good and it’s not easy to do it, but I think that working all together with the owners, the technical staff and the fans, we have an important power and can think about reaching important targets for the season.
Very, very exciting!
He has an amazing history of getting the best results on even a modest transfer budget..
The guys loves pace and has a strong belief in developing and investing in youth..
If can emulate the feats he achieved with little Villareal, then watch out folks!
COYI
Great first interview.
Ex hammer has also confirmed Yaya is not someone he wants to sign, he wants young players with pace.
sooo much positivity.
He likes to play attacking football, no kick & rush. If we can get back to anything like,’ The West Ham Way’ of my youth he’ll do for me!!
First time in years I’m genuinely looking forward to the football I’m going to see us play.
COYI
4 or 5 players net is ok, but buying 4-5 and letting some go is not. He could keep Mario, but he must still address the defense as priority, so I would like 5-6 new players net.
With rumors already around that he doesn’t push his players in training, he needs to prove that he does, or the problems under Bilic will return.
I suppose he might like some of our U23s and hopefully he will promote some, to be included in that figure.
Mr Pellegrini looks very smart and respectfully turned out in his suit I must say. Why Mr Sullivan is wearing a leather jacket inside his own home I have no idea. I suppose at least he isn’t wearing his Victorian smoking jacket, his Russian coat, or his pyjamas.
This matters ?
Expectations have now been raised hugely as is the West Ham way. Pellegrini will now be under pressure to deliver. I just hope the board stump up the money to give him the players he needs for the style of football he wants to play.