Pellegrini on Pellegrini and a cash warning

Manuel Pellegrini has produced a fascinating article in which he looks back over his years in the game and declares: “It’s a source of pride for me to have been at all those clubs and to have left them with a style of play.”

However, there’s a warning for the West Ham board when he says: “It’s about having the capability financially to bring in players to compete with the big teams.”

But he soon adds:  “To have been respected by the fans and to have an image that you don’t just leave on the pitch but carry off the pitch, too and, of course, those clubs have all left their mark on me as well.

“Each one proving in some way that I was right to choose this life. Some 30 years after I first took the risk at Universidad de Chile, I am still doing what I like. It was the best decision I ever made.”

But he admits it has involved him in living alone which he describes as “a test you have to undergo if you want to work in different countries.”

You are on your own in places where you don’t know anyone. After a defeat, you come home to an empty apartment. To the dark. Just to do it all again the next day.

The full article can be found at https://www.coachesvoice.com/manuel-pellegrini-west-ham-real-madrid/ 

In the meantme Here are some of the Pellegrini recollections on River Plate, Villareal, and Real Madrid

River Plate

“It  was at River Plate, where we won the league and reached the final of the Copa Sudamericana, that I think my name really grew internationally.

When I finished there I was offered me a great contract – financially – in Mexico.

But, after I really considered it, I said no. I knew it would have been really hard as a manager to go from Mexico to Europe. So, with a much smaller financial offer – less than half of what was I was being offered in Mexico – I made my decision.

Villareal

I came to Villarreal. And, well, I think it was a really good decision because I came to an extraordinary club.

As far as I’m concerned, it’s one of the best clubs in terms of organisation: a chairman who understands the vision clearly and has the capital to make the club grow. And a director of football who, apart from a few exceptions, had great dialogue with players coming into the club.

If I had told the club then that over the next five years we were going to finish as runners-up in the Spanish league, qualify for Europe every year and reach the Champions League semi finals, they would have put me away in the madhouse.

But I asked the players to step up and, gradually, they understood.

Personally, those five years helped me to understand European football really well. Painfully well, at times.”

Real Madrid

“When Real Madrid came calling, there was a huge satisfaction for me. After making so many sacrifices, I had the chance to work at one of the biggest clubs in the world.

For a Chilean coach to be the Real Madrid manager is not even a one in 100,000 chance. I would have loved to stay there longer.

But that would have required a better relationship with the chairman. We had significant differences over some technical and executive aspects. Logically, in a club, the executive side will always win.

But on the pitch we did a great job. We amassed more league points than Madrid had ever done before and scored 102 goals in La Liga – even with Cristiano Ronaldo being out for more than three months with a fracture.

It’s about having the capability financially to bring in players to compete with the big teams.”