Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale.
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Depressed by a disappointing 2015, smiles had returned to the faces of Real Madrid fans on Tuesday as they cheered their idol Zinedine Zidane during his first training session as coach.
“The problem of coaches is like that of melons: until you open them you don’t know if they are sweet or inedible”, wrote the Marca sports daily – the most read in Spain. And Isco was caught sniggering on the bench when Real Madrid conceded against Rayo Vallecano. Real Madrid fired coach Rafael Benitez Monday after seven months and repla…
“You can’t make that comparison”, said Zidane.
“I’m more excited now than I was when I signed as a player”. He said – no surprise – that he wants to win trophies and “do as well as I can”.
“I am sorry about Rafa Benitez because I think he is a manager that deserves respect”. The team failed to secure promotion from Spanish football’s third tier last season.
With short, concise answers in his first news conference as manager, and switching effortlessly between French and Spanish, Zidane otherwise gave little away in what was a characteristically reserved but smooth performance.
Even Vicente del Bosque, who like Zidane starred as a player for Madrid before coaching it, was dismissed in 2003 after landing two Champions League triumphs and two league titles during three and a half years in charge – the longest spell of any manager at the Bernabeu in the last 20 years.
Cristiano Ronaldo was in attendance along with his fellow galacticos, and was photographed handing Zidane his practice bib.
“Zidane rhymes with dreams”, said Pablo Alonso, a 37-year-old supporter who came with his son, also called Pablo.
Jose Mourinho reportedly turned down the chance to return to Real Madrid in order to wait for the Manchester United job to become available in the summer.
“He is an important player and a key player for the squad”.
Zidane is due to address the media at 2pm today.
“Guardiola is Guardiola. I will do my best”.
“I didn’t do that as a player and I won’t do it as a coach”.
– Real Madrid president Florentino Perez appointed Zidane as an adviser in 2009 and the club’s sporting director in 2011. He was also part of Real Madrid sides that won La Liga and the Champions League. Zidane claimed that no-nonsense defender Materazzi had insulted his sister and that the Frenchman would “rather die than apologise”. “But it’s not going to be a walk in the park for him”.
“Good football has always been important at this place and I am going to continue that. I wish him luck”.
A 4-0 home loss to rival Barcelona in November fuelled disquiet at the Santiago Bernabeu, with farewell handkerchiefs being waved at Benitez’s dugout in disgust. He called Zidane “the best person for the job”.
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“A man that has been the best at a game we all love, taking over of a club that myself and many more people love…” In 2013-14 he was assistant coach to Carlo Ancelotti as the club won the Champions League.
