Pleasure to have player like Messi in team: Ronald Koeman
Aug 25, 2020
Barcelona [Spain], Aug 25 : Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman said that it is a pleasure to have a player like Lionel Messi in the team and the Argentine's qualities will help the club to develop.
"It is a pleasure to have a player like Messi in the team. His qualities will help the team to develop," the club's official website quoted Koeman as saying.
"We can't be compared for our free-kick taking because he has scored so many more than me. I was only at Barca for six seasons [laughs]. But it is important to have someone who is good at free kicks and corners in your team," he added.
Koeman said he likes his teams to be disciplined and well-organised.
"I'm a coach who likes his teams to be a disciplined and well-organised team. I like to dominate games. The Dutch like attacking football. I like to be direct and have good communication with my players. We hold short meetings but that makes the message clear," Koeman said.
"I think a good coach needs to enjoy football. We started playing football because we love this sport. And if you are doing everything with a smile on your face, so much better," he added.
Koeman replaced Quique Setien, who was sacked after the club endured a trophy-less 2019-20 season. Under Setien, Barcelona had also suffered an 8-2 drubbing in the Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich on August 15.
Koeman comes to FC Barcelona after coaching in the Premier League, La Liga, the Dutch league, the Portuguese league, and also on the international stage with the Netherlands. He will manage the club until June 30, 2022.
