Al-Sadd’s new coach Razvan Lucescu spoke of his delight at joining the team, and express his desire to be a part of the club’s history.
Speaking to the club website in his first interview, the Romanian coach said: “Al-Sadd is one of the most important clubs in Asia. It’s one of the most important clubs in the Arab world. I believe that I can consider myself a lucky coach to be part of the Al-Sadd group, the Al-Sadd team, and, I hope, the history of Al-Sadd.”
He added: “I know very well that there is a huge responsibility, that people are expecting a lot from the team, from the coach, and from this season. And we have to fulfil not just our targets, but also our dreams.”
Razvan has prior experience in Qatar, and is familiar with Al-Sadd, having coached Al-Jaish previously in the Qatar Stars League for two seasons.
“Since my first experience in Asia, in Qatar from 2012 to 2014, I understood very well that Al-Sadd was a team with quality players, with top players, with high demands from the staff and from the players. And this is, as I said before, a very important aspect for a coach,” he said.
“It’s true that we have our philosophy as a staff. We want to play football that ultimately fits with Al-Sadd because Al-Sadd is a team that dominates. It’s a team that always plays to win competitions, and to win competitions means being a team with a strong mentality, strong character and strong behaviour—a team that dominates. For this reason, it is compulsory, it is an obligation, to be an organised team with good discipline in our work.”
He added: “Through these aspects—discipline, organisation, and structure in both phases of the game, with the ball and without the ball—the players can develop and improve because, above everything else, they gain confidence through these aspects.”
Asked about the fans’ expectations, Razvan stated: “I know very well that the fans of Al-Sadd want to win every competition, and it’s the correct approach, the correct mentality for a team that is used to winning. Our target must be the same: to give everything, to be a team with a fighting spirit, to be a team with confidence and, at the same time, with the will to always react. During a season, there are different periods for every team in the world. There are good moments and good periods, just as there are difficult moments and negative situations. Especially in these situations, every team must have the will to react. One of our targets, besides winning, is to create a united group with a fighting mentality.”
Speaking about the key factors required for achieving success, Razvan said: “The experience that we have as players and as coaches is part of our individual history. It can help us to manage, as I said before, the different moments of a season. But at the same time, what makes a team win is the present. The present is the spirit of fighting, the spirit of sacrifice.”
“The willingness to compete every day and to challenge yourself every day, then your teammates, and finally your opponents. Experience helps a person understand very well how things can be. It helps a person understand how important balance is. A victory is a victory—nothing more. A defeat is a negative result, and you must know how to react and move on immediately. So it’s very important for a team during a season to have balance. I believe these are the most important aspects for a group to be successful over a season.”
He concluded by saying: “I know that everybody wants the Champions League. I know that everybody wants the league title. I know that everybody wants the Amir Cup and the trophies. At the same time, we have to be calm, have strong confidence, and always avoid being overwhelmed by the pressure around us.”
