Diego Cocca presented the coaching style he hopes to adapt as Tigres UANL’s new manager, emphasizing that ‘it’s not if the team wins, but how the team wins.’
Cocca replaced Miguel ‘Piojo’ Herrera earlier this month, after the former head coach was fired following a disappointing 2022 Apertura campaign that saw Tigres fall to Pachuca in the Liguilla quarterfinals.
Now, Cocca takes over after leading Atlas FC to two back-to-back Liga MX titles and breaking their 70-year trophy drought.
“Forms and manners are key, winning how you can does not exist, to win you have to go looking for it and we are going to look for a way, which is ours, and we are going to find it together. You have an idea and a way of feeling football,” he said in his first press conference.
“This is Tigres, a new beginning, with other players, with another mentality and we will find our way to win, I have no doubts.”
Cocca indicated that he will first get to know his new roster throughout the preseason, before making rash decisions on new signings and reinforcements.
“When I had to manage players of experience, hierarchy, age, it’s easier, we’ll agree in two minutes, they’re all professionals, they give themselves to the maximum day by day and communication will be easy as long as it’s clear and concise, I have no doubts I want to work with them, talk to them and build a winning team,” he said referring to Piojo’s comment that the roster is “old.”
“The only request we made was the contractual issue, this was recent, we will talk about players later, I am excited about the squad that Tigres has, we will find a way to improve them. The players who can come to give a quality bonus will always be evaluated, but we haven’t talked about anything today.”
The 2023 Clausura kicks off on January 6, giving Cocca plenty of time to adjust before leading a competitive match.
Credit: 90min.com
