Mignani rallies team: ‘No defeatism, let’s not destroy what we had achieved until the Parma game’

“I still believe that in the first three games there has been growth and it was interrupted by the defeat that came from two rather clear episodes.” This was said today, April 29, by Palermo coach Michele Mignani (in the photo by Tullio Puglia during the match with Reggiana), commenting on the team’s situation after the first defeat of his tenure against Reggiana ahead of the match on Wednesday, May 1st on Spezia’s field.

“We created chances even though we didn’t play a great game – Mignani continued – the biggest mistake that a coach can make is to be conditioned by the results and not believe in the work he is doing. That work is not paying off at the moment, it is true. But you cannot think that changing the system will solve the team’s problems. We need to recreate mentality and certainties, it will take more time than we thought, but that is our goal.”

For Mignani, none of his team should think that the playoff goal has already been achieved. “I don’t want to think about it – the coach said. I am not here to just get by or consolidate the sixth position. I believe that this is a team that can achieve something important. If I were to realize that someone is content, I would send them far away from this sports center.”

Regarding the remedies needed to change the course of the season, Mignani seems to have clear ideas. “When things are not going well – he said – there is a lot of talk, but there is little to talk about, we need to raise the antennas, the intensity, the desire and run. I am the first responsible, I don’t want a sense of defeatism to pass. It’s true that we lost, it’s true that we haven’t won for a while, but I still believe that the team is growing. I don’t want to destroy what we had done until the match with Parma. We need to go to Spezia and play a great game.”

Regarding Spezia, Mignani said that “it is a team with strong players and they are physically in good shape. They are dangerous in attack and move the ball well: tactically they are similar to Sampdoria or Reggiana. It will be a difficult match, against a well-coached team by Luca D’Angelo, I am concerned about their desire.” Four days after the match with Reggiana, it is reasonable to assume some changes in the lineup. “The idea – Mignani claims – is to field those who are in the best shape and can guarantee me physical strength to contrast Spezia’s.”