Marco Rose and Lewis Cook preview AFC Bournemouth's first ever European fixture | Press Conference

Okay, so we're going to start our press conference with uh questions to Lewis um before moving on to Marco. [clears throat] Okay, Alex, I think we'll start with you. >> Hi Lewis. Um Bournemouth's first game in Europe. It must be an almost surreal experience for you to be with the club in in the Europa League. How how does it feel? Um yeah, I was I was on the way over here and I was just I was thinking back to when I first joined and it was um 10 years ago now with the the club was in a different position, a great good position. Um and then I think where it is now it's uh it's amazing. It's been a journey. There's been lots of people who have got us to this point and I think in the last few seasons we've we've really kicked on and looking forward to the challenge to to compete in in this in this great competition. And um obviously it's a great reflecting on the the journey that Bournemworth have come on, but now you want to go on a new journey and go far in this competition. I guess it's straight down to business today and and and into tomorrow night. >> Yeah, definitely. I feel like there's been a lot of excitement building in um around Bournemouth in the last few weeks, last few months. And yeah, it's exciting for us as players, as as staff and and for a club as well, but I feel like it gets to a point where the excitement has to has to start. There has to be the new memories made and we're coming here and we're going to try and compete as well as we can against a tough opposition. >> And on the opposition, what what were you expecting from Sasha Dad? How are you expecting the game to pan out? >> Yeah, I feel like they've got a um they're a strong team technically got a lot of technical good players and yeah, they're they're in a very competitive league. They've got experience in this competition as well. So, I think it's going to be a tough game. I think the atmosphere is going to be great for for the fans here and yeah, it'll be a tough game. It will be um it's something that we need to look forward to and to challenge oursel against opposition different to the Premier League, but yeah, it'll be be a good game. >> And how much have you as a group lent on Marco and and and other members of the group, members of the squad who've had that European experience before to sort of get a flavor of what to expect. >> Yeah, definitely. I think we're very fortunate to have a manager who's experienced uh this a lot and um yeah, we can lean on him in certain moments. Definitely. and and like you said, a few of the squad as well have played quite a few games in this competition. So, they're they're people that we've got to try and lean on and use their experience to to get us through tough moments in games, which I'm sure will will happen at some point. >> When you say you need to sort of look back on the people that have had an impact on this journey, any in particular that stand out to you over the years in terms of maybe getting Bournemouth from where they are, where they've been to to where they are now? Yeah, I feel like um a long time ago the club was nearly falling out of of of the the football league and I think 17 years has gone by now and we're competing in Europe. So like you say there lots of people to thank. I think obviously people have have done long stints here as as managers and and staff uh were massively important to build the foundations and and now obviously the last few years with with the new ownership and Bill he's he's really pushed us on to to get to that next level that we needed and yeah without them we definitely wouldn't have been here along with all the players that have have been here past and present. >> What about for you personally? What does it mean in terms of a career goal and achievement? Um, you know, maybe for you as a young player and as you said when you first signed for Bournemouth, sort of what you were looking to achieve back then. >> Yeah, I think I was so young. It was um competitions like this was always something you'd watch when you were a child and um something that we always thought we could achieve as as a as a club. I think we've had high ambitions and obviously there's been ups and downs, but yeah, it's something that I'm incredibly proud to to be a part of and I think that the the players are also very very excited to to be part of it as well. So, yeah, it's a great achievement, but like I say, it's it's now time to to focus on the game and and really give it a good shot. I know Marcus had to make some difficult decisions with the squad selection um given what he's been able to do within the rules but said he wanted to stay true and and loyal to the players that have been here a long time that have got Bournemouth into the Europa League. What does that mean to you as a group of players and particularly you as someone that's been here a long time? Yeah, definitely. Obviously a new new competition, new rules, and it's quite hard to follow sometimes, but all I can say is we've got lots of uh amazing players in this squad, and whoever's whoever's playing, whoever's available, it's uh they're going to give it their all and really high quality players. So, yeah, it's been good. Obviously, um we've got to turn that into results and stuff with the squad we've got. So, looking forward to giving it a good go and yeah, hope tomorrow night starts starts well. >> Last one. What you expecting from the atmosphere in the occasion? Yeah, obviously it's the first time being in in uh in Europa League, so it's it's something new. I can't really say what I'm expecting, but I'm sure it's going to be uh a great atmosphere. It's going to be enjoyable. It's it's the games you want to be involved in. Um and there's going to be a bit of pressure, but I think that's part of football and it's something we should all look forward to and cherish because like I said, it doesn't always come around. >> Thanks. >> Okay. Yep. Just here. >> Lewis, do you think it'll hit home when the anthem plays then? >> Yeah, I think so. I think obviously walking around the stadium here, it's it's amazing. and you see all the the banners and stuff and um it's all new. But yeah, I think stuff like that is is something that you'll always remember cuz yeah, it's special, you know, special special stadium, special competition and like I say, we've worked really hard for the last few few years and I'm looking forward to it. >> Um how far can you go? Are you are you looking at for example, you know, what what Palace did last year in the Conference League, what Villa did in this very competition or or is it just get through the league phase first and see what's what? >> Oh, definitely. I feel like it's it's such a hard competition. I think you got to take a game by game. I know it's a generic answer, but you literally have to because if you start looking too far forward, just we're against a really good side tomorrow and it's going to be a tough game to to manage. And yeah, I think we just have full focus on that and obviously see where it goes. And you you said, you know, you've watched this competition for years as as a fan, as a player. Is there is there a memory, a goal that you can remember, I guess, from across British teams in in European football that stands out? You think, "Yeah, we can we can emulate that." >> Um, >> or you as a player scoring a goal can can emulate some of the grades. >> Um, no, not really. I feel like it's just kind of the you see the players going abroad, playing in these these competitions as well, and you just you just know what it's about. I wouldn't say a specific game or goal. It's just just a feeling really. It's kind of a feeling of this is the next step and it's something I'm really looking forward to and I feel like the club and and the fans as well should should really look forward to it. >> Okay, >> perfect. Thanks everyone. Thanks Lee. >> We're good. Yeah, >> thank you. [clears throat] >> Okay, and moving on to questions for Marco. Alex, if you want to kick us off. >> Marco, um kicking off with SIAD. Um, Matt Matarazzo has just told us that you go way back from from your times in Germany, even in in in playing as youth youth teams and youth coaches. Um, what are you expecting from his team and and and from the occasion tomorrow night? >> Oh, it's a it's a strong team. Um, high individual quality. Um, it's a high intense uh team. So um yeah, a lot of quality and um it's getting as l said a tough challenge for us and um Pelleino is a a really top coach. Um I think he came here stabilized the team um won the cup that's why they are playing in this competition. He's well known in Germany to um to improve and develop uh teams and you can see um yeah that he is the coach of this team even you see him playing um so it's yeah getting a tough challenge but we feel us in a good spot we are quite confident and we are looking forward to start this uh this competition >> and you sort of say how look how much you're looking forward to starting the competition ition. I know you've only been in Bournemouth for a few months, but but can you feel how special it is for for the club to be here, particularly with with the history that they've had nearly going out of business and and and then climbing all the way up the leagues and and now reaching this point. >> Yes, I can feel how special this moment is for for the club, how everyone is looking forward. I mean, if you get six in the Premier League, um this is um this is a a huge achievement um as a club for like like like Bulmas and everyone deserved it. Um we going to have uh yeah 2,000 fans here tomorrow. So, it shows how how big the club is, how the club grew um the last um the last couple of of years. And I I I really feel I I'm really thankful and um uh to to be the coach uh in this situation even I was not in the club uh last season. But um I really appreciate to to get this moment together with the with the with the leads um with the fans and and with all the guys here um from from the staff. And um on the competition as a whole, obviously you're going into sort of November, December, January when you have loads of games, two games a week and it'll be very busy. What's the sort of strategy for approaching the Europa League? You going to try and go strong and maybe get points on the board early on and and then then and then try and >> Yes. >> try [laughter] and then and then maybe you don't need to get quite so many in the later stages. Yeah, we're going to win the four first four games and then we are not traveling anymore. Um yeah, I mean we know how how challenging this um this season is going to be uh for us and um it's going to get for us. We going to have many games. Um we just started um now we are close to a national break. Then um we have even boros um 10 11 national players and then we play every 3 days um until I don't know February um without um yeah a break. So it's always good to start um successful in in the competition. It's a simple rule but not just for us um even for RAID or the other teams who who uh are in in this competition. So that's what we try tomorrow um to get in a flow in this competition to to get the first three points um because then the games are getting less um and that's why it's good to to get all the points you can grab um at the beginning >> and um obviously squad depth and and substitutions in the games like this when you're having busy busy periods will be will be important. Um how are you going to look to approach that? you going to look to try and get people off fairly early on or is it gonna I I sort of assume it'll be it'll be dictated by the game situation? >> Yeah, there's not a real master plan. So, we have to see um yeah, who we have and um you know what spot the players are. Um so far we just miss um I mean oddly we we miss uh Junior Ki, we miss Aelco and have two or three players more more at home. So um we on we on a good spot but of course um it's getting very important for me to to handle the load and we start um tomorrow because we have a uh on Sunday a big game against Liverpool at home. We we need to do our job in the Premier League. uh as well. So um yeah, you can expect that we start to um to change um earlier than we did it so far. The first games we yeah there were no reason to do it. Um we came in uh yeah in in the season with um with the leads we have and we changed um in in several games really late but now it's it's going to change. Following from me, um obviously there was one change to the Europa League squad this week with um Ben Gunn and Dope coming in for Junior Krooppy. Um firstly, how how pleased was was Ben to be added in and can you just say a bit about the the decision that you made to to bring him into the squad? >> Yeah, it was a a tough um a tough talk with him to to tell him that he's not involved into the European squad because he had a good preseason. um uh he scored goals um and and he's he's he's a good player, an interesting player, a young player who gives us something we don't have in in our squad. He's a one v one player on the wings. Um he's difficult to defend and yeah, the the rules, the new rules of the UEFA gave us the opportunity um to make this um this this change um even for the for the first four games. Um we're going to see when Junior is back um how we how we react. Um but um it's good to have him in the squad and he was he was quite happy here. >> Thank you very much. >> How difficult is the decision with your starting 11 tomorrow. You've spoken a lot and have done there about needing to utilize your squad and everyone in it. Um, as you said, you got a big game coming on Sunday, but this is also a historic moment for the club and and no doubt you you want to go as strong as possible. >> Yeah, and that's what we do. We go into the game as strong as as possible, but um even there I have to do some difficult decisions because the um they are not playing so much the last uh last games and showed in the cup game that they are ready to play. Um we we going to see. So, it's it's not a hard decision for me. I'm going to do it. We're going to do it. And then we have the ch uh the chance to uh to change after I don't know 60 65 70 minutes and we we going to do it tomorrow. You've spoken a great deal about the work that was done before you by Andonia. Of course, he is from here just around the corner. It feels almost right that this is where Bournemouth's first game is taking place. Uh, has he been in touch at all ahead of the fixture or is the the game against Liverpool made that a little bit difficult? >> We were not in touch. Um, but we're going to be in touch on Sunday. Um, and um, I'm looking forward to meet him again. We spoke many times about um our our relation about our talk we had um uh when I when I signed and um yeah I'm again quite thankful about um the situation we have to be here with with all the people with the fans tomorrow and of course it's um um and is is a big part of the the achievement. >> I think I'm right in saying you've been here before with with Saltsburg. What are your memories of of this place and this team? >> Yeah, it was a building site. Um the stadium, so the stand on this side was not uh even there. Um and uh they builded a really really nice stadium I have to say with the well-known atmosphere in in Europe. If you watch um soat games on a TV, you can feel the energy uh in in the stadium and that's what we're going to face tomorrow and we're looking forward to it. >> And you went deep into the competition that year. What was the secret to your run? What does it take to to go far in deep in in the Europa League? >> Um yeah, now we have a new format. Um so it's different. Um we had a league phase with backto-back games um um when we played here. Uh but it's always about having a good start. If you don't start well, you you need to get points um out of the other games. So um yeah, play the group stage well. That's the most important thing. Um, and then everything is possible game by game. >> Just finally from me, have you got a message to the Bournemouth supporters who are out here? There are many on our flight over. They're very excited. I think they'll be enjoying themselves in San Sebastian this evening. What's your message to them and and how you can they can help you this season in Europa League? >> Yeah, enjoy the evening. Um, have some beers. Um, and but not too much because I think tomorrow morning the sunrise is very nice. Um, you should see it. Um so don't sleep uh too too long because it's a it's a special day tomorrow for everyone. Um uh especially for for the guys they are here and um yeah to the guys at home. Um we are here and um we are really proud to be here as a team and we going to um try to make the day and the evening special tomorrow for the club and for everyone who is um is fan of BMOS. Thank you, Marco. Marco, does it does it make it more special that 16 17 years ago Bournemouth could have been playing National League football and now here they are playing Europa League football. Rail Sashid had a used to nights like this. So are other teams in the competition. So So for Bournemouth and the romanticism around this game and what it means, does it make it more spe special? >> Always. But I think every club has this kind of stories and and and histories. Um even even the associat founded 1909 I think so and maybe faced um different times um where they suffered and uh sometimes you get uh relegated sometimes you uh do wrong decisions as a club. Sometimes everything goes wrong and because it's about football human human being things um you know but uh the the the most important achievement is then to um to stay Yeah. to stay confident, to change your wrong decisions, um to be brave, um to get in touch with the with the right people, to bring the right people uh together, to create a community, to create the atmosphere, energy uh in a club to to achieve things like Bournemouth achieved um the last couple of of years. It's it's uh nothing easy. Um it's not that you just do it. It's hard work uh of um of many people's um of many people or the most important thing that um the right people came to the right moment um together and um yeah Bournemouth as a club can be really proud to uh to handle it this way. Um you've now had experience in the Premier League and and English football. You've you've managed in the Europa League before. I asked this of Rail Sashidad earlier. What are the main differences? What what makes the Europa League so different for example to the Premier League? >> I think the Premier League is is special. Um I said um if you play Premier League it's you you have every every weekend a Champions League game. Um because it's always uh very tight. Um it's never done. Um you can be never sure. Um the the intensity is is always on the top top level especially if you start to see them. I think if we get to December, January, we know we're going to have uh so many games that maybe the things uh change a little bit, but at the beginning it's just um uh yeah, it's just unbelievable if you watch Premier League games. But um Reaso Sidat, as I said, is a team if you watch them that is playing quite intense and I can compare it. Um so we shouldn't be surprised tomorrow if the game starts. Um that it feels like a Premier League game. >> Good luck. >> Yeah, just here. >> Hi Marco. Uh your name in in English. Okay. Uh your name was mentioned when uh Matarazzo came to Realat. Have you ever been in talks to coach Real Sidat? >> No. >> Okay. >> Okay. Yeah. Just one here. You say that the stadium has changed since nine years ago. >> How much do you feel Rasoid that has grown since then? >> Yeah, if you if you just see the stadium and the environment and the facilities, then the club grown a lot. I mean, again, they won last season a title. I think in the Spanish league to to to win the the the cup is is a big thing. you have uh big opponents with Barcelona, with Atléico um with Real um and with other teams. So, it's a it's a big big achievement. And if you do it, then you you you did something um the right way the the years before. >> Yeah. >> Take care. >> Yeah. Yeah. Don't worry. [snorts] Is Rash one of the toughest teams in in the competition? We respect every team. Um but of course soat is one of the biggest name in in in the competitions for sure. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Just here. >> Hi Marco. What do you think about Michael Oat a workers player that remains in in his hometown team? It's a bit strange. >> Yeah. Unbelievable. But I just watched the game at the weekend and the guy who commentated the the the game said that he's here for Yeah. since he started his playing career and he is wondering is he doing something else maybe in the next uh next years. So um if you do something like this you are a special guy you're a special person and um he is not just playing here. I think he's playing very well. Um he is um world champion. Um uh he's a top player, he's a a real leader, he's a number 10. Um it's a joy to to watch him uh watch him playing and I'm looking forward to to meet him tomorrow and and shake his hand. >> Okay, thanks everyone.