Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Golder’s News And Sport
The manager of LASK says the Austrian champions can “cause problems” for Manchester United in their Europa League and says he demands “attacking football” from his team.
In an exclusive interview with Austrian daily newspaper Der Standard, 44-year-old Frenchman Valerien Ismael in charge of Linzer Athletik-Sport-Klub (LASK) also spoke about the team’s skyrocketing success ahead of the first leg of the round of 16 of the Europa League.
The former Bayern Munich centre-back took over as manager from Oliver Glasner at the start of this season and led the team to the best start in the club’s history (17 points from eight matches).
It is now the first time the club has appeared in the Europa League and their clash with Manchester United has been touted as the biggest in the club’s history.
Asked if LASK could beat or at least cause problems for Manchester United, Ismael said: “Our record in Europe is outstanding, we have reached a different level. If we can pull it all off and do a great job, we can cause Manchester problems.”
When asked if it was a ‘David vs Goliath’ situation, Ismael replied: “Definitely. A squad worth 30 million EUR (26.2 million GBP) against one worth 800 million EUR (700 million GBP). You know who is the favourite. Incidentally, I’ve never been to Old Trafford.”
When asked if the team had undergone any specific preparation, he said: “No, we have processes and structures that fit. No matter whether in the Cup against Voecklamarkt or in the Europa League against Manchester United.”
The teams meet in Linz tomorrow evening before the second leg takes place on 19th March at Old Trafford.
He spoke about his philosophy and strategy, saying: “I’m French. ‘Vivre et laisser vivre’, live and let live, that’s my belief. As a manager, I want attacking football combined with ball possession. You have to be flexible yourself, to find solutions and answers.”
He also said that new players “are integrated immediately. You have the feeling that they have been there for a very long time.”
Speaking about how he deals with defeat, he quoted Nelson Mandela, and said: “There is a saying by Nelson Mandela that I keep using. He said: I never lose, I either win or I learn. And that’s right.”
Ismael was born in Strasbourg to a dad from Guadeloupe and an Alsatian mum. The former centre-back, who is a citizen of both France and Germany, began his career at Racing Strasbourg in 1993.
He has previously worked as a coach at Hanover, Nuremberg, Wolfsburg and Apollon Smyrnis.
LASK sit top of the Austrian Bundesliga, six points clear of Red Bull Salzburg in second place.
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