Atletico Madrid winger Antoine Griezmann has spoken of his admiration for Diego Simeone, claiming that the Coach is unlike any other he has played under.
The Frenchman initially struggled to break into El Cholo’s plans at the Vicente Calderon following his €25m transfer from Real Sociedad in the summer, but he has since developed into a key player for his new team.
“In our dressing room, there are many players with a lot of experience, but also some young players, which make us a strong group. Everyone puts in their maximum when they play,” he said to Al Primer Toque.
“At first I struggled with El Cholo because he was so different from what I experienced at La Real and France.
“He works with a different mentality [to my previous Coaches], but now I'm enjoying it. I know I’m at the home of champions and I want to improve every year.
“When I wasn’t playing, the most important thing was to stay patient. The Coach gave me confidence and I knew my time would come. With hard work and effort, you can achieve anything.
“El Cholo is a great Coach, he asks a lot of his players and demands a lot of intensity
“He likes to crack jokes, and you can tell that he used to be player, like Deschamps with the national team. However, Deschamps is quieter and does not ask as much of you in training.
“If your guard is down even a bit in training, Cholo tells you put extra effort in quickly. You wake up in the morning and feel energised.
“Having a good head is the most important thing for any footballer. At first it’s difficult because everyone only tells you what you want to hear.
“Now, I know what I’m doing on the pitch, whether I play well or badly. There are mornings when I wake up, knowing I’m going to have a good game or score goals.
“The secret of this team is hard work and what we do every day. We learn from all our mistakes.”
