Miroslav Djukic is grateful for his President’s support, but admits that he will have to prove himself to Valencia every single weekend.
The tactician has endured a difficult start to his coaching career at Mestalla and went into Sunday’s match with Sevilla amid speculation that a negative result would see him sacked.
However, on from a 3-1 win, the 47-year-old saw Amadeo Salvo declare him safe for the whole season.
“The President at that moment saw the opportunity and sent out that message and I am grateful for it,” Djukic reflected to reporters today.
“Now the coaching staff and everyone must show that we are value for it and working. In football we live by every Sunday and every Sunday I must demonstrate that I deserve to be at Valencia, like every player must every Sunday.
“I think the message is sincere, but you live for every Sunday. In football, things cannot be said with certainty, but the message of support is very important.
“But I must push myself, Sunday after Sunday to prove that I am valid for Valencia, that I do not relax. I demand this of myself, I do not want to be comfortable, relaxed, I am in a great club and I have to work to meet their goals.
“It is important to reinforce the figure of the Coach, the technical staff, it brings stability and peace for us to develop our work, I think it is a good message.”
The Serbian has so far regularly rotated his playing squad in the opening weeks of the season and was asked if any of the players are taken issue with that.
“We will try to get the message out to everyone, I do not have a magic wand and I cannot be happy with everyone, they must understand that they must work for Valencia, contribute and demonstrate on the field to convince me about them.
“That is where they should convince me. In the field is where we should all speak and show ourselves and forget about the corners.
“Everyone should speak on the field, I am primarily interested in this work, there are no privileges, I want to put the best players out there on the field.
“I look at the players available and what the team needs. I have my opinions, but I look at the team’s interest.”
Djukic reflected on the weekend win against Sevilla, which was the first game in a three-match run this week.
“When you win, the week is very short and when you lose, you want three games a week, you want that next game to come as soon as possible, but we have a game on Wednesday and we have to enter it fully to enforce the victory against Sevilla. If we do not have a good match against Granada, we will return to the same scenario.
“Valencia are a great club, they need to do things with continuity and follow the line set against Sevilla in facing Granada, we do not want to go through again what we have in recent weeks.
“Granada are a team in the style of Espanyol and Real Betis, they squeeze, pressurise, play a direct football, before whom we must avoid lost balls – possession must be secure.
“They have tall people and set-pieces will be difficult against them. Granada have a good team, we must be focused and ready because they will tighten and not give us anything.”
