In a recent meeting, Shanghai Seaports head coach Muscat used his unique metaphor of "three children" to vividly explain his team's attitude towards the three-tier war, and shared his thoughts on coaching the Seaports, their preparation for the war, and their outlook for the future.
Thoughts and Preparation for Coaching the Harbor Team
Muscat said that the international match day gave the team a longer break than usual, which was both a challenge and an opportunity for the team. The team utilized this time to have a good recovery training and paid special attention to the balance between technical, tactical and physical fitness. In addition, the young players have brought fresh blood into the team and their performance in training has been impressive.
Strategies for balancing a three-front war
Regarding the upcoming three fronts, Muscat emphasized that he will treat each tournament equally as if they were his own children, with no priority or backseat. He said that although the league is the main task in the near future, the team will do their best to tackle every game and make sure every player is in top form with the tight schedule.
What to expect from the AFC Champions League draw
Muscat is enthusiastic about the AFC Champions League and believes that participation in the tournament is an important goal for the club every year. He is looking forward to playing eight teams from different countries and emphasized that the team needs to do well in the domestic league as a prerequisite to advance to the AFC Champions League.
Emotions in the face of the old boss Yokohama Mariners
When asked about the match against the Yokohama Mariners, Muscat said it was a pleasure to see familiar faces and fans at the match. But he also emphasized that the match itself is the most important thing, and he will lead the Harbor team to give their best for the victory.
Integration of new wideout Pope
Muscat was satisfied with the integration of the new foreign aid Pope. He believes that Pope not only has outstanding skills, but also has a very good character and personality, and is able to quickly integrate into the team. He expects Pope to play an important role in intensive fixtures such as the AFC Champions League.
Thoughts on the change in the AFC Champions League format
Muscat believes that the change of the AFC Champions League system is a new challenge and opportunity for all teams. He said the team will fully understand and study the new system and try to achieve good results in the competition.
Perspective as a Liverpool supporter
As a Liverpool supporter, Muscat appreciates the changes Liverpool have made under new manager Slaughter. He believes Liverpool have started the season very well and is looking forward to learning some useful lessons from it.
What it's like to coach in a different league
Muscat shared his feelings about coaching in different leagues such as China, Japan and Australia. He believes that there are differences in the soccer culture of different countries, but the most important thing is to influence the team and the players by the way they act, so that they can play the soccer that meets the requirements in a particular situation.
About Harbour Club's youth training
Muscat emphasized the importance that the Harbour Club places on youth training. He believes that age is not an issue and that players should be given a chance as long as they can show their ability and contribute to the first team. At the same time, he also said that he will be careful with the development of young players to avoid putting too much pressure on them too early.
