Crespo vents after humiliation: "Let's see if promises are kept" | OneFootball

Yes, we know, Hernán Crespo's press conferences have become a true therapy session, more for the coach, trying to find explanations and solutions for the traumatic second half of the season, driven by a squad in tatters with the accumulation of injuries.

But, of course, the expectation was above normal for the Argentine's words after São Paulo suffered, in 95 years of history, only the THIRD defeat by more than five goals difference.

Perhaps the expectation was so high that the club itself took precautions. For the first time in this Brazilian Championship, by its own decision and not due to technical problems, it decided not to broadcast the press conference. It's past midnight, by the way, and the video hasn't even been uploaded.

All right, we understand... After all, the prophecy was fulfilled as predicted. And Crespo once again didn't mince words to try to justify the unjustifiable. It goes beyond that. The coach even had a somewhat light demeanor. After all, he was a dissenting voice against the lack of belief in qualifying for the Copa Libertadores. And now, as rock bottom has been reached, he can calmly and soberly do what he does best: demand accountability from the incompetent board, realizing that they might not be so reliable.

"I came here with a feeling, I have a lot of affection and feeling for São Paulo and the fans, so it's hard to talk. The fans don't deserve to go through these things, but it's happening and we need to face it. I knew all this could happen and for us, it remains the same, otherwise, I would have stayed home. We know we have to change a lot, I want to be part of it and I will trust, let's see if the words they told me in July will be confirmed, I have to think about the planning now, planning is a piece of paper, we have to make it happen," he said.

Evidently, as the club did not release the interview, these quotes you are reading are from colleagues from other outlets, leaving the record here.

"Day by day we will work, but if there isn't a big change, I will be happy with one step, but to be great it takes about 20 steps. This way we won't move forward, now what happens is to trust, participate in the planning and see if it will work, hope it does, if not São Paulo will always continue, maybe with another (coach), São Paulo is very big. I want to be part of this, we know we won't take the 20 steps, I work with reality, but if what's happening is happening, it's because we deserve it. Now it's about working to finish eighth and hoping Cruzeiro or Fluminense win the Copa do Brasil," he added.

With 15 absences, 13 due to injuries and two suspensions, Crespo didn't even have to justify the game. Let's face it, there was no mood for that. He was left with the obvious, to expose the backstage. And show that there is indeed, on his part, a commitment to restructuring next year.

"We didn't deserve to go through this, the fans didn't deserve it. We can't play, we found a team that had a penalty, scored a goal on the first chance and we couldn't do anything. They played well and what happened happened, it was the perfect storm. Now what will happen, a result like today can speed things up, the planning for next year, we have many things to improve, we've already listed them," he stated.

"The board told me since I arrived that there was no money, that they wouldn't hire and that we had to save ourselves. We are planning the future, but I have to see clearly what we can do, I have clear ideas, I am trusting what they said, that until December there would be no money and that suddenly in January things might improve," he pointed out.

Before speculations take over the news, as had become recurrent until a few weeks ago, the coach, who has a contract until the end of 2026, has already anticipated and said he "wants to be part of the solution" for São Paulo.

"The idea is to continue and plan the future, because I have to believe and trust, because I want the best for São Paulo and I think I can be part and be a solution. Trust that things will happen, so it's part of my life, I can't explain why I have so much love for São Paulo, but it's like that and I try to help. When the board thinks I can't help, I will leave or I will be fired for the second time from São Paulo (laughs). As a player, I was like that, I tried to win on all sides and as a coach, I was like that too, I was one of the few who won on three different continents, so I can be part of the solution. At this moment, the idea is to rebuild. I have been talking in many conferences about the need for changes, because it would be easy to just talk after such a defeat, but the current reality of São Paulo is this, it needs to improve," he said.

"The fans will always be here, I am just a foreigner who learned to love São Paulo and agreed to put myself out there to help the club, hoping that we are the solution. The idea is to take advantage of the years I have in my career to help, the path is clear, the idea is to accompany the deep change that needs to be made. We are talking about the next season that starts in a month, maybe it won't happen deeply, but we start to take one step at a time, we have 20 steps for the true history of São Paulo. The affection from the fans might come because I speak the reality, I won't lie, I don't know how to lie, even when we started winning in a row I talked about keeping our feet on the ground, the reality is this here," he concluded.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.