00:00Okay, so thanks for coming everyone. We're going to start in the usual process, starting with broadcasters and then cameras
00:07will be off for the writers.
00:13Yeah, would you mind? That's okay. Thank you.
00:19It's the beginning of this season.
00:22We'll get there.
00:25Okay, Chris from Sky Sports News. Thank you.
00:28Yeah.
00:28As soon as you're away from your Premier League team, how do you feel?
00:32Always in the same mindset, ready to start. We prepared the team. We are really happy to begin this season
00:43because it's important to train.
00:45But we like the game and we like to share that with our fans. That's why the first game is
00:52always waited.
00:54And the first game at home will be like this too. And for the moment we are in the last
01:01line. We have to do it quickly and to be in our best version to compete against Everton.
01:12Your captain, Dean Henderson, he came off in the last game against Freiburg. How's his fitness? Will he be able
01:18to play?
01:19He will train today with the keeper's coach and we will take the decision tomorrow but we hope he is
01:28able to play.
01:28What's the nature of the injury that he came off with?
01:32A little twist with the uncle but not too much. And during the game we take the decision to preserve
01:39him because he is able to play.
01:44But we prefer to let him in recovery two or three days after treatment and come in a better shape
01:50to be at his best level.
01:55The rest of the team, in terms of fitness, is it looking healthy or anyone else potentially could miss out
02:01against Everton?
02:01Everybody could play and I have to do some choices. This is the job and it's a good problem for
02:10me and I'm happy with that because when I have choices I can anticipate a lot of scenarios and have
02:20a lot of options.
02:22There's less than two weeks now until the transfer window shuts but you signed a couple of new players in
02:28the last seven days. How are you feeling about where the squad is at the moment?
02:33At the moment they discover how we play and they take a good position in that and we can see
02:44what we saw during the videos and the match.
02:50We saw about them and now we are happy they are here to integrate them in the team and to
03:01make them Crystal Palace players now.
03:05Do you expect more new Crystal Palace players?
03:08Yeah, maybe one or two. And like I said on Monday we have time. We don't want to take a
03:15player who is not for us. We just want to take the good player for us.
03:19That's why it's not about one or two days because we have to work with these guys during all the
03:25season and sometimes it's better to wait than to take the first to come.
03:31Will one of those one or two players be in centre-back? Because I know Max Lacroix left for Chelsea,
03:38I know you brought in Tommy Asu and other defenders but is that position that has to be filled because
03:43of the loss of Max?
03:44First of all, yes. We need a player in this department, a player with a lot of games if possible
03:55in Premier League because we need a player but we need a leader and that's why we need to wait
04:04a little bit to find a good one.
04:07Axel De Sassi has played a lot of games in Premier League. Would he be one potentially?
04:11He is a player from Chelsea. It's difficult for me to speak about a player of another club but I
04:17hear the same noise as you.
04:20Well, speaking of noise, there has been some noise today about one of your players. Adam Watson, obviously, has been
04:26such a good player for Crystal Palace.
04:29Crystal Palace have had to sell some of their best players. There's a story today that Man City have made
04:34an inquiry. What can you say about that?
04:36What can you say about if an offer was to come in for Adam? Is that a player that potentially
04:40might have to leave just like some of the other big Crystal Palace players that have had to leave?
04:46We did it and now I think it's not the moment to do that. I think he is able to
04:52play in another club, in a big club here or everywhere in Europe.
04:57But I think one year with us, one year with a new dynamic will be good for him and we
05:06need him. That's why I think he will stay with us.
05:09You think he will stay this season and maybe after that it could be reviewed or something like that?
05:13We will see and I hope he continues his improvement and he has other arguments to leave. That's why we
05:22work every day and that's why he gives his best every day too.
05:27You coached Ulfrid Zaha, I believe, at Lyon?
05:30Yeah, four months.
05:32I know he's been training outside, just like all these pitches with a private trainer. Is there any chance at
05:38all that you could be tempted to bring your role player and a Crystal Palace legend back to the club?
05:43Yeah, I know he's a legend here and I'm happy to see that he gives this link with the club
05:52and with the fans.
05:54But to be really honest, I don't think he will stay with us.
05:59John-Philippe Mateta, he's got a year left on his contract. It was quite open that he was close to
06:05leaving in January. Where are you at with him? Is he someone you see staying?
06:09Or because of that year left on the contract, is it possible that Crystal Palace might have to cash in
06:14and sell him?
06:14No, no. For the moment he's with us. He's able to play on Saturday and we are happy with that.
06:22He didn't play the last game because he came at the beginning of the week and we need time to
06:27prepare him. It's the same with Pino. It's not a game to take a risk. Now we have the possibility
06:37after two weeks to give them more minutes and I think it's a good strategy for both.
06:44Roman Nesse, I know he's a player that the club has tried to give minutes at other clubs. He hasn't
06:49managed to play a lot here. Is that something you want to see resolved? Is it likely that he will
06:53leave in this window?
06:55To be honest, I think he will leave because we will have not too much time to give to him
07:04and it's a best thing for him to find another solution. I know it's a player from the academy. I
07:13know how he's important for the fans because I came from a club who has a good academy too.
07:21But sometimes it's just about honesty. If the players for the moment needs minutes anywhere to become the players he
07:29will be, it's better for him and for us maybe. That's why he is not with the team for the
07:36moment.
07:38Last one. You've signed Migueza, Anan as well. Munoz can play in the right wing back position. It seems like
07:45you have a lot of players who can play in that right wing back position. Do you have too many?
07:49Munoz is someone else who has been linked away? Is that potential for him to move away from the club?
07:55You need to know that Migueza is able to play on left. When he plays on left, he plays not
08:02like a wing back as we know, but he is able to play inside.
08:06And it's a good option for us. That's why for the moment we have four wing backs and three with
08:14the right foot and only one with the left foot.
08:18But for Munoz, I heard noise, like you said, but he is happy to be with us and we are
08:26happy he is here.
08:37Lovely to meet you. First things first, how are you settling into life in London? How are you settling into
08:44life in Crystal Palace?
08:46The life in London I didn't know really well because for the moment all my time is for the football
08:54and the preparation of the team.
08:55But I know the city is wonderful and amazing. And in the club I discovered all the facilities because we
09:04started in the academy and now we are here because there's a lot of work here.
09:09It's the first week for us here. And we left two times in a camp. That's why it's always in
09:17a different context.
09:18But I met a lot of good people, really focused on their role, really focused on the objective of the
09:27club, really in line with the culture of the club.
09:30And that's the most important thing for me because I have to understand that to be a Crystal Palace manager
09:35in the line of the previous ones.
09:39You've had to work your way through the lower leagues in France. How much does it mean to you to
09:44be now a Premier League manager and what do you think the personal emotions will be when you walk out
09:51on Saturday?
09:53When I was a young coach in the amateur club, it was a dream. Now I'm here and it's not
10:02a dream, it's a reality, but I think it's only a step.
10:05I keep my ambition. I want to go forward with this team, with this club as long as we can.
10:13And I want to continue my improvement and the improvement of the club too and the players, like I said
10:21about Adam Wharton, for example.
10:23But emotionally, it's really a good moment. I'm really impatient to play this first game with this new jersey and
10:35in this new club.
10:36And with a lot of pressure because the club won three trophies in the last two years. That's why now
10:43we have the habit to win.
10:46But we have to confirm that every day by working and by performing during the game.
10:52Do you expect your players to understand your ideas immediately or is it a case of this will take a
11:00bit of time and we focus purely on results?
11:04We cannot be only focused on results. We have to be focused on the way to have results because, like
11:12I told you, it's not one game, two games.
11:16It's about 60 games maybe. And we have to prepare all these ones. It's not only for the first game.
11:24That's why the ideas, the principles are really important and we work on it every day.
11:29For the moment, we have not all the players at the same level because some of them come late with
11:37the World Cup.
11:38But we will take time to explain them, to leave that on the sessions too and to be able to
11:45play as a team as we choose.
11:47And know as we can, but as we choose.
11:51As for Everton, difficult to ask you what have you made with them so far because of course the season
11:56hasn't started.
11:57But from what you know about them what sort of challenge are you expecting?
12:02It's a good first game because last year the two teams were closed in the table, but like you said
12:10it's another context.
12:13And now we have to be the best version of us for the moment to compete and to fight at
12:20the highest as we can, as we are able for the moment.
12:24And we want to be ambitious for this game. We want to win. We go there to win. We don't
12:31go there to close the play.
12:33We want to play. We want to show what we are able to do. And we want to take confidence
12:41by doing things and be efficient in what we decide to do.
12:45And Dwight McNeil will be going up against his former club if he plays. What are you expecting from him
12:52and how much is he going to enjoy the idea, the prospect of going up against his old club so
12:57quickly on?
12:58First of all, it's really difficult to play the first team with your new team against your former team.
13:06But I did that as a coach last year. And one time it's happened, it's done. That's why we make
13:16a lot of noise with that, but at the end it's only a game.
13:20And to speak about him, he's really a good player. He's able to be really efficient between the lines. He's
13:28good to imbalance the opponent.
13:30He has a left foot of high level. And now we have to connect with the others to play for
13:39us and not only as a player alone.
13:43Just finally, Pierre, I must ask you about the Crystal Palace supporters known for being the most passionate in the
13:51Premier League. How important are they going to be for you this season?
13:55For me it's the most important thing because we play the football for us, we think, but we play for
14:02the fans first of all.
14:04Because without the fans and the person behind the screen or in the stands, why playing football?
14:15That's why we want to play in the way the fans are waiting, with energy, with the culture of the
14:23club and to be in a shape they want.
14:30That's the end of the broadcast section now.
14:32Thanks.
14:33See if we identify with the family itself?
