He led his first training session on Wednesday morning at the Performance Centre! Having arrived in the Principality on Monday to sign with the Club from the Rock for the next two seasons, Filipe Luís had his first on-pitch contact with his players before taking part in his official presentation to the media, in the presence of General Manager Thiago Scuro. Highlights 🎙️
On his decision to join AS Monaco
(In French) It is a pleasure. I am very happy to be here. I speak a little French and I will do my best over the coming months. For me, it was an easy decision to join AS Monaco, even though other clubs approached me, because the feeling was incredible from the very beginning with Thiago (Scuro) and Carlos (Aviña). The same was true with the President when I spoke with him. I immediately felt that the Club really wanted me and wanted me to bring my own ideas. The project is also very clear and our ideas align with the way I want to see the team develop. They also understood that I am someone with very high ambitions. We know there will be some changes this season, so being part of that process and being able to have a say in all of the Club’s future decisions is something that really made the choice easier for me. It was an easy decision and I am truly happy to be here.
His knowledge of the club
I have many friends who played here, such as Radamel Falcao, Thomas Lemar, Yannick Carrasco and Cesc Fàbregas. They told me many good things about the Club. I know its history and the fact that AS Monaco has always had many young talents in its squad. They have won the league title eight times and it is an ambitious club that suits me. I also remember having discussions about coming here when I was a player, but it never materialised. I have also sometimes come here on holiday.
First of all, I would like to thank the coach for being here and for trusting what we presented to him. We are truly delighted that he has joined us and to welcome him to Monaco, where he and his family are very welcome. As we discussed together, we will all work hard to achieve success and continue building this club. (...) We are even more pleased because Filipe had other offers. When someone who has played at the highest level decides to become a head coach, it shows his passion for the game and how much he loves this role.
Thiago Scuro, welcoming Filipe Luís
On his playing style
In order for the team to play the way I like, it is a process, as I said. I am a coach who promotes an attacking style, but also aggressive pressing. Of course, I like to have possession, I like to give players solutions so they can have the ball all the time and improve. I would describe my game model as a truly attacking and dominant style. Supporters have almost always enjoyed the way AS Monaco played in the past, so I want them to watch the team and feel connected to it, represented by us. The players will have to give everything they have on the pitch; that is the important part for me. After that, you will be able to see connections develop more naturally thanks to coordinated movements.
His involvement during training
I have a lot of energy, and I think that when I take part in exercises with my players and stop them to correct what is not working, they can understand things more easily. This is my way of working and the one in which I feel most comfortable. There is now a process to implement and we need a lot of training for my ideas to work. But we will have time to do it. I believe that all the coaches I had during my career who worked in this way on the training ground helped information stay in my mind more easily. So I feel comfortable doing it and the players like it... at least I hope they do (smile).
On the squad
For a coach, it is always easier to work calmly and consistently with a squad of 20 players. But that is not possible, especially this year with all the changes during the transfer window and with the World Cup currently taking place. We know there will be many changes across teams, not only ours. But as I said, we believe we can improve certain positions and bring in other qualities that can improve the connections between players. That is what I want to see on the pitch.
We are therefore working together with the recruitment department to identify possible solutions in the market. We are very confident that we can build a highly competitive team capable of being near the top of the league. I have already spoken with almost all the players, and we will have more individual discussions over the coming days. No one is more important than the team. I simply want to see the players perform for the team; that is the most important thing for me.
The starting point of this decision was that his vision of football is strongly connected to the way we want to build AS Monaco. But we also see an opportunity to take another step forward by having a more stable club, with better solutions, especially with the ball, being able to control matches better and defend better. Achieving what he did with Flamengo is not easy, because I know Brazilian football culture very well. I know the squad he had and what he delivered in terms of performances. It was impressive, it caught our attention, and after our discussions, considering his ideas, leadership, profile and the way he structures his technical staff, everything appeared aligned.
Thiago Scuro, on the appointment of Filipe Luís
On last season
I watched many matches and noticed that there was sometimes a lack of consistency, even though there were many good teams last season. In any case, there were many positive aspects in the way the team played. Of course, some things will change, but they will not be major changes. I like to have a really balanced team in the way we defend, while pressing very high. But I also like to protect the defence, and that is something I would like to improve. Last year, there were many things we can build on, and with the new characteristics of the players arriving, it could help create this new playing model.
His ambitions for the coming season
I am a very, very ambitious person. I have big dreams and high expectations, but very honestly, I take things one match at a time. Of course I always want to win; that is the objective. To achieve that, I will give the players every solution and possibility. But we know this is a season with some changes. Despite that, we want to be as high as possible and I think AS Monaco is a club with a lot of ambition. Everyone knows the gap that currently exists between us and PSG, but as I said, I am a very ambitious person.
On Ligue 1
Ligue 1 is incredible and is surely among the top three leagues in the world. There is so much quality and physical intensity. The league is also demanding, while the tactical game plans and ideas make it really attractive. So it is a great pleasure for me to be here.
Regarding competitivity
I would replace the word "aggressivity" with "competitiveness". I want to be a competitive team and I will demand that from them because, for me, football is all about that. You can offer many solutions, tactics, game plans and different new ideas, but the objective of football is to win and compete. For me, that is the main objective. We can attack very well, but if we concede goals in every match, it will not be good. I have always said that attack wins matches and defence wins championships. We therefore need to be solid, compete hard and be competitive. Opponents must know that playing against AS Monaco will be difficult. That is what I want the players to understand and to keep in mind: to be truly competitive.
For me, however, it is not a question of age but of performance. If a 16-year-old performs better than a 28-year-old player, he will play. Everything is about performance, improvement, hard work, correcting mistakes and providing content through proper coaching. Age does not matter, because you can still learn things at 38 and see the team grow alongside you. That is my main objective.
Filipe Luís
About young players development
When I started my coaching career at Flamengo, I began with the U17 team, which was really special for me because it was my first experience, so I truly saw my players as my children. I was really proud to coach them and help them develop because there is so much to teach at that age. They also taught me a lot about how to become a coach and feel comfortable in that role. That period was extremely important for me, as was my experience with the U20 team afterwards. Then, with the first team, there were many experienced players aged 28, 30 or 32 who were already established, but we also had young talents. For me, however, it is not a question of age but of performance. If a 16-year-old performs better than a 28-year-old player, he will play. Everything is about performance, improvement, hard work, correcting mistakes and providing content through proper coaching. Age does not matter, because you can still learn things at 38 and see the team grow alongside you. That is my main objective.
About Denis Zakaria
He is the captain and a player with great qualities and leadership. He is at the World Cup at the moment. In fact, we wished him good luck for yesterday’s match, even though I want him here! I am a little selfish about that (smile). He is extremely important, especially in the central midfield position, which for me is a crucial role because it is the heart of the team. Midfielders must support both the defence and the attack, control the game and provide the stability we need. There will be a lot of work for the midfielders, including him, as well as for everyone else. I hope, and I know, that he will improve in certain areas because I am going to demand a lot from him. He is another key player who will help the team grow.
On the technical staff
Diogo Linhares is my fitness coach. He has a great deal of experience and understands all aspects of performance and medical work, with which he will be closely involved, so he will be a central figure. Ivan Palanco is an assistant coach who worked for many years in Japan and also, a long time ago, in Barcelona with Johan Cruyff. When I retired as a footballer, he was the first person I contacted. He joined me to help apply my playing principles on the pitch. It is not always easy when you start in this profession to teach your philosophy, even if you have accumulated a great deal of knowledge, so he is a tremendous help from a methodological perspective. He is completely aligned with my ideas and with the way I want my team to play in matches and in training. That is why they both followed me to Monaco.
