Portugal’s new coach Fernando Santos said he would have gone fishing if he was not confident that he could turn the side’s fortunes around.
The 59-year-old, officially presented yester-day, added that his eight-match international touchline ban, which by coincidence was confirmed yesterday as FIFA rejected his appeal, would not be a problem.
Santos, who led Greece to the quarter-finals at Euro 2012 and the round of 16 at this year’s World Cup during four years in charge, has been named to replace Paulo Bento, who left by mutual consent after a 1-0 home defeat to Albania in their opening Euro 2016 qualifier.
He has inherited a team which is over-dependent on World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo and with a shortage of replacements for its ageing players.
“Of course, I’m confident,” Santos told reporters.
“If I wasn’t, I would have stayed in the Alentejo (a region covering part of central and southern Portugal) and dedicated my time to fishing.
“My philosophy is to win, win, win, the rest is just talk,” added the quick-talking coach.
“The only word that I ever use in my team talks is win. Ask the Greek players if they don’t know the word ‘to win’”.
“I don’t like the word renovation because it implies that the players are old,” he added.
“As far as I’m concerned, it’s about talent, it’s about whether a player is capable or isn’t, or whether he plays well and doesn’t.
“At the World Cup, there were two players who were 35 or 36 and 17 players who I brought into the (Greek) team,” he added.
Santos will have to sit out all seven remaining matches in Portugal’s European qualifying group as he serves an eight-match ban imposed by FIFA for his sending-off in the World Cup second round match between Greece and Costa Rica.
FIFA said that an appeal against the ban had been rejected, although Santos could still go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“(Assistant coach) Ilidio Vale is an excellent trainer and I have absolute confidence in him,” said Santos.
“My punishment is not going to influence the team. It’s not an obstacle.”