Spaniard boss: Barcelona’s growth has benefited from the immigrant population and hopes to enter the European arena

October 16th: American entrepreneur Allen Pace has officially become the largest shareholder, owner and chairman of Espanyol Club. This morning, he held a press conference in the auditorium of the RCDE Stadium to introduce his role as the new helm of the club to the media.

Pace expressed his closeness and investment in the club in Spanish at the press conference, and introduced his future plans, working methods and new concepts he hopes to implement in the club. He also expressed support for having the game in the United States.

Pace: "This has been a difficult process, and I would like to thank Chen Yansheng and Xinghui Group for their management and everything they have done in this transition. For us, this is not just a commercial transition, it has a deeper meaning. Football is a very important way to connect communities, countries and families. And The Espanyol club is the perfect embodiment of this spirit. We are not here to change Espanyol, but to help it grow, to invest in youth training, infrastructure and people, to protect the independence of Espanyol and to build with purpose. What this club means to people, its warmth, passion and hope. This moved me deeply. "

About management philosophy: "To achieve growth, you need not only funds, but also knowledge, academic research and management skills. As we did at Burnley, some methods can be introduced here as well. To achieve growth, you first need to develop a mindset that goes beyond money. ”

Goals of the new management: “I have big dreams. We all want more. My dream at Espanyol is for the world to see what a great club it is. There's something unique here, like me Our academy, this winning mentality must pervade the entire club. "

Significant presence at Barcelona: "I will stay at Barcelona to help develop the strategy and contribute my experience. We need to find synergies to work better. I will be in Barcelona a lot. Besides, I really like this city. I will try my best to use my experience in the sports world to help. "

Financial strength for investment: "The rules in La Liga are slightly different from other places. We have to invest according to the rules and see what we can do, which we are already doing. ”

Barcelona Influence in the city: "Barcelona's growth is due to the foreign population. If you look at the tourists who always come, they are not necessarily fans, but what they want to see is wonderful football. Barcelona has a lot of tourists and we will give them the opportunity to come and watch us play, but only if they know that we exist. We There are ways to develop in the city and globally."

Regarding Chen Yansheng's words about the Champions League at the introductory meeting: "I talked to him and I don't think he said anything like this. I think he was asked this question and he said that it was his wish, just like everyone. body timetable. I don’t know if we will play in the Champions League, our goal is to play every game and win. "

Espanyol's relationship with Burnley: "The two teams are completely independent, but we have learned some lessons that can be applied to other situations. There may be some synergies that can help us. "

Relationship with Manolo Gonzalez: "I communicate more with Garagaza. I don't want to interfere with the team's progress. I haven't played football and am not an expert, I can only ask questions and learn. We haven't communicated much so far because I don't want to disturb him. ”

On his legacy at the club: "I don't want people to remember what I did. I won't put myself in the spotlight if I can help it. I want people to respect me because my family is part of the club too."

Earning respect and restoring prestige: "Those who don't respect us are Because they don't know how good Spanish football is. I know it's controversial, but it would be good for the country and for the sport to have a competition in the United States."

Concerns after joining Espanyol. Anxiety, so I feel scared every day. When we came to Barcelona almost 30 years ago, this was still a dream. We are back after 30 years and couldn't be happier. I hope everything goes well. From the beginning, friends here are like family. The love the people here have for us is very different. "

If Espanyol and Burnley meet in Europe: "I know I have to leave one of them. We had planned this for a long time. I think it would be easier to achieve this goal in La Liga, but Manolo and Garagaza think it will be very difficult. "

The biggest surprise after joining the club: "The fans Acceptance of me. They were very friendly and welcomed us with open arms. Not so at Burnley. "

Manage fans' emotions: "We must listen to the fans. Everyone has a voice. If we ultimately decide to do something else, that's part of the process, like all families. "

Vision after five years: "Achieve great success. We can be more successful than people think. I hope the team can reach Europe, but it's complicated. We need to support those who work hard for this, but first we need to change our mindset and become winners. Now everything is just beginning. "