2003/06/18 http://www.deportivo-la-coruna.com/ IRURETA: “WE ALWAYS ARE ALL OR NOTHING” Coach Javier Irureta looked back at the current season as Deportivo have nothing to play for now. But despite the disappointment about the third place, Irureta says “to be very proud of my team, as with 72 points in some seasons we would have been champions”. Q: How will Deportivo approach the match against Espanyol, as there’s nothing at stake. A: I don’t agree with this opinion. Of course, we cannot change our position in the Liga anymore. But it’s not the same finishing with 69 or 72 points. If we win I will be very satisfied, although the glory will go to the champion. Despite all, if Deportivo get 72 points every year they will be champions once in a while. Only Real Madrid and Real Sociedad have done better this year, as the Basques had a great second period of the Liga. Q: So you’re satisfied about the Liga performance of your team? A: I am very proud of my team and I have told them so in the dressing room. We have had many setbacks in the form of injuries and some players just only returned at the end of the season. And despite this we have achieved a lot. Q: Like what? A: Besides the points in the Liga, again we have the Spanish topscorer among our midst (Makaay) and he also has become European topscorer. We have won at Milan, champions of Europe, and Munich where no Spanish team had ever won. We also won our matches at Barcelona and Valencia. And so we have achieved many things to label this a fine season. Q: Do you think all related to Deportivo appreciates a third place? A: If they do, I agree. Maybe because there were a lot of expectations and because we led the Liga some weeks ago that there was a feeling of fatality. But at other places (Celta) a fourth place was celebrated as a big success and here we seem to be ashamed of a third place. If we count all the points in my five seasons here we’re Spain’s best team. If this season would have been the Giro or the Tour de France we would have been at the podium, but here that doesn’t seems to count as we’re always all or nothing. Now we play Champions League pre-round matches, like Milan did this season. I think it's an achievement for a little city like La Coruna. Q: But didn’t you expect the team to fight for the title after taking the first place at Malaga? A: Of course. But at decisive moments we conceded more goals than we wished for, like at San Mames. We ourselves scored two goals at a difficult stadium to do so, but it didn’t help us anything. We lacked ruthlessness and concentration in defence, and therefore teams scored a lot of stupid goals against us. Q: Will you stay at Deportivo? A: It’s still my first option, I have never denied this. But if I won’t continue here I just will return to Bilbao and that’s it. Q: But the negotiations are taking quite a while right? A: Lendoiro is very occupied with the negotiations taking place in Madrid. I am of the opinion that no player and no coach can distract attention away of what is the prime target of the club in these circumstances. First we should strike a television deal and then to continue with other negotiations. Q: It’s already your fifth season at Deportivo. Will you ask more now of the cl ub than before? A: I know that the club has limited economical possibilities, but I try to do the best possible within these limits. I don’t ask much, but still enough to do what I am supposed to achieve. Q: Is 22 June the final date for the negotiations? A: On that day I will be going home because I need to be with my family and they with me. If I don’t continue here life will go on… Q: Will you consider the sale of either Makaay or Tristan in your decision? A: No. I know what the club needs, the personal situations and the moment when we need to sell players. --

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