Xavi: I watch football frequently, I pay attention to the leagues between Panama and India, and I really want to coach the Premier League

In an exclusive interview with TheAthletic on May 8, Harvey talked about his football philosophy, players he paid attention to, leagues, coaches and other topics.

Talking about coaching philosophy

"My main formation is 433, which can also be adjusted to 343 as needed, or 4231, depending on which players you have. However, I prefer to use wingers rather than fullbacks to launch an offense, because when you use fullbacks to do this, it may give the opponent a chance to control the game. This is just my opinion. I believe that coaches who like the five-guard system will not agree."

"My football philosophy can be summarized in four Ps: Possession, Position, Press and Perception. You need to take possession to win the game, you need to take advantage of the ball, and if you lose the ball, you have to press. At the same time, you must have the ability to perceive the situation around you and understand the game. But I will also add a P: Passion. Without passion, you can't play football well. Just like Barcelona's Cassado, he may not be the best player, but he is full of passion, so he can play for Barcelona. "

"I will spend a lot of time watching the game, and when I rest, you must also pay attention to what is happening and see what your peers are doing. Look at what Pep (Guardiola) has done and observe how he brings an unbeatable team out of trouble. He knows the ball The team was not in good condition at the time for high-intensity pressing of 90 minutes of the game, so he adjusted his tactics, and Manchester City no longer pressed very much. "

" Enrique's work in Paris was excellent, he was very dedicated, and he let the whole team go all out. Paris's game against Villa was very exciting, and Emery did a good job. This was the highlight of the Spanish coaches. Ilaura, Arteta, Xavi Alonso and others performed well. Lopetegui encountered some difficulties at West Ham United, but he was still an excellent coach. I also watched Bellingham's game against Bilbao. He had three opportunities but no goals. If he was last season, he might have scored a hat trick. It doesn't mean he is a bad player."

Talk about which players he likes to watch

"Pedri, he never concedes the ball, makes the best decision every time he gets the ball. De Jong is in good shape at the moment, and Vitinia. I always pay attention to the midfielder, B Fei is another top player, he is like a fighter, his mentality is just for victory, both talented and passionate. He performed well against my Barcelona in 2023, as well as Rashford, Fred, Lisandro and Anthony. In the second leg of Old Trafford, we had a little advantage in the first half, but they performed very well and passionate in the second half. "

Which league will they focus on?

"I watch La Liga most often, followed by Premier League. I don't watch much in Ligue 1, but sometimes I watch Paris or Marseille, especially Paris. In Italy, I will pay attention to Como because I have a few friends there, such as Roberto and Fabregas. I also have some good friends in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, so I will pay attention to the game there. I watch football often because I love football. In addition, I will pay attention to the league in Panama because I have friends there. Sometimes I will check out the Indian Super League because there are many Spanish coaches there."

Want to return to coaching position?

"Of course? But I don't know where it is. But I'm not in a hurry. I want to find a good project, such as giving you four years to build a team. I really want to coach the Premier League because I like the passion there. In Spain, people pay too much attention to the results. Looking at what happened to Ancelotti, people are criticizing him, which is not fair. He won 30 trophies in 10 years and was criticized like nothing. Valverde said it well, saying, 'If Ancelotti is criticized, what else do the rest of us have to count on? ’There is a lot of pressure to coach in Spain, especially in Barcelona and Real Madrid. ”

"Chelsea and Maresca have a good program. Arteta has coached for Arsenal until his sixth year. Although there have been a few seasons, the club trusts him and continues to support him. He is doing well now, and this situation will not happen in Spain. The idea of ​​coaching a national team is also very attractive to me. When I dream of becoming a coach, I thought that one day I could lead the team to the World Cup or European Cup. ”

coaching the Spanish team?

"Why not? Let's take a look in the future. I'm not in a hurry. I don't have to work. I've always looked quiet and stayed with my family."

What is it like to play football in England?

"I love the feeling of playing for Barcelona, ​​and I have no regrets about it, but I also hope to have the opportunity to play in other European leagues, the Premier League and Italian leagues are very pure, people respect this profession, respect coaches and players, as long as you give your all. I like playing at Anfield or Old Trafford, and the atmosphere is incredible. When the home team attacks, the audience's shouts are shocking, and I have played at the Celtics many times, and the atmosphere there is also great."

Who are you in touch with now?

"I am friends with many people and have been in touch with them, Cocu, Iniesta, Cruyvit, Figo, Casillas, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and so on."

Talking about photo with Arteta and Guardiola in the 1990s

"For me, this means 'this is Barcelona'. We have the same understanding of football, and the main reason we become coaches is that we understand football. We feel that we can help the players, and the first thing I say to the players is 'I am here to help you' because I also got a lot of help when I was a player. But you need time, even now, Barcelona is still under construction. I said this when I was coaching, but I was criticized. Yamal is only 17 years old, Kubasi is 18 years old, Pedri is 22 years old, Garvey is 20 years old, and Barde is 21 years old, and if you don't win anything in a season, people will panic. ”

"I know Manchester United is not easy this year, but I know what Amorin wants. His project is just beginning, but I can see players fighting for him, which is very important. The players are running for the team, look at Simeone, whether you like his style or not, his players will run and fight for him, he has a team, and if you have a team, you have a chance. ”

Talking about the feelings of fighting with different coaches

"Valverde is a very calm person, and I am also calm, but when I feel unfair, such as the players who do not do what we arranged, or there is a problem with the referee's penalty, I will get angry, and even lose my temper and throw things during the break. Ancelotti is calm but complains too! He is a gentleman. Marcellino is calm, Imanol, I respect him very much, Emery is passionate, and Enrique is the same, I respect them very much. Usually after the game, I would talk to other coaches and the atmosphere was relaxing, but the coaches would tell you the pressure they were under. I'm ready to take the pressure again, but I don't think there's as much pressure as I did when I was in Barcelona anymore. But this is different for Hans. He doesn't speak Spanish, nor is he a Barcelona fan. I told him: 'Don't pay attention to anything in the media, otherwise you will go crazy, just focus on the team. ’”