Thomas Tuchel: 'Keep on working'
The Paris Saint-Germain coach tells us his feelings and ambitions after extending his contract to 2021.
You've just signed your contract extension with Paris Saint-Germain through to 2021. How do you feel?
"It's a very positive thing. It shows the club has faith in me. For a coach, that's the most important thing. We'd been talking about it since December. It happened naturally. We continue the adventure together, and that's very good."
Your first season has been marked by the winning of the club's eighth Ligue 1 title…
"It's the most important trophy. It shows that you've done things well throughout the season. We're here to produce performances, create a thirst for victory, to be consistent. We have done that, so we deserved the trophy. It's one of Paris Saint-Germain's aims each season. It's a great challenge that requires great effort. Personally, I'd already won the German cup, and I'm very happy as it's my first league title. I'll never forget it."
What do you think of the standard of Ligue 1?
"The game is very quick. Almost all teams have forwards that are very quick and physically powerful. They're brave and aggressive. Our opponents adapt more and more. We're also to blame a bit. We have to keep finding solutions. I have some ideas of how to improve looking at next season. We have to be attentive. We can't just say, 'We're Paris Saint-Germain, we have talented players, we're strong, so we always do the same thing'. You can't work like that. In every game, you have to create space and opportunities. I have always shown my players the strengths of our opponents. We're going to keep working like that."
What's your outlook for the future?
"We have to improve, that's clear. We have to put even more intensity into our games. To be competitive at the highest level, that's indispensable. We have to go in a direction, show it to the players, to the fans. We have created something, but it's not finished. So we have to continue, keep working and improve our play. Certain matches were won, but not in the way we wanted, not with the play that we want to put in place. Giving your all has to become a habit. But I can't change that on my own. You have to be very strict in terms of our principles of how to play. That's important. We all have to go in the same direction."