SAO PAULO, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Newly appointed Sao Paulo manager Hernan Crespo has called for patience from the club's fans and Brazil's media, insisting he will need time to develop a squad that can regularly compete for major silverware.

Crespo gave his first press conference as Sao Paulo manager on Wednesday, five days after he agreed to a two-year contract.

The former striker promised to instil an attacking mindset as the club seeks to end a nine-year trophy drought.

"For me, to play well is to attack the opponents' goal and not give them many chances," the 45-year-old said. "This requires time and patience. The [club's] leaders are in agreement."

"Our aim is to have a constantly high level of performance. We'll need the support of all the players in the squad, because there is a huge amount of games. This requires a combined effort. We will be competitive in all competitions, with a clear direction, an identity and with the patience to build something that can last for a long time and bring satisfaction [to the fans]. That's what I can guarantee."

Crespo's appointment came just days after he quit his position as head coach of Argentina's Defensa y Justicia. He replaces Fernando Diniz, who was sacked on February 1 after a poor run of results.

Sao Paulo are currently fourth in Brazil's 20-team Serie A standings, seven points behind leaders Internacional with two match days remaining.

The Tricolor Paulista, as the club is known by fans, led the competition by seven points late last year before a wretched run of results in January ended their hopes of a first league title since 2008.

"We will certainly make use of the work done by Fernando," Crespo said, acknowledging his predecessor's impact.

"Great work has been done and [he] deserves a lot of respect. Everyone has their own way of conducting and watching football. I think we can add things to the work, to take a step further. For many things I agree [with Diniz], and for others we will implement something new," he added.

Crespo became Sao Paulo's top choice to assume the manager's job after leading Defensa y Justicia to the Copa Sudamericana title - their first international trophy - in January. He previously had spells in charge of Modena and Banfield.

As a player, Crespo was capped 64 times for Argentina in a career that included stints with River Plate, Parma, Lazio, Inter Milan, Chelsea, AC Milan and Genoa. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)