Newly appointed New York City FC head coach Pascal Jansen addressed the media for the first time, setting a clear vision for his tenure with the club.
The Dutch coach, appointed in December after spells in Hungary and the Netherlands, was keen to outline his vision on Tuesday afternoon as City prepare to participate in the Coachella Valley Invitational this week.
“A big part of me being here is based on what I've seen so far—preparing myself by analyzing how the team was playing before I was in charge,” Jansen said.
“What I said to my guys once I got in is that we have to take it to another level in order to be more successful. Looking for a higher intensity is something that I'm aiming for. A little bit more flexibility in how we defend and how we attack, and obviously trying to get more stability into the team.”
Jansen has a well-earned reputation for developing young talent, having nurtured promising players at his previous clubs. When asked about striking a balance between results and player development, he made it clear that both remain priorities.
“Yes, it's true—I have a track record of working with youngsters and was able to help these guys get to the next level and even beyond that,” he said.
“Inconsistency comes with young players, so getting them to a level where they have more consistency in their game and development is also a factor of time.
“The environment within our club is perfect, as far as I can tell now. But with the things that I have in my system, in my ideas, I hope I can help them out and bring them to the next level.”
Jansen also spoke about the importance of establishing a ‘bulletproof mindset’ among his squad, urging his players to develop a resilient and aggressive approach on the field.
“We addressed this topic in earlier team meetings with the squad over the past two or three weeks,” he said.
“I would like to call it ‘a bulletproof mindset’—always being aggressive, going out to win games, obviously.
“A bulletproof mindset, in my opinion, makes you work from a standard where you feel like you can handle anything, in any stadium, under any circumstance. That's what I'm looking for.”
The 51-year-old later highlighted the importance of preseason as a time to observe and learn more about his players.
“Of course, this period is about getting to know my players and making sure that I have a good perspective on what they can or cannot do, and where I am able to help them. We're still in that phase, and I take it day by day in order to see where adjustments or tweaks need to be made.”
City’s newest head coach also had a message for the club’s passionate supporters, expressing his eagerness to connect with them and share in the club’s ambitious goals.
“I'm looking forward to meeting them,” he said.
“I think the fans and the fan base in general are a huge part of a club that’s trying to grow to the next level and be very successful.
“Being a successful team, being a successful club, requires a fan base that demands a lot. The high standards they're looking for are similar to what I'm looking for - we can shake hands on that one.”
City kickoff their participation in the Coachella Valley Invitational on Wednesday, February 5, when they take on Sporting KC. You can watch the game live on www.nycfc.com from 6:00PM ET.
