Muñoz: “I Want To Fight Like An Animal To Win”

By: Kevin Affleck

Xisco Muñoz cannot wait to get his teeth stuck into the job at Watford, vowing to repay the faith shown in him by generating a positive vibe around the place and sending out a motivated group of players in a manner than reflects the excitement he has for this opportunity.

The big-smiling and enthusiastic Spaniard started work as the club's new Head Coach on Monday and met the players for the first time this morning after their scheduled day off. The squad will be greeted by a hungry and highly personable coach who plans to enjoy every moment of the challenge and attempt to transfer the rich success he had in Spain as a player and the recent title joy as a coach to this assignment in Hertfordshire.

“I am very happy to be here,” he said. “This is a good chance at a very good club. We have everything and now is the moment to start work. I want to enjoy the situation. I am happy and I want to start work with the guys. I feel very good. We have very good players, we have good support from the fans and I can't wait to start.

“I tell the fans I give my maximum for the club. The focus is to work and to win. We need good energy. We need our fans and we need everyone in the same way. Together we can have big power. Everybody knows the goal.”

Muñoz, 40, has a lighter side to his personality and the staff at the training ground have already been struck by his amiable manner. However, beneath that lies a fierce desire to win and succeed, one fostered during a spell at Valencia when he won La Liga and the UEFA Cup in the same season under Rafa Benítez.

“I want to fight like an animal to win and give my maximum,” he said. “I have a responsibility now to this club to say thank you for this situation. I am prepared for this moment. I will give 100 per cent. I know what we need, what is the situation.

“We need to work hard. Football is passion and we have the perfect players. We need to give them confidence, stay by the side of them and give the maximum to help them. I know what it is like to be a fan, a player and now a coach. I know all situations and what we need.”

Muñoz cut his teeth as an assistant coach in Spain and then in Georgia with Dinamo Tbilisi, who he helped win the league, winning eight of his 11 games in charge.

“It doesn't matter about experience,” he said. “My experience is being a winner. I have been a winner all my life and won everything in my [playing] career. This is my character. It doesn't matter what people say about experience. Sometimes experience is about winning. Some have experience for 10 years and won nothing.

“Even when I was a player, my role was like a coach. I had a book when I was a player and I was writing everything every time in the book. Every time I was working like I was going to be a coach. I took the best things for the future and put them in my book.”

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW!

Hear more from Muñoz in his full welcome interview, which is available now via the official Watford FC podcast and the club’s YouTube channel.

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