It’s the winning business — Carlos Queiroz demands Rock and Roll for 90 minutes against Croatia: Transcript

Carlos Queiroz says Ghana’s clash with Croatia is the third part of one game and has told his players to leave Lincoln Financial Field proud of the work they did for the fans, insisting the Black Stars’ target is to play for winning, as always.

Speaking at Friday’s pre-match press conference, Queiroz called Saturday’s Group L finale another battle against a great team with wonderful, experienced players.

Read on for the transcript:

“For sure it will be tough, intensive for both sides. But at the end of the day, I do believe it will be a lot of fun and entertainment for everybody,” he said. “I hope, with the inspiration of my players, that we will be able to express good football. The best football on the day, on the pitch.”

“And if we are able to do that, I’m sure that we will be more close to winning. Which is the target that we have in our mind, to play for winning, as always. So, that’s it. Simple like that. We are ready for the match tomorrow.”

“Entertainment is winning”

Queiroz pushed back on criticism of Ghana’s defensive display in the 0-0 draw with England, redefining his version of entertainment.

“For me, entertainment in this game, some people call it football, I call it the winning business,” he said. “It is to fight 90 minutes for the result to win. The only medicine that works in football is to win and see everybody happy around us.”

“For some people, when they see a game with a result 6-1 or 7-1, it is entertainment for one side. The others are the clowns on the pitch. I was not born to play that role, and I don’t want my players when they play one game, they don’t put everything in the game to win the game, to compete at a high level.”

“So, for me, it is the meaning of entertainment. Emotional, technically, drama in the game. I think the game against England has everything. Drama, emotion, the effort, sacrifices of the players. It was wonderful.”

“I think tomorrow it will be another game. We will see if the game is rock and roll, samba, tango, I don’t know. One thing is sure; both teams have to be ready to play the game that is in front of us.”

“At the end, for me, I like to leave the pitch proud of myself, proud of my players, proud of the work they did for the fans. When the fans are happy, we can be happy. Because we work in the entertainment business and that is our job, to make people happy.”

To win is very expensive

Queiroz said Ghana must embrace the moment after grinding out four points from two games.

“If you check the results in this World Cup, the number of draws and some surprises, to win in football, especially at this level, it is very expensive,” he said. “You have to pay a lot of sacrifices and efforts to be able to win or get one result. So, when you achieve those moments, if you don’t celebrate, when are you going to celebrate?”

He said his animated touchline reaction against England was a message to supporters. “My body language at the end of the day was to share my feelings with the Ghana fans. Because I felt that before the World Cup around our boys, our team, there was a lot of hesitation, suspicions, not confidence.”

“To engage and bring the player number 12 inside the pitch is very important for us… The boys, nobody more than the boys want to win the game. But sometimes it is important that player number 12 also understands his role in the game.”

Only one game: Croatia

With Ghana joint top of Group L on four points, Queiroz refused to discuss permutations or Thomas Partey’s visa situation for a potential Canada return.

“The game of football is so difficult. You cannot play two or three games at the same time. We just focus on one game, which is Croatia, and get results,” he said. “Play good football. With good football, be better than them on the pitch. That’s what we’re going to try to do. Fight more, be better.”

“When the results come at the end of the game, we’ll be there to make decisions, if we’re first, second or third… But important is to play one game. Only one game. And the game is big enough tomorrow against Croatia to play other games outside the pitch.”

On Partey’s Canada issue: “Your question should be addressed to the visa authorities of Canada not to me… If you ask me if I agree with that, I don’t agree with that. But as members of the press, you have the power to ask the right questions to people.”

“Tomorrow, we have one game. We’re going to play the best we can, fight as much as possible to get the best result. And the best result is to be number one.”

VAR and penalties

Queiroz said Ghana “should be qualified with six points” after missed penalty calls and blasted VAR’s progress.

“VAR was born in 2016. 2018 was the first World Cup. Ten years is gone. There is no excuse, no reason for VAR not to be better than this,” he said. “It’s time for FIFA authorities to review what has been happening behind the scenes.”

“When VAR comes it was to help the referees to referee and make good decisions. And we hope that will be better in the next few years.”

“We have a good rate scoring penalties and we believe that if the penalties happen, we should be qualified already. But Croatia deserves our respect, full respect.”

We attacked for 90 minutes vs England

Responding to suggestions Ghana were overly defensive against England, Queiroz was adamant: “By the way, when you talk about defensive, it is wrong. We played 90 minutes against England attacking.”

“I’m going to probably share something next time you have to pay for these lessons, but we played the game 90 minutes attacking — attacking the players, attacking the spaces, attacking the ball, attacking the English team.”

“This is a power approach in the mind when you don’t have the ball and you have to have this attitude of attacking. We will be in the space before they arrive. We fight for the ball before they come. We attack the space, we attack the ball, we attack the free players, 90 minutes. It was fantastic.”

On 1970s/80s Italy comparisons

‘’First of all, you talk about Italy in the 70s and 80s. I was there, the people was happy. And I’ve been in Italy three months ago when they’re not qualified. You cannot even imagine what they think about the coaches and the players,” Queiroz said.

“Football, it is all about that. So, for me, it’s simple… It’s winning business. If I have to, and the boys, they showed that, if they have to dance rock and roll 90 minutes, and in one minute score and win, congratulations, son.”

Croatia threat

Queiroz praised Luka Modric as “one of the most brilliant players in football history” but said the 4-2 loss to England flattered the Three Lions.

“I think after I saw the game several times, they even deserve a better result. I think the result four-two was too heavy for Croatia,” he said. “That’s why we are full alert… Tomorrow we only have one option. We have to come out more strong and better.”

Mindset for Saturday

“I only have one way to play the game. It is play for win and that is what we going to do tomorrow,” Queiroz said. “Express ourselves and have the freedom to enjoy and play good football and during 90 minutes with the same concentration and same resilience.”

“The only thing that I ask them is never lose one second in the mind that wish to go there and build up the result to win the game. All our training session have been to create opportunities to score, keep the ball and win.”

“We are not here to make people happy about the defensive appreciation of the game. That is not my job. My job is to make the people of Ghana happy with the result and achievement to make them proud of the performance of the team.”

Ghana face Croatia at 5 p.m. Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field. A win guarantees a Round of 32 place.

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