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Kaka: It Was Obvious Real Madrid Would Need Time To Gel
After signing so many new players and installing a new trainer, Los Merengues were always going to need patience.
Nov 12, 2009 4:49:49 AM
Kaka has insisted that anyone who knows anything about football should have realized that Real Madrid would not enjoy instant success with so many new players and a new coach at the club.
The Brazilian knew that expectations at the Santiago Bernabeu would be high but has been stunned by the reaction after the team didn't click into gear immediately.
Criticism has intensified in recent days after Madrid's elimination from the Copa del Rey by village team Alcorcon, which came on the back of some uninspiring wins in the league.
"The media and public created the idealization that you would immediately reap the benefits of all the signings, mine and Cristiano's included, while the people who live football know that it takes time to get things going," he is quoted as saying by The Guardian.
"Expectations will always be high and obviously it is not normal for Real to be hammered by a lower league team.
"But to expect us to win all games 4-0 or start talking about a crisis and sacking the manager [Manuel Pellegrini] when we are only one point behind Barcelona in La Liga and joint-top with Milan in our Champions League group is a bit ludicrous.
"We are full of experienced guys who know how football works. We know what we are doing and how the gelling of the group will make things easier.
"Obviously if we end the year without a trophy people will be right in talking about failure and a bad year, but I have the feeling people will be talking differently about us soon."
Kaka singled out the signing of Xabi Alonso from Liverpool as the one player that excited him over the summer because he has always been a fan of the midfielder.
"As soon as the rumors started about Real signing him from Liverpool, I hoped Xabi was going to come," he continued.
"I have admired him for a few years and he impressed me by the way he operates in setting the pace of the game and in his distribution. He is extremely important for the team and I am quite happy Liverpool let him come to us."
Lucas Brown, Goal.com
Discuss all the latest in the Goal.com Forums.
The Brazilian knew that expectations at the Santiago Bernabeu would be high but has been stunned by the reaction after the team didn't click into gear immediately.
Criticism has intensified in recent days after Madrid's elimination from the Copa del Rey by village team Alcorcon, which came on the back of some uninspiring wins in the league.
"The media and public created the idealization that you would immediately reap the benefits of all the signings, mine and Cristiano's included, while the people who live football know that it takes time to get things going," he is quoted as saying by The Guardian.
"Expectations will always be high and obviously it is not normal for Real to be hammered by a lower league team.
"But to expect us to win all games 4-0 or start talking about a crisis and sacking the manager [Manuel Pellegrini] when we are only one point behind Barcelona in La Liga and joint-top with Milan in our Champions League group is a bit ludicrous.
"We are full of experienced guys who know how football works. We know what we are doing and how the gelling of the group will make things easier.
"Obviously if we end the year without a trophy people will be right in talking about failure and a bad year, but I have the feeling people will be talking differently about us soon."
Kaka singled out the signing of Xabi Alonso from Liverpool as the one player that excited him over the summer because he has always been a fan of the midfielder.
"As soon as the rumors started about Real signing him from Liverpool, I hoped Xabi was going to come," he continued.
"I have admired him for a few years and he impressed me by the way he operates in setting the pace of the game and in his distribution. He is extremely important for the team and I am quite happy Liverpool let him come to us."
Lucas Brown, Goal.com
Discuss all the latest in the Goal.com Forums.
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