Adam Masina offered his view on Udinese's tough start to the season and how the team can pick themselves up when he was hosted on Udinese Tonight on Monday evening.
“We know it’s going to be a difficult season but we must fight together as a team, with the fans and the club,” the Moroccan centre-back began.
“Serie A is a tough league and lots of the lads have joined from other leagues. Everyone knows how hard it is to adapt to the Italian top flight.
“When I joined the club, there were players here who were used to playing 3-5-2. I looked to Bram Nuytinck and Rodrigo Becao and told them I'd learn everything I needed to play on the left of a back three. A young player who joins at the end of August and is playing two weeks later needs time to understand the right movements to make.
“I see a team that looks scared. I'm a bit of a numbers buff and I've studied our performances – you can't say we're lacking physical fitness. It's in the head: when we see things aren't coming off for us, we start struggling.”
“We knew this was a year zero with all the youngsters coming into the squad. If we have to scrap from now until the end to stay up, we'll do that. There are lots of new guys who will become top players. Now they're here at Udinese and we have to fight together.
“The only way we're going to get out of this situation is by all pulling in the same direction. If we get angry with each other, it will only make things harder. We must keep calm and be level-headed, aware that we're in for a tough year and willing to do everything we can to end it well.”
One thing is sure: the dressing room is fully behind the coach.
“We've never shown any signs of being against the coach. He's always been on our side and vice versa. We've repeatedly said to each other that we have to get ourselves out of this rut through hard work. Hopefully we can get three points against Lecce.”
Udinese's next match against the side from Apulia in two weeks' time could see the Moroccan make his return to the matchday squad for the first time since the Coppa Italia clash with Catanzaro in August.
“I'm talking to the medical staff on a daily basis and working up to the point where I can be available for selection.”
Masina also shared his thoughts on some of the newcomers.
“Lucca is a promising young player with a great future ahead of him. At the moment he's carrying the weight of the team's attack all by himself in his maiden season in Serie A. We have to give him time. He'll learn from his mistakes and get us goals.”
Another youngster who has shown glimpses of his potential is Thomas Kristensen.
“He's looked good and plays with confidence beyond his years. Given the tight spot we're in, he's decided to keep it simple. He's shown tactical intelligence playing out of position. We need people like that in the dressing room. He's had no time to learn the ropes but fortunately he's a quality player who's repaid the faith shown in him.”
Finally, the veteran expressed his frustration at not being able to offer more hands-on support due to his injury.
“I feel in debt at the moment as I can't help my team-mates. I can see lots of little mistakes we're making through fear that could be avoided with the right word in the ear. I've made lots of mistakes in my career and I could help my team-mates not make the same ones.
“[Nehuen] Perez and [Jaka] Bijol are leaders and we need them to do everything they can but they're young themselves. They speak different languages and it's not easy.
“The main thing is we stick together from start to finish and realise that we can get out of this by all pulling in the same direction.”