Gianfranco Zola denies Birmingham training regime U-turn
Friday 10 March 2017 19:50, UK
Gianfranco Zola has strongly denied claims he has reverted back to Gary Rowett's training regime at the Birmingham players' request.
Reports emerged this week Zola had made a U-turn on longer, more intense sessions in the days approaching a match, which he introduced after replacing sacked former Birmingham manager Rowett in December.
Birmingham's defeat to Wigan last Tuesday was their 11th in 17 games under Zola and has led to the Blues boss switching back to shorter, matchday-like scenarios the players were used to under Rowett, according to The Birmingham Mail.
Zola said he understands criticism directed towards him following Birmingham's fall to 17th in the Sky Bet Championship, but the Italian strongly refuted reports he changed his training programme back to the one conducted by his predecessor.
"I came here promising to deliver certain things and in terms of results those things have not come," said Zola.
"So, I'm the first one to put my hand up. If you criticise me I'm happy to take the criticism and I will take it positively.
"Being very open, what I don't like is the lies in stories. I read an article in a newspaper. It's not true. I didn't change the regime or the work.
"Either it is incorrect information or the informant is not very reliable. I've always been very honest and I will take the stick from everyone, but I won't take false information.
"I keep to my work and keep to my belief and it's as simple as that. I repeat, you can tell me I'm not performing as a good manager which is fair enough, which is fair enough because of the results, but not that I get influenced and change my work.
"I believe in my work and I will never change my work and never change my beliefs in football."
Birmingham are adamant that other coaches at the club, from academy level to the first team, are on board with Zola's training methods, which the former Chelsea striker has offered to release video tapes of in order to prove his methods.
Asked if Birmingham players has requested a change to their former training regime, Zola replied: "No. You can go and ask the players and they will tell you that they love what they do.
"If I noticed that they were not responding to the training and they were not liking it then I would consider adapting. I'm here not for myself, I'm here for them. It's the players that encourage me to carry on doing the training that I do.
"I can show you the training sessions. I have all of them on videos. If you can see there is a different type of regime you can judge it yourself. Very simple."
