Ahead of the first training session of the new year today, Thomas Letsch held an introductory press conference at the Red Bull Arena. You can read the top quotes on our new head coach's unveiling here - or watch the entire press conference below (in German).

Thomas Letsch introduction

It feels really good to be here. I have to thank Rouven and Stephan for their faith, and I am looking forward to the challenge - I can't wait to get to the training ground and get started!

We are not in a familiar situation in the table for the club, of course. We are starting the New Year with catching up to do, but that is someway adding to the excitement for me.

We have been working really intensively already in the past few days with the rest of the staff, and I have phoned one or two players. Today I finally get the chance to meet the entire team. The most important thing for us now is to form a unit as quickly as possible, in order to achieve our aims.

We want to be champions and cup winners, and that is still possible. We would prefer to be ten points in front rather than behind, of course, but there are a lot of matches to play after the points are halved, so our aim remains the same.

A clear aim with his first words

It's important to me to have an assistant coach at my side here that I have had good discussions with for a while. I think that Kai Hesse is someone whose ideas are a superb match for mine, and he will work well with Onur too. They are my most important colleagues.

It is important that everyone in the coaching staff have a clearly defined role. We will all work actively in analysis as well as on the training pitch, although everyone will have their focus, of course. Kai will look after the set pieces a bit more, for example, and Onur's main priority will be the opposition analysis – which will keep everything working together.

We will have two goalkeeping coaches in Pedro Pedro Felipe da Silva Pereira and David Schartner, while Eddie Gustafsson will go to the academy again. The decision on that was made before I arrived.

On his coaching team

I am definitely still influenced by my previous time here, even if I have developed since over the years, of course. I like to play active football, we want to win the ball as high up as possible and get shots away as quickly as possible. The important thing is that we have clear principles and use players in their best positions. I have to get to know the team really well for that. It may not be the case that we use the exact same set-up as before the winter break. There are thoughts already about possible adjustments, but these depend on our opponents too and also our squad.

On playing style and possible changes

There are definitely worse things than having to start off away to Real Madrid. An important match after that is the cup match at LASK and then the league restart. The preparation period we have now is not a normal one. We are training for three days, then facing Bayen and then we have a training camp and the Champions League - that's fantastic and something very special!

I am looking forward to the first friendly match, of course, as facing Bayern is always something special. My last win as a coach was actually against them. It is a friendly match on Monday, ultimately, which we want to take the most we possibly can from into the rest of the season. We want to prepare for the UEFA Champions League and then the cup and the league as best as we possibly can.

Restarting against tough opponents

I was involved in the transfer too, that is normal for coaches. I have known Karim for a long time, since he was in Austria, but also from his time at Mainz. I have had some difficult experiences against him as an opposing coach - once he really destroyed us. In our discussions yesterday, he showed again that he is totally fired up and really keen to get started here - you could really sense that. He is a different kind of player and will do us good!

On Karim Onisiwo as his first new signing

Our managing director for Sport, Rouven Schröder, was also at the press conference.

{"titleEn":"FC Red Bull Salzburg Press Conference","description":"SALZBURG, AUSTRIA - JANUARY 03: Managing director sports Rouven Schroeder of FC Red Bull Salzburg during a press conference on January 03, 2025 in Salzburg, Austria. \rPhoto by Andreas Schaad - FC Red Bull Salzburg\r \r\r","tags":null,"focusX":0.0,"focusY":0.0}

He spoke about Thomas Letsch's start, his aims and more:

First of all, I would like to wish you all a healthy New Year! Everyone can do with that, no doubt. On Thomas Letsch - we are convinced we have the right man with him. Thomas has enjoyed a really good career in the past few years.

The fact he used to be here and knows the academy was a positive aspect in our decision, but not the decisive one. He has really developed as a coach and knows different systems and types of players extremely well. Our discussions before the holidays convinced us right away that he is the right man in the right place.

New Year's greetings and the new coaching appointment

It is no secret that we are facing some extremely difficult opponents in the coming weeks. It's very clear how ambitious we are, but we know who we are up against.

We are battlers, and we will not shy away from any match, but our focus is also on the start to the domestic season - as it all starts in Linz in February!

Juggling the January European matches and domestic business

Karim Onisiwo is an important building block for the whole. Lots of people just look at statistics these days, but Karim is a player who can spur people on around him and make his team-mates better. He is a worker and an important building block for us.

In general, when we act, we have to be certain of what we are doing and have space for someone in the squad. The players now have the chance under Thomas Letsch to show what they can do without any judgment on the season so far.

We have a few ideas in our mind, of course, but it has to match up in the end and can't just be based on paper. We are all looking forward to seeing what the days and weeks ahead bring, and the transfer window will be open for a while longer.

Squad planning in the current transfer window

Video of the entire press conference

"The most important thing is to form a unit as soon as possible"