Valverde desperate to get started at Barcelona

Ernesto Valverde wants the 2017-18 season to come round quickly so he can get to work at Barcelona.

The former Athletic Bilbao coach was named as Luis Enrique’s successor on Tuesday and met the media for the first time two days later.

Valverde vowed to “make Barcelona great again” in his news conference, while admitting getting the chance to work with Lionel Messi would be a “joy”.

Barca return to action on July 22 against Juventus in the International Champions Cup and Valverde cannot wait to make his first appearance in the Blaugrana dugout.

“I just want to the first day to come and to get the tracksuit on and start coaching,” he said. “I know it is an important step, I know the importance that it has because with every step I take, I realise more and I am thinking about it as yet another challenge that I am up for obviously.

“I needed to end an era. Sometimes for a club like Barcelona to call you, it’s not only about being a coach that they like, but also being the right place at the right time. This time was the right moment.”

Valverde refused to give any hint as to how his Barca side will line up going forward, but insisted he would adapt to the squad at his disposal as opposed to forcing the players to fit in.

“The system? I have adapted myself a little to what I have had in each team,” he added.

“It’s important because it can affect what can be your idea. You have to try to get it right so that the whole group feels comfortable.”

And if Valverde’s influences are anything to go by, Barca fans should be in for an entertaining and silverware-laden time watching the Catalan giants under his leadership.

“I have been lucky to have had great coaches and then at the same time live in an age where there have been some great managers, to have learned from them and share time with them,” said the Barca boss.

“From [Johan] Cruyff, [Javier] Clemente, [Jupp] Heynckes, all of them up until contemporaries such as Luis Enrique, Pep Guardiola and [Carlo] Ancelotti.”