Due to his physique, he looks like a newcomer, but a chat with him confirms the feeling that José Corpas (1991, Baños de la Encina, Jaén) gives on the pitch: head furnished and no fanfare. In an Almería that invested 21 kilos only in the last window, the top scorer is a Jaén acquired by Alfonso García for 400,000 euros from the Second B well. His seven goals (the same ones he did between the two previous years) have helped the Almeria team to resurface and has placed only one of his best record at the end, eight three seasons ago with Marbella. The top scorer in the history of Linares Deportivo attaches great importance to his surroundings, who have helped him keep his feet on the ground. He started the league without entering into the plans of José Gomes and now he has even covered up the criticism that said that the '17' did not have a goal. A few meters from the beach, this lover of the sea attends AS.
– Ironies of fate, Alfonso García's project, characterized by austerity, a player has come out, coming from Second B and starting ahead of the brilliance of Turki's signings.
It's my third season, I came with the old property. I came from Second Division B and they gave me the opportunity to debut in professional football. The Unión Deportiva Almería was a club that I was very fond of because I followed it a lot. The new property arrived and he decided that he had to continue counting for the club, I renewed and the truth is that I am very happy and grateful. I'm really looking forward to meeting the goal we set for ourselves.
– He came to play, with Martos on the bench, in the Mediterranean, but as a visitor in November 2015.
Yes, with Linares (2-3). I played against the subsidiary and I already knew Almería. I had friends who were at the Almería and they spoke to me fantastically. I followed him on television because it was a club to my liking. He has been in First and there is not much to say. We all know his story and he was very sympathetic. When I signed here for me it was great news because I really liked Almería.
– What is being a captain?
Represent a shield, a large team, whose hallmarks are work, illusion and ambition. I also represent myself in that.
– I read after losing to Mallorca that this squad had been around last season and that the previous team would have been lower in this league.
All leagues have theirs. Last year there were also three teams that descended from the First Division, just like this year. It is true that both Espanyol, Mallorca and Leganés have maintained the same base and are practically First Division teams. But here any team beats anybody, you can't relax obviously. This Second Division is very competitive.
– How was the summer? Did you see yourself outside at some point?
It was clear to me that I wanted to be here. It is true that I had offers from First Division and others from Second, but I always wanted to be here and fulfill the goal.
– Why Almería?
In the end, they were not finalized, after the pandemic everything came to a standstill. Things were more difficult and nothing happened. I was happy here in Almería and * when they offered me the opportunity to renovate, I didn't hesitate *. I am grateful, they gave me the opportunity to debut in professional football and that is also to watch.
– Is Corpas a freak in a football with so many stridency?
No, no, I am not the only one, there are people for everything, but in life itself. I also have colleagues who have no frills. I feel normal from where I come from, my feet are on the ground, I have gone through practically all the categories, The only one I need is the First Division and I hope I can do it with Almería.
– Is professionalism savored more arriving like this and not with 18 years?
Where I've been I've always wanted to be. I was at Linares, I was a youth, Club Deportivo Linares disappeared at that time (2009), they counted on me for a club that is now in Second Division B, but which was born from below (Linares Deportivo). There I experienced many good moments, also many bad ones, more on a personal, sentimental, than football level, and then the Marbella sports director took me there (summer 2017). We had a pretty good year and we got into the playoffs for promotion to Second Division and finally I ended up here. It reinforces a little more work, enthusiasm and the ambition of wanting to arrive before anything else.
– With all the coaches he has started at Almería. However, this season until the seventh day he was not a starter. What happened?
Each coach decides what ideas he has, what he wants to contribute and it is true that * this year at the beginning I was not counting so much, but that made me work even harder *, never lower your arms and in the end the coach counted on meHe put me in from the beginning and I'm happy about it.
– How have you dealt with so much criticism?
* They don't affect me *. I know what I have to do, I know the demands that I have to have and that of this great club, with the claims that changed with the new property and I know the need to go up to the First Division. I don't care about criticism. Not when I'm well and I score three goals will the praise go up to the clouds, nor will the criticism destroy me. I understand that it is part of football, people have the possibility to express their opinion and you have to live with it. I don't read or look a lot, even when I'm up or down, I usually spend a little time and focus on work, which is what will bear fruit.
– That is another of its characteristics. He never gets into puddles and the fans value him.
I can tell, I have always had the support of the fans. Since the first day I arrived I have felt that affection, that people want me to be is the most comforting. In the world of football we all have good times and bad times, I understand that like life itself. When things are going well, I work; And when things go wrong, I work even harder.
– How do you work that in soccer one day it seems that you are at the lowest point and the next day, at the highest?
The categories are there for a reason and as you go up, everything changes, the organization charts, the organization … But in the end, whatever division football is, it's eleven against eleven and it's the same. When you are in a more powerful team, you have more facilities so that in that sense you are better, but the mentality has to be the same wherever you are: focused on work.
– Are you referring to psychologists, before a taboo, and now with another vision?
The figure of the psychologist, but not only that of the sports car, but in general, is super necessary. All people go through good spells and, above all, bad spells. The same as when you have a muscle injury you go to a physio to treat yourself, When emotionally you are not one hundred percent or you need that help, you should not have any shame in going to them.
– Is this sport so unfair? Let me explain: against Fuenlabrada he released with his triplet. Had it not been marked, would it still be sweet?
Always scoring a goal gives you that state of mind and obviously helps, but if I had scored those three goals against Fuenlabrada and the team had lost, it would not work for me. I am happy for the goals that I am doing, but above all because of the dynamics of the team, it does not matter if it is me or another teammate.
– Precisely the victory against Fuenlabrada was a turning point in the future of the team.
We have been working quite well, but football is results. The moment you have a good dynamic, you work much better, the atmosphere is better, but it is true that we came from working well. In the end we achieved that victory and, as a consequence, that streak so good, which was cut against Mallorca.
– In the past it was unusual to see Almería win away from home and now it seems even an obligation. Requirement or quality of the staff?
* We have the demands of the squad in each training session and game *. I don't say pressure because I don't like that word. There are other professions that do have pressure. We are where we want to be, doing what we like and each one has their demands and needs to improve those aspects they need.. * Playing for Almería is a privilege * and having, in quotation marks, the demand to go up to the First Division is a joy because it is not the same to be fighting not to be relegated as other years have passed.
– Does the inside game that Gomes asks of the second line of attack suit your characteristics?
I try to adapt to what each coach asks for. We have had six coaches and each one has its own tactical nuances. I seek to quickly adapt them to my characteristics and get the most out of myself in order to have the maximum number of minutes.
– Now he does shoot from the inside, associating and participating in that football that Gomes asks for. Was it the change of style because it was difficult for you to adapt in the first days?
It is true that we have been working on those nuances from the beginning. I think I got the concepts well, but each coach has his preferences. When he played with all the previous coaches he never asked for explanations and if with José at first less, he was not going to ask for them either. I have tried to be even more professional, work much more and adapt what the coach wants to my characteristics in order to be in the starting eleven.
– Tell me about the following names: José Gomes.
He is a coach with clear ideas and that is important. With him work is not negotiated, it is the main thing. * His ambition to want to win makes the whole world tense *. Hopefully we can achieve the objective of the promotion that this Almería has.
– Cuenca.
We have a future, but above all a central present that is terrific. I tell him to continue as he is because he is a First Division player. He has spectacular qualities and I have no doubt that he will play by finishing in First Division..
– Samu Costa.
It's a rough diamond. He was less known, at least to me. I had not seen him play before and now you see him with that dedication and that impetus, always hope for the team. He does that job that is transparent and helps the rest a lot.
– Sadiq.
He is quickly adapting to Spanish football and the category. I don't mean Second because * he has the level to play in a higher division *, but to the style of play and what the coach wants. For Sadiq as well as for all the signings, I think 18, it is not easy to adapt to so many changes, but every day we are feeling better and it will give the team a lot of joy.
– Do you miss Darwin?
* No * because it is where it deserves to be. He is a First Division player, I had no doubts, just like I said about Jorge Cuenca. It has characteristics that everyone saw. If he was here last year it is because he had to be and if he is in Lisbon now it is because he deserves it. I wish you all the best. For me, those of us who are in the Unión Deportiva Almería are the best that we can be here and we do not have to belittle any of the players out there or miss anyone. Everyone likes to have a striker like that, but if he is not there it is because he does not have to be. I follow him a lot, he is scoring a lot, he has scored a hat-trick, he has scored in Europe … He deserves to be there and I am very happy about all the good things that happen to him.
– Have you ever seen as many rotations in such a short time in your career as Gomes?
No, honestly not. But we had not had nine games in a month practically either. What the coach wants is that we are all plugged in, involved in the dynamics of the team and with that he implies that everyone is important. Mallorca comes and changes nine players … That is not usual, but it also shows a lot.
– Despite the numerous changes, colleagues like Olivera or Escobar are having a zero role.
They work fine. The team dynamics are very good, everyone will have their chance, experience in football has shown me. If you are now counting little or not counting, in the end you will have the opportunity because a thousand things can happen. They have to work as they are doing, in a fantastic way in training. In the end the opportunities will come to him, they are very young boys. We have an important future within the squad.
– What do you think of that current that says that Turki comes to earn money, as if the other presidents were there for the love of art?
We are extremely grateful that Turki is here, not only as president, that the truth is that having such a person is fantastic, but also for the city. Now he has donated 200,000 euros for the COVID vaccine, a million approximately when the pandemic and not everyone does that. If we do, we must be grateful. Not only to help the club have higher aspirations, but to help the entire city of Almería.
– What attracts you the most about the new property?
The objectives. That you are aspiring to go up to the First Division and that you have the demand or self-demand of being up there is nice.
– And the least?
(He thinks) For me, speaking in a personal way and it is my opinion, I don't think there is anything wrong with wanting to be up and demanding. I am a person who requires the maximum in each training session and if I fail a pass, the next day I am already thinking about how I can do better and not fail that pass. So for me Turki is the owner of the club, he has nothing negative, but many benefits that * other presidents, as he has mentioned before, should pay attention to him *.
– How far can Turki's Almería go?
In the long term and as a real goal, promote to First Division. It is our clear objective. We will not look further. With small goals and having a clear objective, which is to climb, we can achieve it.