José Antonio Camacho (Cieza, 1955) is not only a self-confessed madridista, but also a club legend. He was a player and coach of the team of his life, although the second stage ended worse than the first. “There are times when you have to have transitions and I had to pay for one of them, but I have never complained,” he says. The ciezano talks with AS about his past and the whole present.
Why is Real Madrid different from any other club? What makes you different?
One thing is very clear: I was born a Madridista. So, being able to play for Real Madrid having been a madridista, for me was the best. I am the son and brother of soccer players and I was born a Madridista. When the televisions began, well, I had to go find where there was one to be able to see Madrid. It is something that is carried within.
Has the constant criticism from the media helped that search for demands that has made Real Madrid great?
I think that through criticism it improves. Many times they are fair, other times they are not, but most of the time they are. With the criticism you have to grow, they are there to throw them away and Real Madrid throw them away with the titles they have. When you are elected Best Team of the 20th Century it is not for a certain game. I have had the fortune to play 500-odd games [disputó 577 encuentros oficiales con la camiseta del Madrid] and that I was two years without being able to play, so I could have done many more, because I have been part of the squad for many. But then I have also been able to enjoy Madrid in other aspects: I have had the opportunity to be the Chinese or Gabonese coach and go all over the world and see the admiration there is for Real Madrid, and see, for example, in China, that the The first shirt they falsified was that of Real Madrid. On the one hand, bad; but let’s see if you understand me, on the other hand it’s admirable, it’s worth seeing that the first thing the Chinese forge is a Real Madrid shirt. You have to see it in the whole world to know it.
The fans are also demanding. He has whistled players. Did it happen to you?
In that they have whistled everyone I do not agree. It depends on the circumstances, on many things. The people who go to see Real Madrid are demanding. Why? Because he has seen the best in the world, logically, but he also knows what he says, what he thinks. I have seen some seasons where Madrid was not going to give more of itself and the people have been very correct and have supported the team a lot. And it’s very important that they can whistle at you because that’s because you’re there playing, they’re demanding of you and they’re making you be much better than you are. They don’t let you sleep in any way.
In that demand, have you seen any crack that has arrived at Madrid and then did not offer a good performance?
I have seen many cases of soccer players that I, particularly, thought they were better than me, but then that had to be proven on the pitch. There are many footballers that you see train or play for other teams and, due to their quality, their game… you see that they are better than you. But then he sees that you are better than him in that field. This is like the one who says, “Look, this man knows everything,” but then when you ask him he doesn’t know anything. You have to prove it. I always respected the opposite and I think that the most important thing Real Madrid has is that it respects everyone.
How is the moment of farewell?
I did not leave Madrid. As a footballer I retired. As a coach it is different, because you see some demands that you see that you cannot meet. I said it the day I left: “I, for what they have signed me, I can not give more”. I know that the team is not going to give more of itself. And I know that the fans, everyone, expected him to give more of himself. But unfortunately I was not wrong. There are times when you have to have transitions. I had to pay for one of them. I have never complained.
How do you assess that the legends are not fired as they deserve, in the case of Raúl, Hierro, etc.?
It’s just that I can’t say it, because I was fired in style [se celebró un partido homenaje con el Milan]. And I can’t complain. Real Madrid is a very big club and we players have to know that too. I have only played for Real Madrid. I started and finished. I don’t know if it’s right or wrong in some way, but you have the ability to be able to stay here and if you leave, it’s your job. Nobody kicks you out. If they kick you out, it’s because you’re no longer here to play on the team. Now times are changing, but I have seen those players you are telling me at celebrations with Real Madrid and they have a very good relationship with the club. Another thing is individually, at a specific moment, because it happens like in all companies, in all places, that you can get along better or worse, but in the end I see all these players here, I agree with them in acts and everything is very familiar; very Madridista.
Do you think that your generation has been fair, apart from ‘La Quinta del Buitre’?
Football has changed a lot. Now you can access to play the European Cup by being fourth in the League. Before you only went if you were first. Our generation was, so to speak, a transit generation. We always showed our faces, what happens is that in the semifinals or in the finals they knocked us out. We also won two UEFA Cups, although ‘La Quinta del Buitre’ was already there. It has been a transition where Madrid was not the strongest economically, you could not sign the best and there were players… Look, myself, I jumped from the quarry at 18 years old. That is where the Madrid fans have been. He has valued us a lot in that transit of continuing to leave the name of the club very high, even if it was not winning or being number one, but you were always among the best. And that is what they have valued.