Crusat, the 'parakeet' who triumphed in Almería and forgot about Drenthe

I am sure that parakeets and almerienses coincide in highlighting speed as the most iconic quality of Albert crusat, who played in both teams and hung up his boots “seven seasons” ago. But, instead, they will not agree on the footprint left by the extreme left on both entities. At Spanish he was formed from the age of seven but did not make it into the first team (“I got injured, Gracious, he didn't see me play and I had to go “) and instead in the Almeria is history: he is the third player with the most matches in First.

This Sunday he will watch the game (4:00 pm, RCDE Stadium) as a lover of football and is convinced that “many goals will be scored. Both teams play similarly and are clear candidates for promotion. Hopefully both will achieve it.” And he confesses as passionate, as well as the coach: “I see everything, I have the bitter woman,” he explains.

Born in Barcelona, Almería crossed his life after going through Vallecano Ray and Lleida. And there he fell in love. Also of soccer. “Almería is where I was the best player and I enjoyed coaches like Emery or Lillo,” he explains. “People who come to Almería stay. Maybe it's because of the tapas, because of the climate that there is all year round … In my case it was also because I met my girlfriend, who is from Granada, and we bought a house and live here. I have friends, family and football, “he says.

Now he spends his days coaching the Sporting de Almería, a modest club chaired by two lawyers and active in the Andalusian Second. In addition, it has a soccer school where it tries to teach its learning. “I only have the third level left to be a professional coach. New things are learned every day. Everything has evolved. When I played I did not know even half of what I know now”, values, while regretting that sport has also been impacted by COVID-19.

Although his experience in the Premier was short, just two years in the Wigan, Crusat fondly recalls an anecdote with Royston Drenthe, the former player of the Real Madrid. “He was playing for Everton and one day we faced each other. I didn't remember him. He didn't have long hair, he had gold teeth … And he came up to me when we were warming up to say hello and to tell me that we had played together in Spain. I told him no, that I never played with him, that I didn't know him. Then I realized who it was... That moment was a lot of fun, especially for my teammates, “he says, recalling his battles that are summarized in 372 games and 59 goals in 12 professional seasons.