Few things more Uruguayan than a barbecue, a ritual around the fire that brings together family and friends, and, therefore, few more sacred places in a house in that country than the barbecue. There the ex-footballer receives Efe Diego Forlan to talk about immediate projects and future dreams, national and foreign football, pandemic and Maradona.
Winner of the Premier League with the Manchester United, of the Intertoto Cup with the Villarreal, of a Europa League and European Super Cup with him Atlético de Madrid and of a America Cup with Uruguay he could soon become coach of a team of the Second division local -in the orbit of the Pachuca Group- and he experiences it as a “challenge”.
And while he sees the possibility of directing Uruguay or one of the clubs in which he triumphed in Europe as a distant aspiration, Forlan He looks “calm” and enjoys his family in these weeks leading up to the birth of his fourth child.
In the last days it was known that he could train the Atenas de San Carlos, South America was also talked about. What about all this?
More about Athens, the other is more a rumor. Yes, I have spoken with them and we are seeing and analyzing the offer, so we will see how the next few days continue.
What seduces you about a team that is in B?
It has a group of people behind it that has been managing many teams, an important foreign group that has done things very well and has been acquiring teams in different countries. Those teams have evolved, they have reached the objectives that have been set and the same is in the case of Atenas San Carlos. The truth is that it motivates me a lot, it is a nice challenge and we are analyzing it. It is not a condition or problem that it is in B, quite the opposite. One believes in the working time that I can have and then he is in Maldonado, which is a very nice apartment, it is close to Montevideo, so everything would close.
Talk about time, do you feel that you lacked in Peñarol?
I think time, if you ask most coaches, they are all lacking. I'm not the only one, so in that sense it's the profession. One has to try to gain time to demonstrate the work, that the players get to know it to develop the idea that one has for, with what one believes and working well, the results are more positive than negative.
Sometimes in football there are streaks that are negative and that does not mean that you are doing things wrong, but that in football sometimes the ball goes in and sometimes it doesn't. But time is short for all coaches, only the most privileged have the chance to win it and be in peace.
What learning did you have from the Peñarol bench?
Very much, it was very positive, even though it was short. I did not get the results that I would have expected. We were on the right track, obviously the results were not favoring us. The demand for results in a large team is urgent, so it was decided that we should leave the position (in August 2020), but things were being done well. We were coming in a progression. But professionally, I was able to remove a lot of doubts, feel comfortable in many things of the role of coach. I drew many, very positive conclusions.
Professionally, I was able to remove many doubts, feel comfortable within many things of the role of coach
He has been at the highest level of competition as a footballer and knows pressure well. In recent days the news of the suicide of the Uruguayan Santiago ‘Morro’ García was known. Do you think that mental health is well taken care of in professional sports?
It depends on each team. You always have people around the team that you are taking care of. This type of thing draws a lot of attention and alert teams to be much more careful and protect the player much more. I think that much more should be helped and it is not helping as much as it would be, but it goes to each institution. There are many who are doing very well and others who are capable who do not have the resources to do it and that unfortunately ends up hurting the player.
But is it still a taboo in football?
No, I think not. Today I don't think that's the case, but maybe it's much more difficult for those people to externalize it. In reality, you do not have to be externalizing it, but rather talking about it with those professionals who can help you. This is something that happens to the human being, not only to the soccer or basketball player, and more so today what we live in the pandemic. The head is everything in a person.
MARADONA AND OTHER FIGURES
Three months have passed since the death of Diego Armando Maradona. What memories do you have of him personally and professionally?
There are many. What he is as a soccer player … spectacular images. I had the opportunity to experience 86, where he was a genius and a figure in the World Cup: those goals, those plays, those dribbles. Then the different teams he was on. I had the opportunity to meet him personally through the family and he always had a spectacular treatment with me, he was always very affectionate. To this day, one looks at the images when a Maradona special is shown on television, you watch it and it is incredible that it is gone. The truth is that it is a pity.
We know there is no other Maradona, but which players are you excited about today?
They are many. Obviously within the Uruguayans Luis (Suárez), Cavani, Valverde you see him play, it's different … Then, obviously, two players who are above average, Cristiano (Ronaldo) and (Lionel) Messi, who are players who they do make a difference, Neymar too, who is very unbalancing. There are many players who play at great speed, with a lot of goals. It is difficult to put and compare. I believe that those I mentioned are the elite of football, they are the ones who are above. And it depends on the time, I choose one or the other. My father, if you ask him, Pelé tells you. Another says Maradona. Another is going to tell you Messi.
What young values in Uruguay should we look at?
Valverde, Darwin Núñez, Brian Rodríguez … Josema (Giménez), who is now injured, but is a young player who has been in the national team for a long time. Many young players like to continue acquiring experience together with those of experience that are still in the national team today and that they later take the post.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the last Copa América won by Uruguay. What memories do you have of that tournament?
Spectacular. We were coming from what was the 2010 World Cup, we reached the semifinals and then it was confirmation. Beating Argentina in the quarterfinals was a difficult game playing one less during the whole game and the truth was that it was really enjoyed. It was the confirmation of what had been done, that it was a good job.
FOOTBALL TROTAMUNDOS
Do you see yourself living in another country as a technician?
Yes, it will depend on the offer, but yes, it would not have any family problems. We have really enjoyed traveling, we have had the opportunity to be in Japan, India, Hong Kong, in far away places and we have had a great time, like others we have visited. It is always a privilege to have the opportunity to spend time away living a type of culture and always your base and your place and your home is Uruguay.
I imagine you don't want to name names, but do you dream of managing a team?
No, I want to go little by little. If you are going to say yes, you would love to have the opportunity tomorrow to direct the national team or direct a team that has played in Europe; but obviously neither the national team nor any team in Europe is easy to reach. One has to be prudent, respectful. Today I am starting because it was a very short time in Peñarol and if I have the opportunity, whether in Athens or elsewhere, to have time to grow and see how things are going.
Obviously neither the national team nor any team in Europe is easy to get to