Fran: “Spain now competes through style, before it was Furia”

Francisco Gonzalez Perez, Fran(Carreira, A Coruña, 7/14/1969) was the eternal captain of the Superdepor who competed and won the biggest teams in the 1990s and early 2000s. talk to AS about his time at La Roja, the coaches, teammates, his son Nico, Luis Enrique and Spain’s options for the World Cup.

Thirteen years later, the National Team returns to A Coruña…

It is wonderful to enjoy the Selection again at Riazor. I remember the last match for my son Nico, who was little and went to see it with his friends. Then I was greeting people I knew and took photos with internationals, some of whom are now his teammates. I also played here with the National Team and I really enjoyed it.

Since you are talking about your son Nico, did you ever think before the list that you could debut with the senior team at Riazor?

No, no, that’s very complicated. You have to go burning stages, the rush is not good. I am one of those who believe that it is necessary to mature without that pressure and demand. Getting things little by little, they are valued much more. When everything is done you can believe that you have achieved everything.

His career is going, he has just changed agents and signed for Mendes.

I can’t talk much about my son, it’s better for him to talk, since he’s old enough to do so.

Let’s go back to the selection. His stage was long in years, but short in games. How do you remember it?

I coincided in a time complicated by several things. Real Madrid and Barcelona had many summoned, although it was normal in a certain way. Today it is different, everything is more globalized and players from many teams and various countries come. Spain has also changed the style. In my time there was still talk of the Fury. Now it is more of an inheritance in a large part of Barcelona, ​​of that Barça that was one of the best teams in history with Iniesta, Xavi, Puyol, Busquets, Piqué… Now that type of more skilled player has more options to be in the National Team .

You had Clemente and Camacho as coaches…

With Clemente, despite that style he may have, I was participating and I had a knee injury, they had to operate on me and I couldn’t go to the European Championship in England 96. I didn’t have any luck either. With Camacho I did go to the European Championships in Belgium and Holland in 2000, in which France unfairly eliminated us. I think there was a very good National Team, but we were dealing with the quarter-final barrier. That was broken when all that new generation arrived who later became world champions.

How was your relationship with them?

Very good, very good. In fact, I meet there at golf tournaments, dinners… I have a lot of fun chatting with them, I’m very comfortable. I have nothing to reproach them for. Each one has their own way of understanding the game, their players… Surely many times it was my responsibility, to have a little more luck with the moment of injuries… Every time I went, I enjoyed it a lot.

In that European he played his last international match against Serbia…

Yes, we won 4-3 and I started, but I didn’t have much luck. They had to change me shortly after (22′) because they elbowed me and I ended up with five stitches.

Do you still have the thorn of not having been to a World Cup?

Looking back you realize that you would like to play one, but at the moment, no. I was at Depor and I knew how difficult it would be to get into the National Team. There was a lot of conflict over whether this or that should go… I think all that hurt me. But back in the day I didn’t give it much importance. He was super happy with everything he had to live. I could never imagine how much I could achieve. I’m from a very small town and I didn’t imagine playing in the First Division, the National Team, the Champions…

Was Raúl in charge as much as was said?

What’s up, what’s up The only thing is that I think he was in a moment of change, which then came later with Luis Aragonés. I don’t know if it was the mentality… I think Barça had a lot to do with it because there were seven or eight from Barça. This Cesc, Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol, Busquets… The backbone was Barça with a very marked style of play, with a position game. Jugones, what is said. They are the ones who break the quarters barrier and then all the successes come. I think it wasn’t a question of who was in charge, it was a question of style.

What do we call then the current Selection of Luis Enrique? Red 2.0?

(Laughter…). Well yes, something like that. It has his style, but a marked heritage from Guardiola, Cruyff… whatever you want to call it. That formula was the pillar to be champions of Europe and the World and they insist on the same, or similar. In Spain there are very talented players with great technical skills. That, accompanied by a good physical condition, has everything for Spain to be a great team.

Do you think Luis Enrique is the ideal person to drive to Spain?

I guess so. He did a very good European Championship, the Nations League, he has qualified Spain for the World Cup directly… I think the project has continuity, although this is often marked by the results.

Do Luis Enrique’s calls surprise you a lot?

If you ask me who should be summoned, I would tell you that I have no idea, it would have to have much more follow-up. He has his coaching staff to do it and they have many more arguments than I do to make a list. He is totally respectable what he is doing.

Do you see Spain as a candidate for the World Cup?

Spain is always a candidate. We have a lot of players in very strong teams all over Europe. I think it was very good that the Spanish player came out to compete, he has made the National Team stronger. In the main teams in the world there are always Spanish players. He has greatly enriched the competitiveness. Then you add the usual, Madrid and Barça, which are basic pillars.

Do you think that she is always a candidate or for a few years here?

As I said before, since Luis Aragonés broke the curse, Spain is always highly respected throughout the world. It is seen that there is a National Team, that through our style of play we are capable of competing with any team in the world.

And the main rivals?

For me, France is one of the best teams in the world, and I think we unfairly lost to them in the Nations League. But I would have to know the rivals better, I am very focused on Deportivo’s grassroots football, which takes up a lot of time to watch football and give an opinion. I almost have to measure the little football I can watch. For example, I am in love with the Premier, maybe because of the two years I was at City. I really enjoy that league and what I can see from LaLiga. But from the French or German league, I see very little. Beyond France, I do not have a reference of my own to judge. Two years ago I saw 15 games a week, now almost none.

You are the director of Deportivo’s youth academy and despite the fact that the team is in the First RFEF there is a great moment with several U-19 and U-17 internationals.

From the beginning it was clear that A Coruña did not have to be inferior to other cities or regions. This is a matter of work and time, and the club must be congratulated for the effort it makes and has made in recent years with grassroots football. There is a structure that is difficult to see in other places, even though we are in the First RFEF. I am and they are convinced that there are players of great quality and talent here. Noel is with the U-19, Trilli is injured but he could be, Barcia… Mella is with the U-17. The other day against Austria in the U-19 the left back was Jesús Vázquez, Braulio’s son. The right back was Hugo Novoa and Álvaro Fernández, who is at United, was on the bench. There are a few with roots here, to which you can add Nico González. There are very good players here, our job is to prepare them so that when they reach the top of everything they are important.

The bells are already ringing loudly for Noel, Trilli… It must be difficult to retain international players when Depor is in the First RFEF.

Given the situation, every year teams come looking for players. Last year some left us, but we kept many. This year we will see what happens. There are very tempting offers for many children, but the club is committed to betting heavily on grassroots football in its sports project. Do it with financial aid, but also combining studies and training. We must congratulate the owners of the club (Abanca) in this regard. We know how difficult it is to convince children, but little by little they will realize that they have great facilities and a magnificent future.