Josu Ozkoidi (Donostia, 1990) has just promoted to Second with Sabadell. After 11 years in Segunda B and 141 games with Sanse, the one of the most promising youth players, Txuri Urdin, is reviewing his path to professional football.
They just got promoted to Second after a tough playoff, how do you remember?
Well, it was like a kind of World Cup, with quarterfinals, semifinals and finals. Everyone had the uncertainty of seeing how we were going to get to the first game because we had not competed for a long time. But the truth that it seemed that the script had been written by Hitchcock, with two games won on penalties. In the first they tied us in 93 ’, in the second they traced us and we got into 92’ and we started the final losing. It has been quite exciting. It has been 12 days of pure football and since the whole team is a family, it has been one of the best experiences of my life, if not the best, at a football level.
He has spent 11 years in Second B and now, at 30 years old, he will face a campaign in Second, how do you feel?
Well, the promotion has been a rush, but I still can't get used to it. Until we start training or playing I think I'm not going to get used to it. But it did cost a lot. I have been in Segunda B for 11 years and had only one playoff that I made with Real Unión. We are eager to start, although we do not know when or how we will start with the whole issue of the pandemic. Of course, luckily I renewed before the playoff and I made sure that if we promoted we would play for Sabadell.
What a coincidence also that the day of the promotion reached 100 games with Sabadell.
Yes, I am a centenary. The truth is that I am very happy, I am very comfortable in Sabadell. I'm still happy and, in sports, everything is going very well too. I am delighted.
But the situation of the team has changed a lot since it arrived, right?
Yes. There is a lot of talk that for Castellón and us last season in the last game it was either win or drop to Third. And we both went up this year. Soccer is that capricious. Our ‘eleven’ against Barça B in the final, except for three players, was the same as in the last game last season. The board did not go crazy with a revolution and many of us followed last year. In the end, that continuity and with the same coach has paid off.
His path to Second has been a long one. He also played 141 games for Sanse and three seasons at Real Unión.
Yes. In the end when a kid goes up to the second team of the Real he always aspires to play in the first team. I was in Sanse for six years because I went up in my last junior year. That year we just went down to Third, although the next we went back to Second B. But yes, I have been a long time. Then at Real Unión, in the first two years I had to live two good years in sports. But a year before arriving I almost went down and Aitor Zulaika and some others arrived. We made playoffs the first year and in the second we stayed on the doorstep. They have been beautiful every year, I have impressive memories of the teammates, but it has also been hard because the Second B is a well. In the end the work sometimes pays off. Although it was 30 years old, now is when I feel better and everything has been perfect.
Could you imagine that you could go as far as you have?
You always imagine yourself playing in First or Second. Yes, it is true that, when you leave the branch, it is like you start to know football for real. Whenever you are in a branch you are like in the clouds. They wash your clothes and financially well everything is fine. And when you get out of there you say: 'Let's see what the future holds …' I also endure in the club where I am very much if I feel comfortable. But you can imagine, for that game, to overcome challenges. Now what happens is that I have succeeded and I do not get used to the idea (laughs).
For what purpose do they look to the future?
The idea is that of all the teams that go up, which is to consolidate. From there, it will be seen. El Fuenlabrada, for example, removing all this movement that has been with them, was going to play a playoff to go up to First and a year ago they were in Second B. We did not close the door on anything, but obviously and being realistic, what must be done this year is to endure in Second.
Ozkoidi it is an example that there is life beyond the Real. “Without a doubt there is life beyond the Real. I would say to the youth squads to keep working because football goes around a lot. And it is not verbiage, there are thousands of examples. Don't let your arms drop. Just because you don't make it to the first team doesn't mean you're not good enough to play First. Let them try to find a beautiful and exciting project. From there, work, without that there is nothing to do. “