Martín Lasarte (Montevideo, 1961) is still waiting for a project that will seduce him in his home in Uruguay, a country that is beginning to take measures against the spread of the coronavirus despite the fact that there are very few cases registered there. He follows Real, of course, because part of his heart is txuri urdin and he was amazed at his game until everything stopped.
How are you?
I am waiting. Choosing where you want to train is difficult. There are projects that seduce you more for the team, for the place or for the moment. The possibility of training Colo Colo recently arose, which is a rival to the teams I was in, Universidad Católica and Universidad de Chile; but the championship was already traveled, the chosen squad and I thought that a series of changes had to be made. It was not the time, because you have no margin to make changes now, they are in the middle of the Copa Libertadores, well they were because everything is stopped. It went well for me there, I have an image and it is still a compliment that cares about you who was your rival.
What would you like?
To be able to do something from the beginning. Something you can prepare, that you can choose footballers. That sometimes happens and sometimes not, but luckily there is always something. There we are.
America, Spain, Egypt, like your last experience?
I've had something from the Second Division in Spain. But I have had them on the route, from teams that were in a compromised situation. And to me, without knowing much about a squad, it seems reckless to arrive on a Tuesday and direct on a Sunday. I did not see it. If it's for starters, okay. It is football and everything is very globalized. I did throw things out of Spain.
Was Deportivo there?
Yes. When I returned from Egypt, I spent 21 days in Spain. I was in Madrid, I was watching Barcelona training with Valverde, I was in La Coruña and also in San Sebastián. Only two days in Donostia and I was outside watching the stadium with my cousins from Andoain. Anquela was still in Coruña, they were already very bad, a second coach took him and then Fernando Vázquez. I heard many things, but there was no one to pick up the phone and call me. They paid me a tribute, they gave me a ‘vintage’ shirt with my name, all very beautiful. My relationship with its current president, Fernando Vidal, is very good. Perhaps in the future there may be some option.
Would that Miura have dealt with it?
I like those challenges. With Deportivo, I have an advantage. I know the city, the club quite well, the Galician idiosyncrasy and the new board. I believe in the mental aspect. Look at the Depor, he won six games in a row with Fernando Vázquez and now he went down again. You can get out. He had great faith in me, but that option was not given.
How was I seeing the Royal until the coronavirus erupted?
I don't know if I've ever seen her so well. There was a time with Montanier when the team played very well too. But, in continuity, with what Imanol has given him, I love this Real. It is an intense team, very dynamic, with a lot of mobility. Soccer is a collective matter that depends a lot on individual actions. You have Odegaard, ‘moreno’ Isak, Oyarzabal, who is a phenomenon… There are young players like Le Normand… Illarra does not play, even giving you some advantages. Willian José, who is a rare player, capable of the best and the not so good. I have seen it very well. And one more thing.
..?
I am one of those who fight a lot when they tell you about the feelings. In the end, football should have a reality table and a sensation table. The team went to Madrid and beat Madrid. Those are not sensations. That is a reality. There many things come together. That makes a team different from the rest. After that game, seeing how happy the Basques were here, I wrote to Jokin Aperribay that I wish it could happen this year. These things depend on time and it is time for the Real to achieve another title.
Do you appreciate a more versatile Real this year?
They all want to put a little worm in our heads that there is a unique way. Football is Plan A, Plan B and if there has to be Plan C, Plan C. It's great that you have a formula to win and stick with it. But if you have Claudio Bravo, who hits extraordinary, and Xabi Prieto, who prolongs all the balls, use that resource! If you have centrals who know how to get the ball, use that resource. And so everything. If you go out playing and the opponent presses you high and well, you must know how to play long. And if you have three super fast forwards, who need to run into space, invite the opponent to come. There is no single formula. We have a very representative example in Champions. Even I didn't like how Atlético played, but they chose a formula and it worked. No one can discuss it. He beat the champion of Europe.
Do you enjoy when you see Real from your sofa?
It makes me want to sit and watch. There are other parties that I don't feel like watching. But with Real, even if you don't always win, you always enjoy, you feel comfortable in front of TV: due to mobility, it is very dynamic, very versatile, with many responses. Young boys are all very well.
Which player has caught your attention the most?
The Norwegian caught my attention because he came from Madrid and you see him play and you say: 'This is extraordinary.' And the ‘moreno’ Isak seems spectacular to me. I love the brunette. Before everything was for Willian José and he had to take responsibility and it didn't weigh him down. In the derby, for example, he was extraordinary. And I see a fantastic Le Normand, who was also born in the club. Last year I was at the Sanse. There are 70% who come from Sanse. That makes you proud. And nobody finishes recognizing it completely. It’s like unfair. One always listens to the clubs in Europe that work the quarry, Ajax, the other, the other, does not hear the Real and thinks: 'What is there to do?
Do you maintain contact with players?
Yes. I have been writing to you as you have retired. Aranburu, Labaka, Xabi Prieto … I also communicate with Claudio Bravo and Antoine Griezmann, with Mikel González, Anso, with Alberto Iturralde … And I always send a message to Jokin when something important happens and he is always kind enough to respond to me.
Do you feel that the players appreciate your work?
Yes, but it is a question of round trip.
What do you think that people still remember his phrase: 'Don't get separated'?
Do you remember how it was then? After the promotion, people like Badiola and some journalists called me. I don't criticize anyone, but I wondered why there were so many sides when everyone's color was the same. We all have a different way of doing things, but when everything went well and the objective was clear, what use was it to all of us if the Royal was in Second Division? When things go well, the praises are taken by the president on duty, the coach on duty or the players. Logical. But that happens and others come tomorrow. Everything is much easier when the team is powerful, with money, well located, the quarry works and people are happy. That was horrible, people were sad, there was no money at all, people were bad. The only thing I tried when I saw that the thing was starting to work was to launch that message so that people would notice. It is a small, beautiful city that everyone admires, a club that everyone likes. One can be from Sevilla or Depor and Real. It is a club that does not bother, that always has good manners, that works with an idea.
Don't you think that fracture doesn't exist anymore?
Yes. I'm thinking about the day of the promotion. When we got to the field, I was struck by the number of people outside. And they were those who could not enter the field, the 10,000 who watched that game, which was ‘the game’, on a screen outside. That seemed like an incredible thing to me. Everyone wanted to be. My cousins from Andoain, friends from Tolosa and Bilbao asked me to, and I asked myself: What is going on here? It seemed to me like a misguided phenomenon. You had to drive it better. It took a leader. If that was there, I am very happy because I did it with the best intention.
It seems that it was
Sometimes they send it to me. They send me a photo of myself with that phrase in which I am pointing the finger, I think Peio Uralde, who was the one who took me.
Don't you know the new Anoeta?
The day I was, the Real played outside. I approached the stadium and there was nobody. I did not speak to Jokin Aperribay or Juantxo Trecet. I didn't mean to disturb
What have they told you?
Which is very modern. Beyond the screaming and chanting, they removed the running tracks. People are closer, that is real, and generates a different bond for the home team and against the visiting team. I'll go for sure.
How is this crisis being experienced in Uruguay?
This weekend there were no soccer, basketball, theaters, or cinemas. They are suspending weddings and events with possible crowds. People are very aware. Here we are in summer and there are already very few people on the street. People are at home. There people play the March of San Sebastián through the balconies, which is very nice, here I saw a video of fans from Nacional and Montevideo insulting each other.