“Nothing weird happened for Simeone to happen”

Julen Guerrero López (1-7-1974, 47 years old, Portugalete, Vizcaya) has granted an interview to AS, after his appointment as U-17 coach, to review the best episodes of his successful career as a footballer at Athletic and talk about football news, with a special parenthesis from his son, who plays in the lower categories of Real Madrid.

The first thing I do is congratulate you, because since the summer you have been the new U-17 coach. Do you want to make a career in the Federation and get, why not, to train at the absolute level or do you prefer the daily work in a club?

I am open to everything, I like both, but now I focus on where I am, I have very nice challenges in the Federation and with this category. It's a shame that the U-17 European Championship has been taken away from us because of the pandemic, but it is very nice to help the kids to continue evolving and for many of them to reach the absolute level. If an offer comes from a club, I will study it, but making a career in the Federation satisfies me a lot.

You already know the daily work in a club, because shortly after you retired you started your career as a coach in the lower categories of Athletic, but in 2008 you left the club, why?

Because a new president came in, with new ideas, I saw that things were going the other way, we did not reach an agreement and he decided to do without me.

When did you decide that you wanted to be a coach? Did you always have it clear that it was your way when hanging up your boots?

Yes, it was always clear to me, in fact, I started to get the title when I was in my early twenties. It is also true that I had half a degree in journalism and I finished it when I retired, and it is a facet that fills me a lot. They are two exits that I thought I could have when I retired. I tried one and now I'm on this one.

You have always given an image of a calm person, but do you suffer more as a coach than as a player?

Sure, but what I am is very competitive, before as a player and now as a coach. I always want to win.

Let's go with your sports career. You were a very precocious footballer, you consolidated very early in Athletic, at 18 years old, and at 19 you already made your debut in the National Team. How do you digest the speed of success and fame?

I was lucky to have a good family environment that made me understand to give importance to things in the right measure and I focused on wanting to improve every day. You have to abstract a little from everything, I had almost no time for anything, because we played Sunday-Wednesday. If you got out of that routine a bit, from being on top for each game, you risked lowering your performance, that's why I took great care of myself.

Your popularity soared very soon and Athletic had to hire private security to prevent, for example, fans from sneaking into the hotel to see you. A few days ago, Messi said that he needed a psychologist to help him withstand the pressure. Did you also need that professional help to withstand the pressure?

At that time, psychological help to athletes was not so widespread. Soccer has evolved a lot and the presence of psychologists is very positive, both at the group and individual level, and can be a great help, even if you don't need it.

What was it like to live with the 'fan phenomenon'? Because your figure could resemble that of a music or movie star, and then there were no social networks …

I have always been very close to people. It is true that in Lezama and when we arrived and left the field, there were many people who asked for autographs or wanted to take a picture with you. There were days when I was more than an hour signing autographs and taking pictures of myself after training, but I took it very naturally, I had to return the affection they showed me, and always with a smile and grateful, because people did it. wait and want it.

Did you have compromising situations?

No. Sometimes the club or the Federation put obstacles when I went with the National Team, but I got off the bus or left the hotel to be with the people, who had been waiting for hours.

Do you change when everyone loves you and admires you and you are at the top?

It didn't change me. I continued and continue to be the same, accessible, and I feel loved in any corner of Spain where I go. I am proud of it and lucky.

How would you summarize the influence Heynckes, Clemente and Luis Fernández have had on your career?

Heynckes' pulse did not tremble when it came to giving alternatives to young kids like me, who was the youngest, and he revolutionized the football that was seen in Bilbao, with one more game of touch, possession … The first two Years were very fun, our fans, and in general, they liked to see that Athletic and we achieved important successes. Right away came the opportunity that Javi (Clemente) gave me, who instilled in us his super competitive spirit. With Luis Fernández it was different… We had our style, but he prepared the matches thinking more about the rival.

You stood out for being a great player in the area and scoring a lot of goals. Which one do you remember with the most satisfaction?

Phew! Complicated … There are many that I have coming from the second row, one of my main characteristics with the goal, also with the odd one that I scored from a foul or from outside the area. But with everyone, in general.

One of the saddest episodes of your career was that creepy stomp on the leg that he did with Simeone in 1996. Did something happen between the two of you during the meeting that led to that? Did he ever ask for your forgiveness? And did you have any kind of contact afterwards?

It is true that the matches between Athletic and Atlético de Madrid have always been very tense and highly contested, and the fields of before were not like they are now, with mud, etc. But nothing unusual happened beyond the normal bounces of a match in which both teams wanted to win. After a while I met him in a restaurant, we said hello, but nothing more.

How many times did Madrid call you and what was the real story like that you didn't end up at the Bernabéu?

The story is very simple. I joined Athletic when I was 8 years old, it is the club of my life, I had a clear priority and my commitment to the fans, who were and are with me to death, and I did not consider another alternative.

What other clubs did you turn down great offers from?

From Spain and from Calcio clubs, which were more fashionable at the time and paid more, they contacted my father, who was the one who handled these matters, and others who might have asked Athletic and I did not find out, but I did. I was clear, I just wanted to be in Athletic.

You decided in your day, in 1996, to sign a historic contract, until 2007, which ensured your retirement from Athletic. Have you regretted the passage of time, especially because in other clubs you could have won titles?

When I signed that contract I knew what I was up to, maybe I was giving up on being able to win titles with more ease, more international repercussion and money, but what I wanted was to stay in the club of my life. The benefit I obtained was the love of the people forever and defending the Athletic shirt for so many years.

Do you see yourself one day training the club of your life, Athletic?

It may be, but I don't even know if the current president will call me. What I am clear about is that I must continue preparing for the challenges that may arise. If it has to come, it will come.

Lezama turned 50 years old last Wednesday. How much does Athletic owe to these facilities?

Much. Athletic was a pioneer with the Lezama facilities. With the philosophy that the club has, if it had not had that sports complex, it would have been very difficult to achieve everything it has achieved. Athletic's base and factory are in Lezama, it has managed to modernize itself over time and fortunately every year there are players prepared to play for Athletic or for other clubs, because they all don't fit. The objective is clear and the way of working, the same. Athletic without Lezama would not be understood.

About the Athletic philosophy that you have commented on. In the XXI century, don't you think it should be checked that the club does not sign foreign players or that they are not linked, in any way, to the Basque Country?

It is true that the world of football is much more globalized, but despite that particular and restrictive philosophy, Athletic continues to win, the last the Spanish Super Cup against the powerful Barcelona, ​​and continues to compete to be as high as possible in the First Division , being one of the few that has not descended. I believe that the fans have assimilated that philosophy, despite the fact that there are seasons, for example in the current one, in which they have had difficulties to get the games ahead, but it is at those times that, unlike other clubs, it appears more than ever the unanimous support of the Athletic fans. In difficult moments for all clubs, such as the current one with the pandemic and economic difficulties, Athletic comes out reinforced by its stability.

You work with kids who play in subsidiaries and you played for Bilbao Athletic. Are you in favor of creating a league just for these teams?

I do not know if a league of subsidiaries, which can be positive, or give a turn to the category of Junior Division of Honor, where there are too many teams. I think something needs to be done. Although I also tell you, it is not negative that they compete with experienced and older people, because that cures them and makes them mature.

What future do you see for your son Julen Jon, who plays for Real Madrid Youth?

What I want is for him to be happy and to continue trying to improve every day and we'll see where he ends up, and, of course, getting ahead with his studies. I will help you in any way I can and hopefully I will go very far.

Who is better at his age, him or you?

Phew! I don't know, difficult question. It is true that his path is good and beautiful. I managed to pass him and he is in that process.

You also triumphed in the National Team, going to two World Cups and a European Championship. What thoughts for Luis Enrique's National Team this summer at the Euro?

I believe that the National Team is in a position to fight to win the title. There has been a generational changeover with young people who are giving a very high note, knowing that other teams are also favorites, but Spain has players at the highest level.

I ask you about the League. How do you see the development and the outcome?

It is true that Atlético de Madrid has a considerable advantage and is proving to be very reliable. It is difficult for him to cut the entire path that he has traveled, not only because of the consistency he is showing, but because those who persecute him are not proving so sure. It is also true that all teams go through some potholes at some point in the season and Atlético have not gone through any, but now they are the main candidate to win Laliga. And then what I see is that the fight to enter Europe is going to be highly contested and at the bottom everything is very even, unlike previous years when there was some team that was left off the hook very early.

And how do you see your Athletic, with the arrival of Marcelino?

It cost him at the beginning, but let's see if the change of coach, which is turning out very well for now, and having won the Super Cup are a boost to look further up.

I don't want to close the interview without asking you about your business side: you have a restaurant, your own txakolí and now you sell masks …

Well, there we are fighting … With the pandemic the situation is difficult, and due to the demand of the followers, we took out masks with my brand / logo in a store on-line that I have implemented on my website. The txakolí really likes it and I'm very happy about it. They are projects that I have, plus others in mind, that also fill me.

Thank you very much for attending us.

To you.