Onésimo Sánchez (Valladolid, 1968) He has seen them of all colors in the world of football. Let's see which player can say that he was a pupil of Cruyff, Bilardo and David Vidal; Mágico González's wardrobe partner and had Ruiz-Mateos as president. In case he had not had enough experiences to write an encyclopedia of anecdotes, training has already directed in First, Second and Second B. However, 'Uncle One' has as a maxim that football “always surprises you” and This Sunday's appointment in Riazor reinforces his theory. From the bench will live the Deportivo-Celta B, a match that few could imagine.
About to reach the Christmas break of Second B, what balance do you make of what is going on this season?
We knew it was a complicated year for many things. We, in addition, with the connotation that we work for the first team, which brings us players and in that we are at a very high level. In the last game we were pretty bad, it was the worst game since I arrived at Celta. They are things that happen. Until last Sunday we had competed very well and played football very well, which is something that I value. It is important that what you train happens. The balance is positive.
Do you like the competition format?
It's a bit of a weird thing that we can't evaluate yet. Because of this social issue that we are going through, everything has been excessively hasty. Let's see how it ends. It is something so novel that perhaps it should have been given one more spin.
What is the true goal of Celta B?
Consistency is always important. There are always too many failures because too many people want the same goal. In our case, with everything that is happening to us, the non-negotiable thing is to compete to the death and play football well. Every week our first team brings us four or five players. That is also great news. We want to be as high as possible, but we are a team made for many other things, with a lot of youth and with many youth who have to help us.
The branch players who train daily with the first team are not having minutes with Coudet and, when they go down to the branch, they are not starters. How do you plan to manage this situation so that they do not lose competition rhythm?
It's one more club theme, I manage the day to day more. It is true that, if they are not with us yet, we do not know the competitive capacity they have on a day-to-day basis and in games. There are different cases. For example, Fontán trained with us last year and this season he has stayed with the first team from the beginning; Sergio Carreira did the preseason with us, but due to the needs of the first team, he is with them; Miguel and Gabri are always with them; now there is also Lauti who has liked and has stayed; Pampín… Obviously it conditions us a lot, because we lose a lot of people, but it is the connotation of working in a second team.
Is it more important for a footballer in training to play games in a lower category or to train daily with professionals?
Everything has its moment and its advantage. Working with people at the level of Aspas gives you a lot, it will never be a problem for the boys, but it is true that they should also compete because it is the first step to reach the top. You have to find balance and for this there are people who have to find it.
Would an intermediate solution for this type of case be to create a league of affiliates?
Could be. I remember in my time that there was a great youth league, a mini Primera, and many of us made it to the First Division from that league. It is also true that these guys, in addition to competing with each other, also have to do with people of another age, with a lot of football. I am in favor that at 16-17-18 years old, boys have to be prepared to compete at the highest level.
Since it refers to his time as a player, in those years Riazor choked him: three visits and no victory …
I remember a game with Rayo that they beat us on the last play, in a foul in our favor that we took badly. We wanted to lose time, because drawing at Riazor at that time was a great result for our team. They fouled me and Ezequiel Castillo took it out, hesitated and Radchenko scored against us. I also remember a goalless draw with us playing relegation and they playing the league, the year of Djukic's penalty. The previous match in Riazor, we had played it ourselves. We hurt them in a match of many alternatives. They had a great team, with Bebeto and company. I remember that Super Dépor, who was a great team.
Has Lendoiro ever tried his signing?
There was a time of rumors, the usual in those years. I have had that soccer relationship with Augusto, seeing each other after games. There was no meeting to sit down and talk.
As a coach, the only time he coached at Riazor, he took a 0-2 victory with Valladolid in 2010.
It was a difficult time in Valladolid. We were leaders with the subsidiary, the first team did not go well and we took it. I remember we played a very good game and the team took a breath at a very difficult moment.
When you now see that Deportivo is in Second B, what goes through your head?
It is the great thing about our sport, unexpected situations that happen. That's why the pools are never hit, that's why our sport is so great. It has unpredictable moments and, no matter how many stories you have experienced as is my case, there is always something that surprises you. You have to be prepared, in case it touches you, to deal with it. This is football, for the good and for the bad. That's why it likes it so much.
Is Deportivo's level of play disappointing you?
There are many ways to play soccer and they are all legal. Each one expresses what he believes, what he likes and adapting to the conditions of his players, always within a game idea. Depor is a very reliable team, they have very few goals against, and strong in both areas. For all that, he is at the top and is the clear favorite to achieve it, knowing that it is very difficult for everyone to win because football is very close to winning despite the fact that Deportivo has players who have shown their level in other categories.
How do you rate the work that Fernando Vázquez is doing?
I value his career. When I was in Valladolid starting as a coach, Fernando was there working in the first team. He has been in many teams for many years, and now he is at home, in his Sports.
Is it a derby?
I consider it a very important game, very motivating for our people and for our day to day. They are three points of great prestige. We know the difficulty of what awaits us, but also how much it can give us if we play a lot at what we want.
Do you notice your pupils especially motivated?
Obviously, we cannot forget that it is something special, but we are going to do the same pace of work, have an idea, a game plan, and work on things that may happen to us and to Depor. On the street I imagine that these days are going to be a little different, but this is still 90 minutes, one ball and eleven against eleven. He will have a lot of advantage if he knows how to express his idea for more minutes on Riazor.