Pablo Aimar's reflections: Valencia, Maradona, Bielsa and how Messi “breaks chance”

Pablo Aimar He is an endearing man, a football madman, a ball wizard. After a brilliant career, the Argentine now enjoys how Argentina Under 17 coach while debating whether to make a career as a professional coach, or it will continue in the lower categories helping to grow the boys. Meanwhile, with the albiceleste he applies his work methodology: “We try to make the boys play, have the ball and do not throw it off“So that they can adapt to any way of playing:” If a coach grabs them at 25 and tells them 'we're going to play long, nothing happens', that's the easiest thing to do. “

That culture or identity that today applies with his boys of adaptation to circumstances and growth through understanding all the tactical systems, is the same with which he became the great player that he was. Aimar arrived at Valencia coming from River Plate, or what is the same, came from a team that kneaded the ball almost 90 minutes, to a club in explosion that grew thanks to counterattacks and defense. But Pablo was clear: “I want to win here in Valencia” and for this he had to adapt.

In my case, I don't know what would have happened if instead of going to Valencia I had gone to another team. I do know that I enjoyed that way of playing, even though I came from River Plate, to play 70 percent of the game with the ball, and I went to a team that played much less with the ball. I had to grow, adapt and understand the way in which we could compete, In fact, we did it for several years and we even won a League, and I can assure you that I celebrated that achievement. The way we had at that time to compete with the greatest was that. Thus, I learned to take advantage of touching the ball less.

The reflections of the celestial star collected by Coachesvoice They also point out how the mythical 21 che was discovering little by little that with the approach that Rafa Benítez had, they could beat the transatlantic ships Madrid and Barcelona, a style that did not suit him at all, but for which he adapted and with which he made history: “I was 21, 22 years old, but I wanted to win. And the way to win with that team, apart from having very good footballers, was that.we played little, but quickly and concretely, finishing many plays “.

Bielsa, Pékerman and the influencers

Benítez's style made Valencia champion and helped Aimar discover that “a coach can convince 20 footballers of an idea and if they are convinced, it is very difficult to beat them “. However, the ex-footballer does not base his technical style based only on the idea of ​​the Spanish. In his mind there are two other technicians who are very present: Marcelo Bielsa and Pékerman two Influencers at your discretion

Bielsa and Pékerman are influencers because they influence the person, they do not leave those who were directed by them indifferent and that is a huge characteristic. When Bielsa came to my retirement game it was something incredible, that gesture was very typical of him. Pékerman instilled in me that common sense is a game based on common sense and peace.

“Messi breaks the luck factor of football”

Of course, in his reflections there has also been room for Lionel Messi, the Argentine star. Spinning with the teachings he has received from Bielsa, Pékerman or Jorge Jesús, Pablo considers that the beauty of football is that no matter how much one does everything well “chance has a lot to do with the result”. Well, or at least for almost all cases.

“When there is a guy who breaks the chance, what happens with Lionel Messi, when he plays we all believe that Barcelona will win. He has managed to exhaust the praise; in 15 years he has done exactly what he had to do” . He points out who has been and is one of Messi's own idols, who also clarifies that all those who have played football at a high level “they walk away from the debate of whether or not he runs on the grass. ”

Football is not what, but when. The best footballers, beyond doing everything well, they stand out because they know when to do things. he was more showy at 22 when he dribbled even in his own shadow. Now, this current version makes it the best of all; It does everything it has to do, when it has to do it and when it has to do it.

Batman, Spider-man and Maradona

And of course, Pablo dismisses his participation in Coaches Voice remembering the one who was his idol and that of a whole country. “By the 70'-80 'superheroes already existed: there were Spider-Man, Batman and others, but we wanted to be Maradona. “ The former Valencian player stands out, who also remembers how “we aspired to be the one who was there at the 86th World Cup in Mexico, singing the anthem and at the 90th World Cup in Italy insulting those who insulted our anthem.”