Eder Sarabia already looks like Andorra's first coach. At the age of 40, he has enrolled in his first experience as the first coach of a soccer team after his trips in Las Palmas, Betis and Barcelona as second. He comes to the tricolor team to replace Nacho Castro and with the sole objective of climbing to the Second Division. This Sunday Dani Jarque will make his debut at the Ciudad Deportiva against Espanyol B. He picks up an Andorra that is undefeated at home this season and that is second in Group 3-A of Second B with 19 points, just one behind the leader, Nàstic de Tarragona. “We come here with great enthusiasm and we have detected that ambition and desire to grow. There is hope, involvement and determination. They have convinced us fast. We will try, on a day-to-day basis, to demonstrate the experience that we bring with experience and knowledge and to meet the objectives ”, Eder started.
After 12:00, Sarabia was presented this Tuesday in Andorra telematically because of the health measures of COVID-19 and has attended the media without rejecting any question about his past in Barcelona. Yes, before starting question time, he wanted to remember Quique Setién: “Let's see if I don't get too excited. He has been a fundamental person for me. After my father he is the most important person I have met in the world of football. He is much more than a friend, he is like a father. My father already told me that I was going to be the most honest and honest person that I was going to meet and if I am here it is thanks to him. I couldn't have had a better person to work with. I have learned a lot and our ex relationship extraordinary. These days I have been talking to him about this opportunity and he has supported me at all times, go ahead. I know that from now on he will be one of the main critics. Who says that in the future we will not meet again, to work together”. After that, the first question already had Piqué as the protagonist and “this week he called me, we were talking and one of the things that surprised me the most was the involvement in the project, the knowledge of the team, the category … and after talking with Gerard I did it with Jaume (sports director) and there was a feeling, we connected quickly”. Always in the shadow of Quique Setién on the professional benches, he explained, regarding the advice received, that “he has given me every day and if he has not given me I have been learning it. The maximum advice has been from my parents and they go in the direction of showing humility, be ambitious and show that illusion, desire and love for football. That all this is tried to translate in the field, in the day to day and the you to you with the players ”.
His strong character led him to place himself under the spotlight on more than one occasion, especially during his time at Barcelona, but with his signing for Andorra many rumors about the bad relationship with the Barça dressing room have been silenced. And Eder was clear: “There is one thing evident and that is that a person like Gerard, who has been in that dressing room and is behind this project, is one of those who chooses me to direct this, I think he hides some rumors and some things that could be thought or misinterpreted. It is true that there are moments of tension in the matches and in the dressing rooms there is discussion. In that famous intermediate time in Vigo what happened happened. They are things that do not go anywhere, that are perfectly understood as part of our work, what happens in the maximum demand and there is no problem. Besides, I have learned a lot over time, in always staying with the good, the positive and focusing on what I can control. I am delighted to have been able to live what I lived, to have been able to train those pieces of players and that nobody takes away from me”. Finally, Eder did not want to enter to assess with which Barcelona players he still maintains contact: “With a few, I will not say with whom either. We have congratulated each other on the holidays and they have written to me after my signing for Andorra ”.
During the press conference, Eder Sarabia addressed more topics:
On February 7 visit to Barcelona B: “We have been there for a few months, recently we were in the box following the team and many players they have. It will be special, but we will prepare it with the same enthusiasm and enthusiasm. We will face it like any other game ”.
Experience on the Barça bench: “Since you start training, each team and situation has its own things. One of the great lessons that I have learned since I have been in professional football is to adapt. Within having an essence of what we like and how I am, Las Palmas is obviously not the same as Betis, Barcelona or Andorra. You have to know the template well, detect which are the correct keys and work around there ”.
Pressure: “I have already had enough pressure in the last years in all the teams that I have been. Each one in its category, you have to meet the objectives. There is pressure and demand, but I love that ”.
Playing style: “The first thing is to keep the good things that the team already has. Both myself and my two assistants have seen a few games and there are things that we like. Afterwards, the football that I like is attacking, being dominant, playing in the opposite field, being prepared for when you lose it so that the opponent does not hurt you. Then there will be difficult moments and to be supportive, solid, competitive, to go to the duel. Try to be a very complete team and can adapt to all situations in a game.
Media noise: “I have to focus on trying to convince the players soon, my first talks and training sessions try to make things clear about what we want and from there the player goes to death with us.”
His first experience as head coach: “I have always said that I felt like first coach. Before working with Quique I was first in all football categories, starting with children and later in the Villarreal quarry, for example. I have learned a lot from Quique and I am delighted with him. I hadn't fully considered it, but with the conversations in recent days with Andorra I had few doubts that it was time to accept this challenge ”.