Diego Pablo Simeone offered a press conference on the occasion of the presentation of the docuserie ‘Simeone: live game by game, which will be broadcast on Amazon Prime video. The Argentine coach, in addition to giving details about this series, 10 years after his arrival on the Atlético bench, also reviewed the irregular season of the rojiblanco team and its state of mind.
He was previously interviewed by former soccer player and friend Gustavo López, commentator on Movistar and on SER, who has been involved in the docuseries and to whom Simeone thanked.
His parents: “Those who gave me all the tools I have: I am what I am thanks to each of their personalities, which are very different. I can transmit them, I love them very much. He is strong, I see him muscular and she has a smile whenever We talked that fills my heart”.
What are we going to see from Simeone?: “From Vélez, which was a very good sports education; the passage through the Argentine team and all that journey, as a footballer, that there is a man in him who has good and bad times, two families, I got divorced, I remarried I had more daughters and I have five sons who get along great. We have built something that I love very much, the team with family, with friends, with everything that makes you strong. It shows what people don’t see and what is in the person that he has to transmit, convince and that he has to win every day”.
Eight, nine, ten hour interviews: “When I sat down with Toni, he told me you have to tell. And I “if I don’t like it, today matters…” He convinced me, I called you (Gustavo) and I felt safe. So that he would tell how I am It had to be someone very close.”
the most exciting moment: “There are many. I was finding emotions. I liked the talk with my old man in front of the door of my house, something very ours. Also when we approached the fight for the League and what we talked about, we were convinced that we were on the road And another day they asked me why I say the words I say. Or in the car with the girls on the way to school and at breakfast. I haven’t seen the documentary, just some skipped spaces. I’ll tell you if I like it.”
No one said no: Ramos, Mourinho, Cristiano, Messi…: “All the people who are there and some who couldn’t or didn’t want to are the people who have made me who I am. I am very happy to have shared the documentary with those people. They made me believe, I hit myself and got up, they made me raise my creativity as a coach…”.
Press conference
Is work more important than talent?
There are many examples. Talent without work remains in an important space of a player or whatever, but work is ahead. The rest is something simple if not.
Where does it come from that the effort is not negotiated?
We were in Argentina, competing with Boca to become champions and we talked about it. From then on, he stayed with us forever. Not only in football, but in life itself, which in the end is more important.
How important is your feeling for Atlético in your work? Would it be the same at another club?
I can perceive more quickly what is happening in the environment, not just in the field. An example: on Saturday, against Valencia. I know people very well. I knew that, despite the bad first half, they were not going to be against the team in the second. They were going to be with us and afterwards, if it had gone wrong, the criticism would have been harsh, but not during. I passed it on to the players and they responded well. We all got back together as we wanted. That’s what knowledge helps. It’s been a lot of years, three as a player, then another two and a half, now ten. Almost my life is set on Atlético. But someday I’ll have to go, everything begins and ends. Hopefully it will be with a fair and good election for all and the best for both parties. It doesn’t mean more pressure to be a fan or the love I have for the club. I know he has to win, but I put aside my egos even though some think not, but I leave them for the good of the club and the goals.
Did you trust to get that far?
I always wanted the best. Since I was growing up, my obsession was to be better day by day. I started training in the First Division when I was 14 or 15 years old, I soon played with the reserves and when I was 17, inside. From then on all good things. I fought to improve, I got as far as I could and I don’t miss anything about my stage as a footballer. And I want more, I’m young.
Was the jump from player to coach difficult?
In the shower and it was difficult for me to take a shower, get into the car and think ‘tomorrow I have to prepare for the game as a coach’. I didn’t even have a farewell game, I would have liked it. I always had a respectful relationship with my colleagues.
Which coach do you resemble most of those who have influenced you?
I don’t know if one or the other, but when you play you don’t know what your coaches are going to be like. The first was Bilardo, he was my first coach and I was a sponge. Everything he transmitted to me I tried to assimilate. Then to Luis, now older, and he gave me strength and security that he transmitted. Not to mention Coco Basile, he had a gift, he spoke to us (with the National Team, and before in Vélez), he told us that we had to jump into the pool and you didn’t jump in, you didn’t look if there was water. Not everyone knows how to do it. And Bielsa grabbed me even bigger and taught us all to be better coaches. There is the field coach, the training coach and he explained to you what was going to happen. I have a lot of things from him.
He has an anecdote with Basile…
We were in concentration and Coco called me. Nobody wanted to wear number 10. Maradona had left and he asked me, at 21 years old, ‘Cholo, do you dare to wear number 10?’ ‘Me? How not?’ And we came out champion twice. He had worn it as a child, when he went to play.
How do you make sure that losses don’t affect the players?
Hard. But to enjoy a victory you have to know how to digest defeats. It doesn’t matter, you suffer, you work, you seek to improve, but you suffer, because that’s how you learn to enjoy victory. There are situations that hurt me and the family finds me like this.
What does Atlético mean to you?
It has been my life, although it sounds simple. They are already, between player and coach, 15-16 years in this club. It made me grow as a footballer, he came back, I left, I came back again, there were joys, sadness… And I am required to vindicate myself day by day and I love it. Life is like that, it changes from one moment to another. Against Valencia, the first half seemed like death and the second, life. You have to choose where to be.