“They tried to get me to go to Madrid after signing with Atleti, at a meal to which I was cheated”

Jordi Lardín (Esparreguera, Barcelona, ​​4-6-1973, 47 years old) has granted an interview to AS in which he recounts some of the most interesting episodes of his career as a footballer, which ended prematurely and in two different periods, and tells of his present and future plans in the new company in which has embarked.

Two years ago you left the sports management of Espanyol. What do you do now?

After leaving Espanyol, together with Quique Sánchez Flores, I decided to be on a sabbatical, recomposing ideas, but at that time I got and I accepted an important offer from the representation company Epic Sports as director in Spain.

Do you have many players?

Yes, and that we started a year ago. The company has been expanding and we have ambassadors in Portugal, with Futre, in Italy, with Zola, and we are also in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. In addition, the owner of Epic Sports is a partner of USM Group, which in England has around 200 players in the Premier. So immersing myself in this world that is exciting.

I return to your departure from Espanyol. Do you think it was unfair?

It was a club decision and we have to respect it, but for me, at that time, it was unnecessary. But, if we stick to the numbers, Quique's, which was the same day, was also. It really was unfair.

How is Chen, the owner of Espanyol?

He is a calm, intelligent man who tries to surround himself with people who contribute what he lacks in football, where he is relatively new and has a long way to go. He has been creating a line of work and has been making mistakes and getting it right until he finds the right people to take the club for him.

Let's go with your professional career. In 1997, Atleti paid Espanyol for you almost 1,500 million pesetas, with only 24 years. Was it too much pressure for you?

No, but it is true that when you are young, you arrive in a city like Madrid, with money, and I was also recently separated, I met all the conditions to give myself a “blow.”

How much did the car accident that you had shortly after arriving at Atleti change your life and that caused you to no longer perform the same?

But I did not perform the same because physically I had some impediment, if not because my priorities in life changed, perhaps wrong and I was also wrong not to seek help at that time. My perception of reality changed because I thought I might have died; I took life more relaxed, thinking more about family and other things.

You hold the record of being the player who has scored the most goals for Real Madrid in the same season: seven, in 95-96. How true is it that Madrid once loved you when you signed for Atlético?

I was not close to signing from Madrid because the offer came when I had already committed to Atleti and at no time did I consider it, but it is true that after the first league game, in which we faced Madrid precisely, they summoned me to a half-cheated meal at the Asador de Roa, owned by one of Heynckes's agents. They tried to convince me to go to Real Madrid, but they couldn't.

Did Jesús Gil come to know that?

I do not know, of course for my part no, I never wanted to look for any conflict between the clubs. I will always be grateful to Jesús Gil, to Miguel Ángel and to the whole family in general, because they always tried to help me, in all possible ways, giving me ‘caponazos’ or support.

Did Barça become interested in you?

Yes, and Valencia, with whom I had a preliminary agreement that we later had to break, and English and Italian teams.

You spent three years at Atlético de Madrid until relegation in 2000. How can it be explained after 20 years that that squad, with those players, went down to Second?

Because football is sometimes like that. That year many problems arose, with the judicial intervention, several changes of coach … and we got into a negative dynamic from which we were not able to get out. We never thought we had to fight not to go down, we weren't used to it, and the teams we compete with are.

You were in the lower teams of the National Team and in the Olympic team, in Atlanta, but it is surprising that you only played three games with the senior team …

When Clemente called me up for the National Team, I was already at Atlético, but the accident had happened and, as I said before, my priorities had changed: I thought more about living day to day and being more with my family than in football. That change of mind was what changed my football career, not physical or other problems.

What accounts does this have to do with the fact that you retired from football for the first time when you were only 29 years old, after finishing at Xerez (two years later you played for Leganés), when in theory you were at the age of maximum plenitude for a player?

Many things got together. I stopped feeling important, useful, that I contributed, and that was what gave me feedback, coupled with sentimental vicissitudes. I went to a small team like Xerez to redirect my career, but it didn't work either. So I said, 'up to here'. I am convinced that if I had had psychological help it would have been different, my career would have lasted longer.

If you could go back in your career as a footballer, what would you change or rectify?

Many things, above all, so that I would not have lost the interest and passion for football as I have and always have had.

Do you think that many lies have been told about you?

More than truths. Atrocities have been said. People who know me know that I am a good guy and extremely healthy. It's very easy to mess up your image and not show it.

You have stated that social networks are not positive for the footballer. Why do you think so?

I believe that the footballer imbued in social networks loses a certain notion of reality. Every time you are more aware of the followers you have. I understand that today everything is measured by visits and clicks, but it is evident that this distracts them and in the clubs we are not educating them when they are young so that they become aware that certain mistakes can mark their career. Another thing is when they are professionals, who have their lives and have the upper hand.

Who was your idol as a kid?

I had many: I liked Rummenigge and Littbarski; he was a great admirer of that German team. But Maradona or Van Basten have also marked me

Do you think that the winger, like you were, is a specialist who is dying out in football today?

Yes. You know what happens that the extremes have left playing in the parks and there are no longer players who invent, who have magic. Almost all players come out of soccer schools, where incredible technical and tactical work is done, but the player is often deprived of his imagination; in fact, when a kid, from soccer seven, does three dribbles, he is already instilled that he must pass it, and I believe that he must be allowed to develop, because there must be specialists. There will be time to educate them on the mistakes they make.

Who is the coach that most influenced your career and why?

Camacho, without a doubt. It was the coach who pushed me, taught me to compete and allowed me to grow on the field, although later I won the position with my performance.

You were about to take Mariano to Espanyol in 2017 when you were the club's sports director, in fact, you came to show him the Cornellà stadium, and you tested Raúl de Tomás three years before he ended up in the team. Are you surprised by the evolution and performance of one and the other?

No. I have seen Raúl de Tomás since he was in the lower categories of Real Madrid and I think he was called to be the 9th of the team. He's so talented that he doesn't even know it himself. I have followed Mariano since he was at Badalona, ​​he is an animal in the area, he finishes everything off, and he would be a very important player in any team from third to sixth place …

… Yes, but do you think he was wrong when he returned to Madrid with Lopetegui, after he triumphed at Lyon, especially since his presence with Zidane is practically nil?

It is that saying no to Real Madrid is very complicated. And Mariano is very clear that he wants to play for Madrid.

Do you see Espanyol returning to Primera this season?

Yes. I see clearly that in January it will have an important difference with the rest, because it is a strong team, with important players, with a very good coach, an expert in the category, and from the club Rufete is doing a great job.

To finish, I want to ask you why you decided not to be a coach.

Because I never had that feeling, I liked more to see players and organize squads.

Thank you very much for attending us.

To you.