Enjoying a few days of vacation in Huelva, Joaquín Caparrós attends Sports world waiting to rejoin the selection of Armenia on short dates. The Sevillian coach reviews current football, making a very appreciative reflection of the role played by the Athletic, which in his opinion deserves to take a title, a reflection of the seriousness and demand with which he works. Furthermore, Jokin praises the work of Garitano and of Joseba Etxeberria. He understands that the club is bringing out young values that will have a long journey.
First of all, how is your illness?
Okay, fine, controlling, being rigorous with the controls, but pretty good. With great force and with desire.
That ailment does not detract from your desire to work with enthusiasm at all.
No, my passion is soccer, training. That makes me mentally strong.
Despite the difficulties arising from covid-19, he has been happy as the coach of Armenia for a few months.
Indeed, with all the difficulties, but I am happy because there is a very nice project. We have tuned the president with all the coaches who have come from there, from Spain. Ginés is with two more technicians who are dedicated to training future technicians. The U21 coach is also Spanish, now comes Javier Miaño, who was physical trainer for Vicente del Bosque, I have taken Luci (Martín) … Therefore, happy and preparing the first championship, which is the the nations. We started on day 3 against Macedonia and on day 8 against Georgia.
Let's talk about your passions. One of them is Sevilla. You will be very happy with what you are achieving, right?
Yes, it is a team that is growing athletically and in terms of its organization. We are now going to a competition that is his competition, he is very well on the way to get a new UEFA title.
And he will be suffering a lot from Depor, of course.
So is. Depor is a shame. I speak with the people there, with the people from my peña and with friends I have there. I am very aware of what is happening to him. It is a shame because it is a great club, with a great history and that it hurts us all. Those who have belonged to that house hurt us.
And Mallorca, where he also trained, relegated.
Yes, Mallorca the same. It is a club in which I lived almost two seasons and we also do not involve much. The first season was spectacular, we were about to get into UEFA. The second was irregular. He did the difficult thing, which was to go from Second B to First and, of course, the First Division is another story, there is a very high level.
We are left with honey on our lips, but I think the season has been good, because players have come out who will have a long journey
It is your turn to talk about a very special club for you. Have you been left with honey on your lips with Athletic?
Yes, we have all stayed like this. But the clubs he has told me, with very high budgets, have the capacity to choose world-class footballers and yet what it costs a team like Espanyol, Celta … to maintain the level. However, Athletic has been there, has entered the final, its competition, and has been on the point of getting into Europe always with home footballers. You have to analyze it and reflect. We have been left with honey on our lips, but I think the season has been good, because players have come out who will have a long journey.
And it doesn't end there.
In addition, Bilbao Athletic has played a promotion phase, with Joseba doing a magnificent season, and that is what is important and to analyze. People squeeze and that means that the people who are involved in Athletic are very concentrated and very demanding. Each one demands a lot of himself and that means that every year Athletic is there. This year it could not have been, but I insist that you have to analyze it and be happy with the season that Garitano and the whole team have done.
E Bilbao Athletic has played a promotion phase, with Joseba doing a magnificent season, and that is what is important and to analyze.
However, it does not rain to everyone's liking. There are people who criticize the Derio coach despite everything.
Yes, but it is an attitude of Athletic to be demanding. You have to be demanding. In Seville he has also grown great with the demands, wanting a little more each time. That is good, but then you have to do the reflections from the tranquility. Athletic has soccer players with a lot of projection. The focus is always focused on the technicians, but he has done a magnificent job, transmits Athletic DNA, because he has been sucked up. And the whole team: Rafa Alkorta transmits a seriousness and very clear ideas of what he wants. I talk a lot with Manolo Delgado and he transmits all that to me. I know that Lezama is working very well. That's where all the fans have to be calm and trusting Athletic, because management from above is doing well. We are left with honey on the lips, as he says, but with young people who are going to have a great role.
Rafa Alkorta transmits seriousness and very clear ideas of what he wants
Have any of those young people particularly caught your attention?
The goalkeeper has consolidated, also Córdoba. The boy who has come out, who looks spectacular, Sancet, looks great, and the rest has been consolidated. It is a good sign that each year a player who calls your attention has consolidated. Above all, the important thing is that things are being done well.
The boy who has come out, who looks spectacular, Sancet, looks great, and the rest has been consolidated
¿Do you have a relationship or friendship with Javier Imbroda, Minister of Education and Sports of the Junta de Andalucia?
Yes Yes i have. Why?
It is for me to tell you to play the Cup final with the public. In that Athletic will beat Real Sociedad.
Haha. Sure sure. Hopefully it will be played and hopefully it will be won, because I believe that we already deserve a title and I believe that the message that the two clubs sent to the rest of soccer in a difficult economic situation, the one that was expected to play at the end and with fans, is a message for those of us who love this sport, which is above other issues. We are hoping that the final will be played with the public, that it be a party, because the La Cartuja field is a spectacular stadium and the city of Seville as well. That we see a magnificent spectacle.