Diego Vazquez and – began the restructuring and generational change in Motagua after a 2020 without titles that he did not consider a “failure”, but being aware that he will have to reinvent himself with new players for the future.
This task brought with it the departure of the players from his extreme confidence as in his case Wilmer and Félix Crisanto, in addition to the controversial march of Emilio Izaguirre for sports problems.
However, this decision would not have satisfied the former award-winning defender, with a remarkable career in Europe, a club figure and a player at the World Cup with Honduras, considering that they respected him.
First of all: How does Diego Vázquez react and what are his plans for his team in 2021?
What feelings did 2020 leave you, closing your hands?
I don’t see it that way, in the last tournament I was the best team, I was in first place. In this tournament we came to play the definition of Olympia. It is positive beyond the fact that we could not win the classic, that we have to accept beyond the issue of arbitration.
Today there is a lot to correct in the team, right?
There is always a lot to improve, I think we had a good year, but the Concachampions owed us for the way we were left out, in an unusual way without deserving, but this football has its details, then Olimpia we he overtook. Say it was a bad year, only one team beat us and there were even matches.
What really affected the team?
All teams lose, even Bayern Munich lost yesterday. If you look at the games we lost, there will be two or three in the entire tournament.
What Motagua do we hope to find in this new year?
We work on this up and down. I see what position we need to have to have a team with an alternative for continuity because we did not succeed.
Have you already requested new signatures?
Yes, we are on it. First we work on the boys who will not continue, then we see where they will be hired.
I have to ask you … What happened to Emilio Izaguirre? Aren’t you a player you like?
The truth is that his statements surprise me because, first of all, he has been with us for a year and a half and when the team arrived he was twice champion with Olimpia. I told him very clearly that the owner was Omar Elvir and that he had to fight for a position, but that he accepted it, he was a player from Europe, who is part of the institution, that we respect him.
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Did you understand it at the time?
At that moment he understood, but then he didn’t. He left several training sessions when he was not a starter, these are things I did not expect from an experienced player – for example – but I knew how to understand why the players want to play. It happened to me then, in 2000, I was released, Eddy Atala told me – I don’t need you – I got very angry, but later I appreciated the sincerity.
Did you call him personally?
Emilio Izaguirre is respectful, he was professional in many ways, but I told him when I called him – because I did so, so that he would know for me that I would not take into account – I told him very clearly that it’s because of the sports problem, that he needs other things for the club and that’s why he wouldn’t take it into account. It is punctually sporty.
Did other players like Felix and Wilmer Crisanto have to tell you?
Imagine that I had to tell Songó and Félix that too, almost crying because they are players that I love, that I love them, that we won many things together. With them Songó I won seven titles, with Félix six; Same with Emilio, it’s not something personal, if I hadn’t taken into account, I can’t have a player who won’t participate, I would have hurt him. At that time, I told the board to renew it, but now I need other things for the team, and the player has all the respect he deserves, I know it was one of the most important sales. We all left. I left, Amado Guevara had to leave, the name has passed and the institution remains, I make decisions thinking about the good of the team, my task is to analyze the present of each player.
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Emilio Izaguirre has two years left on his contract … What would be his decision if the council imposed it?
Yes, I said to renew, but not for two years, but for the tour. But these are my decisions and I have to make many of them with a lot of pain because I appreciate them.
Didn’t Emilio Izaguirre reach the level to be a starter?
Omar Elvir also had good games, as did others who didn’t. My task today is to analyze what the present can offer me.
In the past, some players have revealed problems with you. Today Emilio preaches that he was disrespected …
There I do not agree with Emilio because in my task only eleven play and three leave the field, so only eight are happy. When he was a starter, he didn’t come to ask questions, imagine that with the covid there are 12 players who are on the bench, if they feel that you respect them, they wouldn’t have a team. Respect does not go there, it goes through training the player accordingly. If someone feels disrespectful because he is a substitute or because he is not a starter, I think that nowhere in the world can a coach guarantee that you will be a starter in all games, which is gained depending on performance. In this respect, I do not agree with him, no one has respected him at any time and would not be.
With these cases, he shows that he does not let the almond-shaped pressure of the players when they want to play.
Well, I’ve been on the team for seven years and it’s normal, the player wants to play, but his job is to be available when the coach asks for it. Maybe they will understand the future when they will be coaches, I didn’t understand it when I was a player, I understand anger, but it’s just a sport. The other two cases (Harold and Eddie) are different.
Will there be more casualties this week?
We might look at the situation.
I leave room for a message to your fans:
We need your support, thank you always. In this case, rest assured that all the decisions we made seven years ago, with all that is Motagua, are for the good of the institution, with the aim of improving the team and being competitive.