THE Matthias Almeida returns to Sevillathis time not as a footballer, but as a coach, with the aim of giving new impetus to a well -known club. Argentina, formerly her technician AEKgave his first big interview, to Sevilla FC+for his new challenge, his philosophy, and the values that guide him on his coaching career.
Almeida does not promise miracles, but a steady course based on dedication, respect and desire for progress. With references to his past, to the players, who also highlighted in his vision of Seville, he sketches the profile of a coach who wants to inspire and build something meaningful and timeless.
In detail the interview of Matthias Almeida:
His term as a player in the club was not the best, but it turns this occasion into another source of motivation: “I have been a coach for 14 years and the only club I had trained and played was River Plate from the early years. I always wanted the opportunity to train a club whose jersey I was wearing as a player. I am very happy, excited. It is a wonderful challenge for my professional life, but I take it with great joy because what I do, I do with love, passion and dedication. There is a very special meaning in this because I played there. My time was not a huge success, but my memory is from the club that opened my doors to Europe. Now he opens them again as a coach and I’m really looking forward to that”
He then arrived at a Seville team very different from today’s: “Personally, I knew a team of Seville, which was not having a good time. Over the years, it has become one of the great ones for what it has achieved, reaching many finals and participating and winning international titles. This Seville team of the last 20 years has been truly successful. Like every team, there are good and not so good times. But, above all, we will try to bring it back to what has successfully demonstrated all these years”
Matthias Almeida has not trained in Spain, but wants to persuade others with his work: “I am a man who respects the views. There is freedom of expression and I accept this. I’m not here to prove anything. I spend a lot of time on my job, I love what I do, I try to do it honestly and I like to win. But I’m not going to sell anything or invent something strange. I am and will be to the end. I live football in a unique way. I understand the characteristics of the various tournaments. I have gone to Argentina, Mexico, the United States, Greece. We have fought in different tournaments and there is always the first time for everything. Playing in different leagues opens your mind, though it is normal for people to have doubts. But I will not convince anyone talking. I will do it with deeds, as everywhere I go, internally, not only in words”
He knows that the club comes from several difficult seasons, but avoids the word “pressure”: “I think of the pressure. I constantly see the various difficulties that people are experiencing. These wars that start. The word “pressure” is quite intense and I wouldn’t say it in football. Yes, there are times when clubs have to go through difficult times to make them stronger again. To look back and return to those moments they enjoyed. It’s my job, it’s my passion and I live for it. On the day I take it as pressure, I will not be able to perceive it as a challenge. I have been living so since I left home 15 years ago and nothing was easy for me. Everything was sacrifices and this will be another step that will give me another step in my professional life and as a human being. As a coach, I will try to find the right player quickly. This is the challenge”
His first intention is to get to know the players to start carrying his vision: “I deeply believe in hard work and that’s why my intention is not to convince anyone only in words. I have to persuade the players and, through the game and everyday work, to help them win the fans with the passion, the momentum, the dedication and the history of the club. There is our job, but knowing that the protagonists are the players. I will try to give them the tools and I am sure that we coaches will make mistakes because in every game you have to choose the starting eleven. Let’s make as few mistakes as possible to convince the public. We have one of the best fans and I say this because I have experienced it. We will try to make them identify with our game, our passion, our dedication and our identity. But this takes time and in preparation we need to meet and talk”
When they ask him how he wants to be his Sevilla, he begins clarifying the concepts: “First of all, it will not be the Sevilla of Matthias Almeida. It will be Seville. Almeida will work for Sevilla with his staff. I am nothing more than anyone else. I end up with a point. I have a thorough study of each of the players, an excellent dialogue with the president and athletic director, who are telephone between them. I have studied the whole last tournament and our work will be based on it. I know the characteristics of the players, I have to meet them, talk to them, shake their hand. The human side is missing, but I have completely studied the football side. I have analyzed the youth groups, I work. Of course I know the economic side, and that doesn’t motivate me. In Seville, as a player, things didn’t go well. I was young and there were many expectations that I could not meet. But that opened the door to me to develop my career in Italian football. I lead love, from a work, by people. In meetings with Jose Maria and Antonio, I liked it. How they talked to me. I am emotional, I am open to people and I am not a two -person. I don’t like it. I prefer to be authentic when I make mistakes and they will know who I am. I am easy to locate me. I do not carry a magic wand, nor do I believe in them. I believe in hard work and when you work with time, passion and honesty, this wins in the long run”
Matthias Almeida, the coach, derives from what he was as a footballer: “In these years, you learn from your mistakes, from your coaches, from your teammates. I have recorded the good things, but not the evils. Being a coach, for me, is like being a father. When my father was alive, I saw good things to him and others I didn’t want to repeat. Now, my daughters are the same. As a coach, it’s the same. It’s hard to be complete. But I try to convey a piece of myself as a player: the desire for victory. I base my job on values, and that’s what my parents taught me. Beyond that, I train, in addition to playing in a certain way, but with respect for everyday life and opponent. This respect that allows you to press an opponent in football. The biggest respect is to give everything to beat the other player in a good way, to be better, but always without bad intentions and confident to give it all. There will be mistakes, and we should continue to try to correct them. I hope this job is going well for the good of all and for my own as I want to be here for a long time”
He then referred to Lucas Okabos’ words about the coach who opened the doors to Rivera: “The first young man I promoted when I was 16 or 17 years old, was Lucas Okabos. I trained my teammates at the time in River. I mention him because he made two tunnels in one of his workouts and his face is engraved in my mind. River promotes young people, and this is my own institution. I know the quality of the Seville Academies system. I watch them and call them every week to recognize them. When I have time, I go to see them in the races and I believe in projects where players have a sense of belonging, that they were born somewhere and that they will definitely give a little more because they feel it and live it first hand. But that takes time. I know that training in the club is very good and this makes it easier to coach”
His goals on his arrival are clear: “The goal is always to win, to win as much as possible. I want a team where everyone is running and everyone is playing. When this message passes, we form a group. Anyone who doesn’t do it will overcome a teammate. We need to achieve internal competition with unity. Those on the bench will support us, and those who play ten minutes will give it all because they can judge the race. To form a team so that everyone feels that we recognize and appreciate them, by the cook, the managers of the jersey, the managers. To work together and convince the fans that he is just another player. We will make them feel that we recognize them with our game and beyond ?? We will be a rock. The important thing is that there is a great desire. I do not use social media, I try to speak as little as possible and I love football and respect“
Source: Sport Fm
I am currently a news writer for News Bulletin247 where I mostly cover sports news. I have always been interested in writing and it is something I am very passionate about. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.
