Paco Jemez he’s at home. After a few tense and very long days, the coach decided to reach an agreement with Tractor to leave the club and the country. The international crisis forced him and his three assistants to find a solution as quickly as possible. “It was like a movie, you can’t imagine it. It is a country where you need a visa to enter or leave, you do not have freedom of movement. Since the attack on Israel we decided to leave. The airspace was closed that day and the next, but then we talked to the club about leaving, seeing that there was an option to take a flight to Istanbul. We reached an agreement to terminate and We went to the airport without knowing for sure if the plane would leave or be cancelled. The wait was long and tense, but we are already home“.
Paco explains his decision: “It’s a matter of peace of mind. I couldn’t be talking to my daughters every day and have them cry and ask me to leave. When the attack on the Iranian embassy occurred, we had to look for a way out, but with the action against Israel it was already evident. It is not an economic issue, because we have forgiven two years of contract, or a sports issue. We were third in the League and in the quarterfinals of the Cup, with a good project to grow, but we needed to leave for peace of mind for ourselves and our families. In that sense, the Tractor has been phenomenal, now and always. “They paid us religiously from the moment we arrived, they arranged visas for us every time we wanted to leave… Even at this critical moment, since the owner has an airline company.”
Paco Jémez talks about his experience in Iran
The coach affirms that his experience has been “enriching. We have been very comfortable, especially with the club. But it is a different country, it is not like others where you can move freely. The rules are very strict. El Tractor helped us every time that we need it, but everything is complicated. The tension of the last few days made the situation unpredictable, and at the Embassy they had absolutely no security about anything. They fear retaliation from Israel and do not believe it is a one-time action. I hope nothing happens, but We had to leave urgently. Tranquility and security are above sport or money.”.
