The departure of César Farías from América de Cali was recently confirmed due to the poor results he had in the season with the team, despite the fact that by contract he still had time left to lead the team. the directive decided that it was best to end the process and look for alternatives for what will be the second half of 2024.
This decision has generated different comments on the matter, There are opinions in favor and others against.. In addition to the positions that have been generated, the rumors about who will be the new strategist of the Valle del Cauca team have not been long in coming.
Regarding these two issues, the weight and importance that the fans have for the team and in general what the América de Cali environment represents at this moment, Marcela Gómez, president of the team, spoke in an interview for Alargue and Diario ASmaking very clear his position regarding César Farías’ time on the bench.
Marcela Gómez, clear and emphatic about the future
Last hours of America: “We have been working, it is a process that takes time, that has its negotiations. There were departures due to contract terminations, analysis of coaching staffs and conversations and also other departures that have to do with loans which players can arrive. We are gaining a little time against the other teams and on the 14th we will start the preseason.”
How much does it cost to hire a technician: “In the decisions that are made in sport and in life, there are times when they are made according to the circumstances and that is criticized and one sees things internally and on a day-to-day basis and can think about taking them. The sports results in the semester were a failure, we cannot hide that. As America we cannot be outside of the eight, it hasn’t happened to us in a long time and we have to look at where we are going and our ego cannot get in the way and want to be right. Decisions are made wanting to do things well, as a coach I had achieved important things in other teams, in America it didn’t happen like that.”
Technician that gives results or process: “No, the issue of Lucas, that was what he came out to say, that the forms were not going to give results and that was not the only reason, there are several things that each coach has different profiles and different processes, perhaps the Lucas had to do with the closeness and previous processes that had brought him to him. I have never expressed myself badly about either of them (Lucas and Farías), they are good coaches and one does not have to go out and affect their names. There are processes that do not work in one place and in others they do, but it cannot be ignored that in his process in terms of results, Lucas managed to qualify and Farías did not. The different thing is that sportingly neither of them met the objective, but it was more of a failure not to qualify.”
There was something extra-sports with Farías: “In the end I believe that everything is linked. No situation that happens anywhere in the world is triggered, everything happens for a reason. It all starts with the sporting results that were difficult, there is a difficult South American elimination, the process continued and we felt that we were rising and then we fell again. As leaders, it has been many years since we were out of the eight and that generates hostility and it becomes difficult to find the results and it has everything to do with it and the results affect the environment and everything that happens around it.”
Who will be Farías’ replacement?
Hernán Torres?: “We and Hernán have had communications, but not recently. He was the first success that we had as an administration and it was joint from the beginning, but right now we haven’t really talked much with the teacher.”
Which coach do you want: “We have spoken with several, analyzed different things, obviously one also has to analyze the current squad, what they are looking for, who can arrive. We do not have a signed contract, it has not been closed because not much time has passed. Yes, we have had meetings because our intention is to start with the coaching staff on the 14th to finish adjusting the squad and have valuable work time.”
Coach of the eight teams: “We don’t have conversations with anyone who is in the finals.”
Wilmer Cabrera: “We have had conversations with him on several occasions. He has been one who has developed an important career in the United States, an American who has gone around the world and we have spoken with him.”
Swollen and its power: “It is important. In the end, having the most important fans in the country is like when parents can be a blessing or a curse, when they support you well and when they don’t, it is felt and in the entire environment, when the fans do not feel or do not feel comfortable with results, players or coach, things are difficult because they make themselves felt. When he encourages, he intimidates and when he doesn’t, he intimidates his own players.”
10 technicians in 10 years: “I think that the analyzes must be done due to the circumstances. There are tournaments that last all year, here it is a semester, the processes are different, they all depend on what happens. We want to follow a process, but it has to go hand in hand with several components. Generate an environment around a sports project in which the fan also accompanies because it is a large part of the source of income with the box office, the sale of merchandise. In the end, America feels good when the stadium is full and you are the one who suffers and feels the difficulties. This team is demanding, the fan wants to see proposals, differences, but they also value the player who gives himself, who leaves everything and in that sense there must be a connection.”
Leader’s feeling: “I have been working in America for many years, since 2016 and always 24/7. In men’s soccer and in the position I have, there is much more media coverage and that is what I like least, but my work in training, women’s soccer, player training, structuring of squads, of players, of the Colombian National Team, in the exterior, that is what I am most passionate about. I have been training around the sport for around 5 years, my team is Arsenal, I have seen Wenger’s process, of great players with homegrown players, obviously I did the cool part of the process many years ago, but you live it all the time. I worked with Gato, who is a great president and great leader, in 2019 we had two titles, the women’s one with Linda, Robledo, they were important and very nice moments in America. I also understand the fans’ frustrations because one does everything to win, but getting on the field and scoring goals, no.”
Feel the team: “I don’t like losing, it’s not what people tell me, it’s what I feel, but sport teaches you to think about what’s coming and what you can control.”
What more players will come out: “There are 3 whose contracts expired, one who resigned like López and there are some in the process of analyzing the squad, who did not have minutes, who we are going to see if they can lend themselves. We are in that process and being able to search well to make decisions with the coaching staff that arrives.”
How much is the American squad worth: “We are in the process of having a smaller squad, more quality than quantity, between 22 and 24 players. Players from the formation come. There are others who were part of the first team, but competed in the Under 20, so I think they are going through a good process. It has a lot to do with the work that was developed, but we do hope to adjust the backbone approach of references. There are some that have consolidated themselves such as Bocanegra, Barrios, Graterol with good results, and those who remain will find this opportunity.
Foreign Colombian coach: “No, there is no priority, nationality is not something to take into account.”
Follow the Diario AS channel on WhatsApp, where you will find all the sport in a single space: the news of the day, the agenda with the latest news on the most important sporting events, the most outstanding images, the opinion of the best AS firms , reports, videos, and some humor from time to time.
