The title that the Argentina Selection in the Copa América in Brazil it was the release that was delayed for 28 years. The last title among the majors had been in 1993, in Ecuador, also at the South American level.
The campus that led Alfio Basile at that time it had Luis Alberto Islas, that he was 27 years old and had already been world champion in Mexico with just 20.
The former goalkeeper and current coach, now 55 years old, is the main driver of the Club Social y Deportivo Sol de Mayo de Viedma, who has been playing in the Federal A Tournament since 2018. “The championship ends in November and then I will analyze my future,” he clarifies.
Islands, after being part of the Diego Maradona’s coaching staff, decided to start his own path as a coach, and this is his second experience after being in charge of Sun of America from Paraguay last year.
The technical director, who is part of the Cinzano campaign “Loading you can win”, Along with other former footballers, he showed his satisfaction with what the team had to experience in Brazil: “I was very happy that the Argentine National Team has won the America’s Cup. First, because he trusted Lionel Scaloni and the players a lot. But also because I knew that there were many people who were hoping that it goes badly, and I speak mainly of journalists. If they didn’t win they were going to hurt them a lot. This team excites me because of the commitment and the individual level. In the World Cup it will be a highly competitive team ”.
–What made you go to direct Viedma?
– My profession, the respect, and the passion I feel for football. What one does always has to be done with passion, with feeling. Today is Sol de Mayo, as last year was Sol de América (Paraguay), as before it was Dorados (Mexico), and also Fujairah (United Arab Emirates). Passion and respect is what leads me to accept projects.
–Do you have the same aspirations as a coach as when you were a player?
“ Yes, one hundred percent. Today I direct Sol de Mayo as if I were in the Argentine National Team. As a player I gave everything to achieve the goals we had to face, and as a coach I do exactly the same. It is the same when it comes to goals, but only with different functions.
-Among the challenges that are presented to you, would you lead one of the so-called big clubs that is not Independiente?
–I make my present my best future, and a better future is always expected. But the only team that I would not lead would be Racing, but not because of the club itself, but because of the love I have for Independiente. Then I can direct everyone without problem.
What was the best thing you rescued from Maradona when you worked together in Mexico?
– Talking about him as a player is repetitive, because he was the greatest that I saw, but what I highlight the most about him is the humility, the simplicity, the greatness that he had. And I know him well because I played with him, we were world champions together, I also faced him playing for another team, and then we formed a coaching staff. I fired him physically, but I am left with the giant hugs that we gave each other every time we celebrated a goal.
–Now that it’s your turn to be the main technician, do you apply things that you saw in him when you were his collaborator?
– Diego had a style as a coach and I have mine, and when we were together we were a fantastic pair. In Emirates we promoted the team without losing any game, we were undefeated champions. And in Dorados, where we got a team that was last, the only thing we lost was the final. We did very well, and each one in his own way. What identified us both was the passion we feel for football.
-You say they had different styles, which one is similar to yours?
-My football taste is what River Plate shows, for example, saving the distance with the level of players it has. I identify a lot with Diego Simeone, with Marcelo Bielsa, I go by the side of the analysis, the repetition of the work, the study of the rival. I want to empower the good player through the functioning of the team.
-You mentioned River, but isn’t he in opposition to Simeone and Bielsa?
-No, because what identifies me with River is the style of play. It is a team that goes out to find the games, but to get there, it has to comply with rigor at work. I say that I like that style more the intensity that Simeone and Bielsa apply.
Are you more seduced by working abroad, like Simeone or Bielsa, or with the Argentine National Team?
-I have the idea that what I have to direct is the best. Of course I would like to direct Argentina, but I would also like to direct the Selection of other countries. Then there are projects that are more ambitious than others.
– Does Argentine football seem mediocre to you?
–No. I believe that the player or coach who passes the Argentine soccer test is ready to play or direct anywhere in the world. Argentine soccer is very competitive throughout its system. What is true is that the European structure is superior, but that already happens in the economic sphere.
– The technique stopped practicing?
– Personally, I work a lot on technique and precision, which is linked to technique. And I think there is a lot of work here on speed and intensity. When you work more, the intensity leads to the precision being not correct.
– A member of the selected ’78 champion said that he did not feel part because of his low participation, do you feel the title of the ’86 World Cup as your own?
–Yes, of course, because there were 22 players at a very even level, except for Maradona, who was the exception. They are long-term processes where you may or may not have to play there, but I feel like one hundred percent world champion.
– Do you regret having rejected the citation for the ’90 World Cup?
– I was playing for Logroñés and had been chosen the best goalkeeper in Spanish football. One was no longer the kid of ’86, but came with an important journey. When (Carlos) Bilardo summons me I think he was wrong, because he told me that the first game he was not going to play, and that if after (Nery) Pumpido did not go well, he would have chances. That took away my illusion.
– In the ’94 World Cup, did you also think that you didn’t play?
– (Alfio) Basile was very simple when he called me, and told me that he would play the best with him, nothing more than that. It was what I wanted to hear as a player.
Do you currently use the knowledge that people like Basile and Bilardo transmitted to you?
“ They marked me a lot. I think Bilardo was an extraordinary guy in my career. As a coach I respect him a lot for the methodology, and for the analysis of the rival. I would have loved to be able to work with Bielsa as well. (José) Pastoriza was another phenomenon, and I was also lucky enough to be in Europe for 15 days with Mourinho, watching his work at Real Madrid. From each one I get positive things, but naturally I have my style.
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