“Being the coach of San Lorenzo is a dream and a total responsibility” :: olé

Enter early in the morning when the surroundings of the Bidegain show frost on the floor and a shy ray of clarity that begins to take place to leave with the darkness of the early winter night covering the stands in which thousands of souls, in a short time, will vibrate with their team. So are the days of Damián helpswho after Just over a year at the head of the reserve was confirmed to be Miguel Russo's successor at the head of the professional squad. “I am very happy, very busy, with many sensations from the day it became official … and above all things I am anxious to share with the players and be in the field, which is what I like”release the brand new coach of San Lorenzo At the beginning of the talk with Oléjust a few hours after having your first time with the squad that will be reunited on Monday after the holidays.

-What was the first thing you thought and who did you talk to when they confirmed in office?

-Ane Sounds cheesy, the family is always first because they are always accompanied by, at all times, and then the coaching staff, because they are very close and have been very important, more in this last year and a half of being here in the club. Also, logically, there were many football people who have called me or sent messages, in all these years I have generated many links and they wrote me players, coaches, teachers, people with whom I have worked …

Despite their young 43 years, help An extensive career in football. Of very small He started playing at Baby, he continued Eninferiors and, after a frustrated test in the Albania partizani and a time in the federal A with the Sunchales freedom shirt, hung the booties with a couple of complicated injuries In tow and devoted himself to preparation. “I started in Argentines with the Bocha Batista, we were together for about ten years: we made children, youth, reserve … Everything!”, He says. Then A stage closer to professionals came, the beginning of those times was in Anzoátegui in Venezuela as Nicolás Larcamón's assistantwith which several years later He met again in León de México (they were champions of the Concachampions 2023) and in Cruzeiro in Brazil. In the middle, he formed Part of the Turkish Asad coaching staff and got together with the Bocha to work in the AFA youth And then from Venezuela. “Representing the country is very strong. In addition, we met great players, All this litter of the world champions were in those youth: Lautaro, Alexis Cuti, Montiel, Molina and many more who were not in the World Cup such as Ascacibar, Senesi, Zaracho, Fausto Vera … The truth is that it has been a nice tour, ”he recalls with emotion.

-What does it mean to be a technician from San Lorenzo?

-Uff (deep sigh). It is tremendous. It is very strong. It's amazing. They are all difficult things to explain … The other day I arrived at my house at eight o'clock at night, I went down to make some purchases and people greeted me, gave me their support or shouted something … and I still didn't have the possibility of having a practice or directing a game!

-Did you surprise you to recognize you?

-Convivo with that because I have been in football for a long time, although it is not something that would happen to me so much … but when these things happen you immediately realize the magnitude that San Lorenzo has, it is incredible. So, being here, it is a dream but it is also a total responsibility. And a joy … It is a lot of things that are crossed throughout the day and even are difficult to handle …

-In addition to you San Lorenzo because you have people from your closest environment that is a fan. Or not?

-Yes, it is a special club for my family. I prefer to keep the reservation in those things, but in my family there was a lot of joy and very emotion. Beyond that it is an important achievement in my career and they always get happy, the fact of being in a place that is special for them, made them even happier, heh.

-The club is in a delicate situation … Did you doubt the position?

-He I had any doubt. I know that the challenge is very big and with a lot of responsibility, but we have been working for a long time for this. There are almost 20 years of travel, of a lot of sacrifice, of being alone in other countries, of missing and also studying and preparing … now is the time to throw all that to the court. I hope that with the fortune of God and a lot of work, I leave as we really dream.

-He talks about many players who can leave. Do you worry?

-Look, with the coaching staff we try to cover everything and be in all the details, we know that players can go and we hope that they are the least possible, but we are not oblivious to the situation of the club. We will try to maintain that squad that comes from achieving important things and that it is also very healthy, very noble, with an important sense of belonging and with players that get along very well …

-Did you speak with any of those that are said to go these days?

-It's truth, I tried not to be invasive in their breaks because they come from a unbridled semester in all the edges, in the physical but also in the psychological and in the mental … but when we look safe we ​​will have a clearer panorama. I am very confident that we will be able to keep the majority and we will be a team that represents people.

-With Muniain did cross messages … Do you feel that it can continue or that will leave?

-Yes, we talked. He is an important player for the institution and for us. The reality is that he always expressed a personal situation, has been very authentic at all times with which he missed his family and those who have lived outside we know what it is … Over there people have a vision of football that it is all roses color, but it is not so. Sometimes you are alone in a country or you spend your birthday or parties only … not reniego because one chooses it, but he was with that issue that he missed his children, who are boys, and is in that meeting, recovering the time he was not having with them. My messages were only supported, to know how I was. More a containment. I did not seem the time to ask him what he is going to do, he is a great professional and I know that he is going to handle himself in the right way, so we wait for him or wait for his call or his message. Iker wants the club very much, he said it but mainly has shown it defending him on and off the court, so I say that we have a professional with all the letters and that he also feels the colors is a plus.

-What kind of team can you imagine the fan that San Lorenzo will have with help? What style of technician are you?

-(Think). It is a difficult question because which technician does not want his team to play well … yes I think the way is work and a good human relationship. Then, I dream of a San Lorenzo who attacks at all times, to recover and attack her again, to press fast, to be aggressive, to win the duels, that it is practical and intelligent … They are a lot of points that one analyzes and wants her team to have them. Of course, the rival plays and there are moments, they are a lot of things … I also understand people, when I come to the stadium, I'm going up here (he points to the stalls), I listen and think: if they knew it is not so simple even if it seems. But it is so. What I can assure is that with work and a lot of humility we will try to have a very practical team, a team that attacks many times, that is very supportive to recover the ball and that deliver a lot of what the people of San Lorenzo wants: a lot of heart, a lot of claw and, above all, try to represent them in each ball. Then, the results, God will say … I hope they accompany us.

-What things from the Russo team would you like to maintain?

-S Miguel was a very orderly team, very solid in the defensive part, which made very little, a fighter team from the physical, which battled each ball … It was practical, I consider it an intelligent team too. I hope that we can add more and more to be more complete, more attractive and that people feel more and more represented. There was little everything that was achieved, more than anything at the results level, but the rod in San Lorenzo is always high because it is a giant club and then the responsibility is absolute. People are going to be, understand the moment of club, so accompany and encourage how they do, and that will help us so that we put everything on our side.