Diego Forlán: "Many coaches believe they are more important than the players"

Straight

Diego Forlán (Montevideo, 43 years old) is the last Uruguayan to have lifted a trophy in a World Cup: the best player in South Africa 2010. Before Spain broke loose, the former Villarreal, Atlético and United striker had scored five goals in that edition, almost all lashes from outside the area that wriggled in.

The culmination of a very long career (he did not retire until he was 39) that led him to play three World Cups (2002, 2010 and 2014) and score 224 goals.

At La Celeste, only Luis Suárez (66) and Cavani (56) have more than 36 goals.

His team did not go beyond a draw in the debut against South Korea (0-0) - "he did not lose, it was the first game, not bad", he consoles himself - and this Monday a border duel awaits him against Portugal ( 20.00, World Goal).

“The objective is to compete, pass and then see the crossings”, he points out.

Ask.

Has the striker's job changed since you started?

Response.

The striker has to be the same as always, the essence cannot be lost.

It is what happens, that people misunderstand and sometimes there are coaches or trainers who want to change things, but they must continue to be what they are.

Can new ones be added?

Without a doubt, but the goalkeeper has to save;

the defender, defend;

and the striker, score goals.

Just like 60 years ago.

Here come people who want to invent.

If you don't score goals, nothing counts.

If you don't defend, you can come out with the ball from below, but if you come out 10 times and get six goals, then don't come out again.

Not to be confused.

Q.

Do you get confused a lot?

A.

Many coaches think that they are more than the players.

They forget that if you don't have footballers, you can't be a coach.

And I say it, that I am a coach.

It is not the same to lead a great team than another that fights relegation.

Obviously, having a good coach raises the level.

But if the quality of the squad is lower, you can raise the bar a bit, but nothing more.

Sometimes we coaches think that we make the difference and we forget that the actors are the players.

I can tell the player how the game is going to be, but if he doesn't have the ability to make decisions, I can't do much.

Q.

Are today's coaches very different?

A.

Without a doubt.

They give you more information, there are more studies.

The player also arrives with more knowledge because he is trained in that direction.

Before they told you what to do, and that's it.

If you asked, there was no explanation.

Now it is different and that allows the footballer to understand the game.

That's why when they speak you realize how well they tell it.

Before they told you what to do, and that's it.

If you asked, there was no explanation

Q.

Was instinct in charge before?

R.

Instinct, talent, there was not so much analysis.

The trainings were different.

Now there is more demand on the player, but also more care in physical, psychological and nutritional preparation.

Q.

Has this made football more interesting?

A.

He was always attractive.

Only now the actors are better known, their life stories, what football sells, the stadiums, the trips… The whole business.

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Fede Valverde, the shy boy with a flute voice who wanted to be Kroos

Q.

You have directed Peñarol and Atenas San Carlos in your country, what kind of coach are you?

R.

I'm interested in playing well, but then it's not the same to lead Atlético than a team that goes up and down.

You have to adapt to the needs and the staff.

Q.

What is playing well?

R.

It is so relative, it depends on who.

It's doing what you need or can do, and win.

Play well according to the rival and the qualities of your players, be pragmatic, know your limitations.

Then playing nice are other situations, but perhaps they are not as productive as we want.

Q.

Your long shot had it all: powerful, beautiful and effective.

How did you get to him?

R.

Coordination can be worked on, but you already bring it.

And then there is the experience.

If you talk to goalkeeping coaches, they will tell you that they are better at it today than when they were young because they practice between 50 and 100 times every day.

I ended up shooting well left-handed and right-handed because I trained him from different places.

I had conditions, but I worked them.

Q.

How?

R.

Not every day I could hit him from 30 meters, I would have been injured.

If the training had been strong, he practiced the technique and avoided hitting it from afar.

I would leave that for another day, but every day I would try to do something.

I always went before and stayed after, since I was a kid.

Q.

How many followed you?

R.

If it was by assistance, he won by scandal.

Many did not stay and others only did from time to time.

What surprises about Valverde is that he continues to do the same things as in youth

P.

The one who hits you now is Valverde.

You coincided with him in Peñarol, in the last stage of his active life.

R.

I never doubted its growth because it had conditions.

As a young man, he had to gain experience.

He is in a good personal and family moment, he has a lot of influence, he has the support of his partner, he feels comfortable at the club, he has good players by his side... You coincide with people who have seen him in the lower ranks and tell you that everything that is seen now already did.

What is surprising is that he continues to do so.

Because sometimes some do boy things and, when they get to First Division, they are not the same.

Q.

Has shyness prevented you from growing before?

R.

No, I think he's doing well.

He is young and plays in one of the best teams with a growing role.

Last year he scored a goal and this one already has eight.

As Kroos or Modric leave his space, he will grab it.

All the pieces fit together naturally.

More information

Edinson Cavani: "Uruguay maintains the essence that modern football takes away from you"

Q.

He should be one of the leaders of a Uruguay that no longer has Óscar Tabárez after 15 years on the bench.

How did you experience the change?

R.

It was a pity for everything he achieved, but the results rule.

The analyzes are always a posteriori and today, seeing what happened, I say that it was at the right time.

We were not in a good moment and the World Cup could be in danger.

The federation made a decision that was for few, you had to be in their shoes.

Q.

Would you have taken it?

R.

It is difficult, you had to be inside to know the mental pulse of the team.

It would have been days without sleep.

Maybe playing nice isn't as productive as we want.

Q.

What has Diego Alonso brought to the team?

R.

In football they change a coach and the results suddenly work.

The forwards begin to score goals and the goalkeepers take them out.

It's so hard to know the reasons... Sometimes you have coaches who work very well and don't achieve the goals.

And others do the minimum and get the most out of the squad.

In this case, the change was very good.

It brought renewal, illusions, hope, and that led the team to believe again.

Q.

Now Cristiano's Portugal awaits you, with whom you met at United.

Is it so difficult to manage the end of a race?

A.

It is not easy.

For many years, all the decisions are with your career on the rise and then you have to try to make the descent as smooth as possible.

Q.

What is the most complicated?

R.

It is difficult to say in your case because you have reached so high and for so long... The rest of us were at a great level, but not yours.

Now it seems that he is low and, in reality, he is not.

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