The former Barça midfielder, who turns 43 this Thursday, has had his worst experience as a coach at Lleida Esportiu. 10 players left due to non-payment and the City Council threatened to leave them without a field. He was going to leave when new owners arrived. He has now received his first monthly payment and is two points away from being promoted.
He has been dedicated to football all his life. Have you experienced something like this?
No, luckily I had never experienced it. Unfortunately he is part of this profession, due to economic problems or poor management of the clubs, as has been the case.
How do you keep a group in these conditions?
It costs, not only because of the payment issue. The salary when you work is the minimum. But it has also been complicated by the loss of players, of the ‘staff’, games behind closed doors… And more so in a group of very young people, who are just starting out and who do not have a cushion to spend a few months like this. There have been problems that we have had to manage, which saw the group touched. But the latest results have made us happier.
What was the hardest moment?
When the Civil Guard entered the club, we were training and they called us one by one to find out our employment status. We didn’t understand anything. And also the week of the Numancia match, which we did not understand why it had to be suspended. We had to create a Twitter account to say that our intention was to play, because competing was what freed us. Everyone took their problems home.
Why did the club invent a covid outbreak?
I still don’t know why, but the club wanted to suspend a game on a Monday that was played on Sunday and when there were only two players with covid. I do not know why.
A dozen players have left. What did you tell them when they left?
I understood it. Few things you might tell them. The act of presenting the procedure to the Federation is only to claim that they owe you money. It is normal. Not that they want to march doing that. 90% of players wanted to stay, they just wanted to collect. They followed the steps that we would all do.
Understandable considering that many might not even pay the rent.
Total. Many shared between two or three floors and the club had put in writing the commitment to help housing. And since they did not receive this help, many had to leave the flat and go to live at home: one to Barcelona, another to Valls.
Did you consider leaving too?
You always think regarding it. I live in Andorra. I knew that I had to come to Lleida every day, that I would have to do many kilometres, but what I didn’t know was that I would encounter so many problems. And that he would have to be so aware of things that were not football. I wanted to come to Lleida to train football because I considered it to be a powerful club, with projection. But the moment you see that you are not being able to dedicate yourself 100% to your profession, you do consider it. I am very happy with the group and the players I have. And something very big had to happen for me to leave before them. It goes through the head, but I didn’t really think regarding it until the last moment, the last days of January, when there was doubt regarding whether new owners would come in or not. If they had not entered, yes, he would have given an ultimatum and would have asked for the federative withdrawal, which he had already almost prepared.
Not only had he not received a single euro until this month, but he had also had to put money out of his pocket.
I have helped in what I might, in the day-to-day material. It was important for them that they might train in conditions, with a minimum, with suitable field materials. And we had no minimums. I don’t feel bad, on the contrary, I’m delighted to have done it.
Did you go to the Decathlon to buy it?
Yes, as is. With the physical trainer and the goalkeeping coach we went to buy cones, materials to work on strength, fences. A pulley I bought from a guy directly. What we wanted was to be able to train well.
He even paid for dinners on the go because the pizzeria no longer trusted the club.
Yes too. And nothing happens. And I would have left money to some player if he had asked me.
‼ ️ Peaceful invasion of the Sports Field of #Lleida at the end of the league match #2RFEF3 @Lleida_Esportiu 0 @TerrassaFC 1.
Fans show solidarity with the players #soccercat pic.twitter.com/u1usoTiKuC— Dani Badia (@danicatradio) November 21, 2021
Has all this united more those who have stayed?
I don’t know which coach said that in the face of great difficulties, great groups arise. And with this group this has happened
He coincided with Jordi Esteve, one of the former owners, in the Barça Youth team. How has your relationship been since June?
Good at first, I arrived with enthusiasm but from the first moment I saw that some essential pieces were no longer signed. I begin to notice that there is something that is not going well. The relationship deteriorates to the point of having zero relationship. In recent days we have already been able to talk cordially.
What explanation has he given?
That he did not reach economically what he thought he would reach. And that he mightn’t tell me anything because he didn’t have anything. I think it’s better to face it. It has gone to the limit, there has been no communication, we have been abandoned. For four months we have been the 20 players, the three of ‘staff’ and the person in charge of material. There was no one else, there was no communication with the club, we didn’t know if we would have the bus on Sunday. Abandonment is the worst thing I have known.
Without a physiotherapist or a field, did you fear that Lleida die a second time?
It was hard for me to believe that a club like Lleida might disappear. I always thought that in the end some solution would be found to save it. But yes, the last few days I have been left without a physio, which is basic, and the club did not give any answer, but I did see that it might reach the end. And I saw that if we all asked to leave, the club might disappear.
And in the end the game was saved at the last second.
Time was running out and Luis Pereira’s group entered at the last moment. In the end we have been able to continue training and competing, which is what we wanted. Continue playing until the end of the season and following everyone decides his future.
‼ ️ Peaceful invasion of the Sports Field of #Lleida at the end of the league match #2RFEF3 @Lleida_Esportiu 0 @TerrassaFC 1.
Fans show solidarity with the players #soccercat pic.twitter.com/u1usoTiKuC— Dani Badia (@danicatradio) November 21, 2021
Now have they all received something?
Yes, one month. Now they are working to regularize it as soon as possible. Although it is not easy. We all have to have a little patience.
And despite everything they are two points away from promotion. Can you imagine that a year like this ends up going up?
It is very difficult. I wish the prize for the suffering of these six months was that. The people who have always supported the players would deserve it. We have been in decline for more weeks than in this area. Now we look up, although below are five points. But you have to be positive. Go cutting what we can. We have one less game that I hope the Federation will let us play. We have six games without losing, five wins and one draw. The players are growing and winning makes you gain respect from your rivals. We must take advantage of this dynamic.
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We are writing. It is difficult to catch him to meet for lunch or dinner. The team is growing because, like me in mine, it sees that there are young players with a lot of talent and progress. The idea of the game is very clear, the identity of Barça that should never have been lost. That it had been diverted but now it is identified. Like us, go up now in the Champions area. From here we will see how far. The new ones can help you a lot for your idea of playing.
