|
Neubauer Artists LLC Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... |
The Leganés coach who worked the miracle of promotion relived in George V Magazine the fantastic season of the pepineros and the party for their return to First Division
Two months ago he visited the office and promised that if he achieved promotion with Leganés he would return to office. No sooner said than done. Promise fulfilled by Mr. Pepinero.
GVM. First division coach, how do you feel?
Answer: I am still not aware of what we have achieved. I haven’t finished landing or getting situated, but when the celebrations are over and we can rest, I will take stock and put everything in its place to realize that it has been an incredible year.
Q. How did you experience this last week?
A. It was a little tough, or perhaps the toughest, because of how the result in Ferrol happened. On a mental level we had to be very strong and lie all week and deceive everyone with the mood that I could have.
I am still not aware of what we have achieved. I haven’t finished landing or locating myself, but when the celebrations are over I will put everything in its place to realize that it has been an incredible year.
Borja Jiménez, coach of Leganés
Q. What was the truth behind that ‘lie’?
A. There was a very big void, you don’t quite understand why it escapes you, and the only thing that was on my mind was to convince people that Ferrol was the first step and something positive to be able to move up. Your mind wants to tell you some things and you try to stop it from doing so. And I had to deceive them so that they had the feeling that what happened in Ferrol was positive and that we were on that line, that we were closer, although we had it two minutes away. We couldn’t stop in that 90th minute in Ferrol, we had to continue.
GVM: Did the pressure of promotion start sooner than you thought?
A. The victory against Espanyol was a turning point internally, being the only team that won on its field. It gave us a lot of strength, also because of how we achieved it, with very great solvency. From that moment on, although it was said ‘Leganés will fall’, we have maintained the leadership and achieved something that was unthinkable at the beginning.
Being able to train in the highest category of Spanish football, and perhaps the best league in the world, is a dream.
Borja Jiménez, coach of Leganés
GVM: What is the recipe for other teams -Zaragoza, Sporting, Oviedo-, that sound like they are in the First Division and have not yet achieved it?
R. I think we have to give it a lot of normality. I suffered it with Dépor: the pressure is so, so great that it does not allow you to have the normality that is required in such a long year in the Second Division. The characteristic of Leganés is that we did not have relegation aid – we are the 12th budget in the category -, but it has other positive things, such as stability and a very great tranquility, which allows you not to get upset in bad moments or have a lot of euphoria in the good times. You are very linear throughout the year and in a category like this it is something very important.
Q. Are you already thinking about what’s to come or are you still looking forward to enjoying what you’ve achieved?
A. We are going to enjoy these two days, but you are already starting to think about what needs to be done, how to do it, the changes in the squad, those that continue and those that do not… The coach’s mind almost never stops working, but let’s go. to try to enjoy. This year is historic, we will remember it all our lives and all the work behind it did not deserve another pin other than being champions.
The victory against Espanyol was a turning point internally, being the only team that won there on its field. It gave us a lot of strength
Borja Jiménez, coach of Leganés
Who is ‘Borja Jiménez, First Division Coach’, Sounds Wonderful
A coach in the First Division is a dream come true, but a little unrealistic. I never imagined training in the First Division, because it is very far away for those of us who have not been a footballer or who have not been in a coaching staff from which you can separate yourself or start your career. It is very difficult. I started eight years ago and too many things have happened to me, and almost all of them very good. Being able to train in the highest category of Spanish football, and perhaps the best league in the world, is a dream.
About The Author
