Fabián Coito, Technician of the Selection of Honduras, he announced the list of convened for the friendly ones in front Belarus i Greece on March 24 and 28, respectively.
After toasting the payroll, the helmsman explained the reasons why he called Jerry Bengtson, Kevin Alvarez i Diego Rodríguez. He also told why he did not include Carlos “Muma” Fernández in the list.
He does not rule out that Edrick Menjívar will be the starter. Is the side the place you care about the most? What he said.
We would like to know your assessments for the call-up of Jerry Bengtson and Alfredo Mejía?
This year as the last FIFA friendly date and prior to all the competitions we will have we wanted to call up players that we had not seen for a long time, that we did not take into account, that had not been called. Also take the opportunity to have some footballers we had been watching. There are some U-23s that we’ve been calling and that are within the major planter to choose from. We have given priority to the Pre-Olympic to go with all the potential, aim the batteries to make a good tournament for the image of Honduran football and we have room to convene some that we had not seen thinking about the requirement that comes ahead. Alfredo Mejía has been playing in Europe for years, when I started working here I had been in front of Panama and Chile. I saw him at Real Spain, then he left for Greece, I see that he stays in Greek football and has definite characteristics in the middle of the field that suits us. We think it’s time to call him up, to give him the opportunity to play for the National Team again. With Bengtson, he has been performing well for some time and we look forward to the ideal time to take this into account and have his chance at the top of the National Team again.
What chance is it that Edrick Menjívar could start in one or both friendlies?
It’s a great opportunity for you to have the experience not only to be part of the group, but to have possibilities. There are things that are non-transferable like the experience of playing and it is a good possibility.
Is Kevin Alvarez’s call-up because he hasn’t found a right-back yet?
As for Kevin; Andy Najar is in a situation of inactivity, a footballer that we hope to count on him for his background, but is not in good time for his prolonged inactivity. Felix Crisanto is recovering from an injury. Among the options we had handled are Kevin Alvarez, Marcelo Santos and Maylor Nunez whom we see at a good time in Olympia. With Kevin we look forward to this moment because in previous seasons he had not had the number of minutes to get him to the call-up with game pace. We’ve been talking for a long time and it’s a good time because he’s competing, excited and in a good time to consider it.
Is Diego Rodriguez one of the surprises. Have you been following him since he was at Real de Mines?
From Real de Mines we have been watching it. When it happened in Motagua we thought it was a nice opportunity to give continuity to the observation and it is a time to see it, to know what footballers we have eligible for this position. Like Maylor, who has had good international matches with Olimpia, he has left a good impression and the same thing I said about Kevin Álvarez; it is time for him to have this experience and hopefully it will be the beginning of his participation in the Selection for a long time.
Did Bengtson’s call come more because he couldn’t count on Róchez or Lozano or did he always have to summon him?
Everything is given simultaneously. Antony’s game took place in the penultimate game, we have known for days. We use a list greater than 22, we look at them and it was from the beginning on this big list. Several footballers have been injured which has led to this list being made up of all those we had considered in the first instance. It’s not because one was injured, it’s Jerry Bengtson’s time and hopefully we’re not wrong.
Is Rubilio Castell’s absence due to a technical decision or were they aware that he could be disqualified for six months for breach of contract in China?
It does not obey any of these. It is for technical reasons. We know him, I was chatting with him about the nice possibility of going to play in South America, I watched him in matches and he’s still an interesting striker, but we haven’t considered him.
What would you settle for for these two friendlies against Belarus and Greece?
The National Team has a day to prepare for the match with Belarus, it is very general idea, to know the rival, to present the team we are going to face. Beyond the matches watched, we don’t know him because the match is shared with qualifiers for Qatar, we don’t know which team the coach will use for the match. We chose the idea in a very global way, with conceptual aspects, confidence and freedom of footballers to take it forward. As a coach we settle for the sporting result, the intention to carry out an idea. From the performance, the idea to transmit it and take it to the field. Have a good representation, the image of knowing that there are many who would like to be and those who will have the opportunity to represent them well. Performance, image and result is what we always put into play and I would settle if there is a high level in all three aspects.
Are you concerned about results or performance?
It is closely related. The result is consequence, a reward for team performance. Sometimes there are difficult results to give an explanation. What concerns me is the level of the footballers because the coaches will take advantage of this every window we have. You can’t convey an idea in a day. The windows are the only dates of the selections to have the footballers, in which an idea is obtained. That’s why it’s important every date to have matches. I care that we make a good match, that the idea is carried forward, that there is commitment, attitude and the result is a consequence of all this.
Didn’t “Muma” Fernández get enough merit to be on the list?
We have seen it very well, we believe that maintaining this level we will consider it and we will be part of the group in which there will be enough activity that we will have. But I opted for these footballers for what lies ahead, for the knowledge, short history in the selection and to give them confirmation. He is a player with a great level and sooner or later he will reach the National Team.
Are the sides the places you care about the most?
Everything in general. The sides have struggled to achieve a stable, high torque performance. It is time to give option to these footballers we have summoned. It seems to me that as far as possibilities are concerned we need to give it a chance when we see them at a good level, which can be an important contribution. I don’t want to be a problem, there are experienced generals, other youngsters who will compete in the pre-Olympic and others who are consolidating in the First Division who are the ones we will consider for these two friendlies.