Miguel Falero, coach of the Under-23 National Team of Honduras, spoke in Exclusive with TEN about what awaits the Bicolor in the Pre-Olympic. Your dreams, the conformed group, the captains and what you know of the rivals you will face in the group stage.
Why carry on Rigoberto Rivas just for a group stage game? The helmsman says making the list has been complex because of the amount of good players. He replies to Ilce Barahona and gives him an explanation of why he did not enter the list of 20.
To read. THE THREE RESERVE PLAYERS THAT WILL HAVE HONDURES
What do we know about Haiti, Honduras’ first rival in the Pre-Olympic Games?
It is typically a French school, it is a team that does not have a strong league but exports its best to France, where it has a football and cultural nexus, but there are different players playing in various leagues. They have three players in France, two in Spain, one in Armenia, one in Italy, one in the United States and one in Denmark. It is a very fast team and accordingly we will prepare.
Darixon Tornat said they have not seen videos of Haiti. Has it been complicated to have a video of how these teams play?
Yes, obviously they have not had international competition in recent times, the last minimum videos we have achieved has been the last six months, they have just played friendlies with local teams and faced a Mexican amateur team.
Do you feel that this group that touched them is less complicated in relation to the other frame, even though Haiti does not think it is easy?
Totally. First because they come from a French school, they have nine players abroad, but their values are in the major leagues and this means that 50% of their footballers have a good level because they play abroad. The other issue is that the last-minute El Salvador signed five players who are abroad, Canada has also abroad.
It will not be easy to classify.
For nothing. We since we were in the previous U-23, in Fort Lauderdale had camps for Canadian minor teams and they have come a long way. Bayern Munich’s left-back is Canadian (Alphonso Davies). All of this player production is important, they send them to major leagues and then take them to pick up the work, it’s making the area competitive. All the island teams like Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Haiti, have always been good opponents for the Honduran teams.
How do you define the other rivals, El Salvador and Canada?
El Salvador has five players playing outside, has a coach who knows the youngsters and knows their job well, works youth and makes good presentations and makes an effort to improve his work. We know about the parity that the matches against Honduras represent and that represents a special delivery and will make it a difficult match. I think the baby in the group is still Canada, and well, as we head towards the championship we will have much fresher information and that led us to know the reality after the first two rounds.
What is your opinion on the fact that there will be a 25% audience at the parties?
I don’t know how important they (CONCACAF) give to the Coronavirus, it’s one thing to monitor and bring people who are vaccinated, analyzed, tested with the right protocols at a stadium, or open the doors for anyone to come in and entrust everyone.
Is there fear?
There are protocols. The things; this is the first tournament where the public will be qualified, it’s fine, it’s 25%, but it’s just up to us in our match. We are also the only team to play at 1.30pm.
How is the group in its health aspect with the tests of Covid-19?
At an excellent level, fortunately the infections stopped after those of Edwin Rodríguez and Elvin Casildo, also the subject of injuries as we were punished from Carles Pineda, Jorge Álvarez to Josha Canals. The health issue has been improving and the protocols have been the best and we have been complying with them in a good way. Luckily in the administrative and health part they work well.
Returning to a pre-Olympic, what is the difference between the group he led alongside Luis Suárez heading to London 2012 to the one he now leads?
There are differences. I think there used to be more wealth and now we are forced by coaches to work for better production. Talents come out sporadically, we luckily brought together a good group with a special technical wealth. We are confident of making a good championship.
Ilce Barahona explained that he would like to have an explanation of why they did not take it into account when walking a good level in the Platense. What would you say?
Unfortunately the list is 17 field players and three archers. I spoke to him personally; he had stopped playing since his last game, two and a half months, we had him, we are preparing him and at the moment he is having a good level and he is one of the values we have to complete the list, but the performances are today. I can’t keep betting on one maybe when I have competing players in that position they are doing well. Based on all the knowledge he had, he was a starter against Nicaragua and Guatemala. He has been permanently observed not only in the Under-23, but also in the Major. He has always been within the plans because he is a good player. Maybe the date when we gave the final listing was not at its best.
By this time he had already defined the captain of this group; will Denil Maldonado remain?
Denil Maldonado is our captain.
And the sub-captain?
Rigoberto Rivas with many possibilities.
Professor, who has Joan Carles Obregón in football to enter the list when no videos of his performance in American football have been seen?
Joan Carles is an excellent player, he is an excellent person and we give importance to the staff. It is a technical front center that holds the ball very well and takes advantage of the spaces, this leads to facilitate the inside game and combinations with the rest of the teammates.
What do you think before the start of the competition will be given as favorites to qualify in Mexico and the US when Honduras brings three consecutive tickets to the Olympics?
They are two powers because they are very good organizationally, they have worked well, they have all the facilities, players who work and were trained in different youth categories. Canada has been camping and competing in friendlies and tournaments for players for 10 years. All this production and these communities bear fruit. Then football has this logic and equates us to those who do not have so many figures but a great heart, a great spirit and mates. All matches are special.
Feeling the weight of reaching this pre-Olympic with the thrown history that the three previous coaches qualified for the Olympics?
This is rewarding and paves the way for us. He does not say anything because the past is the past, we bet on the future with work and the reality will be today that begins in the match against Haiti on the 19th.
Does this team have the talent to then reach the Major in the World Cup qualifiers in Qatar?
Yes. We have worked together with Professor Fabián Coit and the entire technical body. I am pretty sure that if the dates had not coincided today, many of these players, four or five would have been cited in the Major to play against Belarus and Greece. We believe we are on the right track and hope that this Under-23 will be a wheel of help for the near future of the adult Bicolor.
Have you already defined which archer will cut the first match of the Pre-Olympic?
Yes, sure. There is a basis and I will not rush to give the list because I do not want the player to be informed through the press before talking to me that I tell him, but if I already have a high percentage of the team that will start the match.