Report and interviews from Costa Rica.
Bert Leonard- ODP Georgia, Savannah DTC
Teams observed in training:
Liga Deportiva Alajuelense
Herediano
Matches observed:12/15 Liga Deportiva Alajuelense (la liga) vs. Saprissa 1-1 12/15
12/18 Saprissa vs Alajuela 1-1 Saprissa advances on PKs
12/20 Herediano vs. Perez Zeledon 0-3 Perez Zeledon advances to the final.
Interviews- Luis Sibaja- asst. coach Liga Deportiva Alajuela
Ronald Mora, Head Coach, Herediano, Giovanni Alfaro, Head Coach U-17 national team
Keylor Reyes- former youth national team and professional player for Costa Rica, current ODP staff coach for Georgia soccer.
Anxiety/Passion/Joy
I arrived in San Jose on December 14 and was met with a short “tourist” cue for passport control while sadly the cue for the Costa Ricans was double in size and only one agent awaited them. My seat partner on the plane would have to wait a bit longer for the thousands of people gathered outside of customs and declarations waiting for relatives returning for the Christmas holidays. The crowd was large enough to ebb and flow its way outside of the waiting area and onto the vehicle drop off platform. At the same time that many estranged greetings accosted me offering a taxi and or hotel, my friend and mentor, Luis Sibaja, whistled out, and amongst our handshake more greetings ensued, but this time the comments were encouragement and respect for a team that was not only a source of entertainment for the people, but had become part of the network of life in Alajuela: simplistic as good bread and coffee in the morning, and complicated as the alcoholic who defends his right to feed his addiction. Indeed, joy and anticipation filled the air as Alajuelense or “La Liga” were set to play neighboring foe Saprissa in the first leg of a semifinal to determine the top team for the year. Liga would play the first match at home in Alejandro Morera Soto Stadium nestled under the solemn eye of “La Agonia”: the luminescent white church standing in the center of Alajuela.
Training:
Luis Sibaja would run the practice with the players that were not going to play in the match that evening. Luis had assumed the role as assistant coach under head coach Javier Delgado who had recently retired from playing and spent most of his career as a central defender for Alajuela. Sibaja had survived several coaching changes, which included coaches from Columbia, Argentina and Peru. This year the staff was Costa Rican and for that matter all the coaches were former players for Alajuela: Javier Delgado, Head Coach, Luis Sibaja, asst. coach and physical trainer, Mauricio Montero, asst. coach and former national team player, and Paul Mayorga, goalkeeper coach. It seemed the board of directors for Alajuela had decided to give the local coaches a chance, but winning was and is the only factor that would deter the directors from seeking changes in the coaching lineup.
Sibaja organized the practice for 12 players. Alajuela had a pool of 33 players making it difficult to organize training for such high numbers. While some of the players had duties with the second team, most were contracted as full time players. This would change in the New Year and the number would drop to roughly 25.
The Practice started at 8:30am and finished at 10am.
- 40x40 grid two goals- 30 minutes
- 6v6 short passing each team with a ball
- 6v6 one ball and only two touches
- 1v1 players arrange on the goal posts –10 minutes
- 2v2- 10 minutes
- 3v3- 10 minutes
- 4v4- 10 minutes
- 5v5 to two goal goals.
- Stretch, players retire from the field.
Comments from Sibaja on training and the Saprissa Match
The intensity of the practice seemed slow, and the players seldom pushed each other to pick up the level.
Sibaja- This is true. I partly understand as most of them never play in the matches. In my country a lot of professional players don’t think about the future; they just go to the practice and that’s it for their day. Some of the guys I worked with will not play for Alajuela next year, but the players just think about the present and don’t plan for the future. We need (LDA) to try and push the players to continue with education programs and think about a future without football. Some players listen to this advice, but it’s a minority. If you play in the first division you can have a good life in football for some time from the game, and eventually have the appreciation of the fans, but once you are done nobody cares about you anymore. It’s very hard to convince the players of this fact.
What system are you using in tonight’s match?
We have used 4-4-2 through most of the season and we will play with this system tonight. We need to win the game tonight. If we tie or lose, it will be hard to play at Saprissa. The fans there are rough and they now have an artificial turf field, which benefits them because they have fast players.
Who is the coach for Saprissa and what style does offer in his coaching?
Hernan Medford is the coach there now. He played many times for the national team and played in Mexico. Players who recently finished their carrers are now moving into coaching. While these coaches offer a lot to the game from their experiences as a player, they may lack the experience needed to work at the highest level.
Saprissa will play very direct and look to counter attack. I think they are going to make a lot of pressure on the ball and look to counter from the midfield. We have (LDA) to play smart and maintain the structure of the team. It’s very hard in these matches because there are a lot of fouls and players sometimes lose their control. We have better players. Rolanado Fonseca, Steven Bryce, Harold Wallace, and Luis Marin have a lot of experience and played for the youth national and full national team. These players know how to manage the tactical organization of the game. Bryan Ruiz, just eighteen years old, is a good striker and worker on the field. Josimar Arias, also eighteen, has good skills and can help manage the midfield. Anyway, Alajuela against Saprissa is a war. You never know; anything can happen in these games.
Match Report:
Alajuela- warm up- Staring players jogging and then explosive, short sprints. They then play 4v1.
Non-starting players- 6v1 in small grids.
System: Alajuela 4:4:2
Saprissa 3:6:1
Saprissa pressed hard in the central midfield making it difficult for Alajuela to combine and/or gain control of the middle third. Alajuela’s strikers, Fonseca and Ruiz, could not effectively combine and were pressed man to man throughout the match. Josimar Arias could not change direction of play in the central midfield, which preempted flank play and led to turnovers in the midfield. The game was riddled with fouls early and the referee had difficulty assessing the intent of fouls, although he seemed to let play continue freely after the first fifteen minutes. Saprissa scored at the 40th minute on a free kick from the left side. The goalkeeper moved toward the wall side and could not get back in time to cover the back post.
In second half Alajuela substituted Pablo Izaguirre for Arias, which opened up opportunities on the left side of the field. The fast, left footed Izaguirre aquired from Argentina, was able to create opportunities on the right flank which led to crosses and gave Ruiz and Fonseca time to escape man marking situation. This also led to corner kicks, which Alajuela converted from a Fonseca header on the near post. The match picked up intensity and Alajuela ran more freely in the midfield, but they ran out of time and the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
It should be noted in a time wasting tactic, a Saprissa player went down near the Alajuela supporters who eventually threw objects and coins at the player prompting the Saprissa players and coaches to call for a decision from the delegation on the match. The match resumed, but the medical doctor for Saprissa was hit in the head by a coin and in a scene of irony was carried by stretcher from the field.
Comments from Sibaja:
We needed to control the midfield more in the game. Saprissa just played with six midfielders and tried to pressure the ball and then run at the goal. We controlled the tempo of the game in the second half, but it was too late. Now we are going to have a hard game in San Jose.
We discussed the match further as we left the stadium and walked several blocks to Luis’s car hidden at a local restaurant.
It can be dangerous after a game with Saprissa. The fans get crazy and throw things, fight, or damage your car. You have to be careful because the supporter clubs have become more violent in recent years. The security for Alajuela does not let the Alajuela supporter group leave the stadium until the opposing team’s bus has left. This has helped some, but there always some trouble in these games. It will be worse at Saprissa.
Training Thursday 10:45am
The starting players including Wilmar Lopez, current national team player recovering from injury, jogged around the field with periodic stretching for one hour and were dismissed. The rest of team did interval work for 30 minutes. Cones were placed 20 yards apart. Players would jog across to one cone and then forward to the next, across again and then forward. Upon reaching the last cone the players would then sprint back to the starting point about 60 yards away.
11:15 Small sided game.
9v9 + 1 neutral player= Wilamar Lopez. Two counter goals set up at the midfield on the left and right side. A channel of cones on each flank with a condition of only 1v1 play.
12:00- 12:30
9v9 to two full goals and two keepers.
Training Friday 8:20am- One hour meeting with the players in the locker room.
9:20
a. Three groups divided on half the field. Two groups 4v4+1 and one group plays 5v5
b. Conditions-two and then 1 touch.
9:45 Speed work. Players sprint in pairs for 10yards and return. Next, cones are paced in a diamond shape 5yards apart and players sprint in pairs; one on each side.
10:00 11 v11
Head coach Javier Delgado talks to each team for ten minutes prior to the start.
10:10
Game begins with periodic stops by Delgado to work on restarts; goal kicks, offensive corners, free kicks ( non shooting)
10:50 break and Delgado speaks to the entire team.
11:15 Offensive corners practiced followed by PKs.
Training Friday 8am. Team meets in the locker room to discuss the importance of the Saprissa match. The older experienced players often speak at these meetings and share their experiences with the younger players. These meetings are designed to develop unity and cohesion within the team.
9am. A team-building expert is brought in for team building exercises.
a. Two groups of 15 players are blindfolded and stand with each foot on a plank with ropes seeded through holes in the wood. One player not blinded assists the team in walking trying to get to the finish first. The players are not aware of the planks, and thus struggle to coordinate their stride both individually and as a team. The trainer then sits all the players down and speaks about the exercise.
10am Players match
The captains organize a team of 15 vs.15 on half the field and play. One team used their red bandana blindfolds on their head and they play a fun game to reduce stress and anxiety before the big natch.
11am practice ends and players meet in San Jose where they stay the night before the match in a hotel. This tradition was begun by Alajuela’s former coach and new national team coach, Pinto, and continued on by Delgado. Even for home matches the players must report to the hotel.
Comments from Sibaja.
Personally, I don’t like to stay away from my house, but I think it is good for the players. Some players don’t have discipline in their life and they stay out late and get into problems. This way we know (coaches) where the players are and what they are doing and eating before a match.
Do you have team meal at the hotel?
Yes, a nutritionist will design a meal the night before and the morning of the match. The players eat together and stay two to a room.
Match report Saprissa vs. Alajuela Saturday 8pm.
Having been so closely associated with LDA also meant I would follow in the tradition of not going to Saprissa stadium. While I felt my life in no danger, it just wasn’t something most people did outside of the extreme supporters. I met at Keylor Reyes’s sister’s house to enjoy the game with family and plenty of food. I interviewed Keylor about the latest trends in the sport and some comparisons with the United States.
Where do you start your career?
I grew up in Alajuela and was part of their academy. The academy program started at u-11 at that time and I played for the u-11,u-13, and u-15 teams before being selected for the U-17 national team.
Does the youth academy (minor leagues) for Alajuela try to move the youth players up age levels or do they keep them at age level? They try to keep the players together for at least two years as a group and move up through each age level as a group
What year were you on the u-17 national team? I was selected for the team in 1988 and went to Trinidad-Tobago for the world cup qualifying. Canada, Cuba, and the USA were there for the qualification in Trinidad. I met Claudio Reyna after our match and was interested in his Hispanic background. It was funny because we had a banquet before the start of the tournament and he came to the Costa Rican table and asked us about our preparation for the tournament. I told him we played several friendly games against reserve teams from Costa Rica. He replied that they (USA) had played friendly matches in South America and Europe. I realized at that moment that the economic situation of a country plays a huge role in the development of the soccer. I knew that the United States had better experiences in their preparation because they could afford to travel the world and learn from various styles other countries offer. The level of the tournament was good, but we struggled physically especially against Canada. Technically and tactically, I thought the teams were close, but we (Costa Rica) did not have strong physical players in key positions: central defender, holding midfielder, and a striker who could win the 50/50 balls.
Did you have a physical trainer that traveled with the U-17 national team then?
We did at that time, but he did not have experience in relation to soccer. He had returned from Germany where he was living and he ran us a lot. Sometimes the structure of the team was very mechanical and not very creative.
I enjoyed this time with national team because at a young age I saw the value of interacting with other cultures and the importance of learning other languages. When you play soccer it is important not to just grow up as a player, but as a human being as well.
Compare and contrast some similarities and differences between the US and Costa Rica in terms of youth soccer?
The soccer itself is universal; everybody wants to score goals and enjoy the passion of the game. Theis the nature of the game. In the USA, youth games are more competitive because it is part of the culture to be the best and try work to be the first place team. The economical issue is important because the parents in the states have enough money to spend on sports, especially soccer. In Costa Rica, there are a lot of limitations because sometimes the player does not have enough money to travel by bus to the practice or in some cases they don’t have anything to eat in the morning. The good thing, however, is that the young players have role models at the professional level and they can strive to achieve that level. For example, I followed Luis Sibaja’s career when he was playing because, like me, he was a central midfielder and I tried to emulate his technical ability. I also observed how he took free kicks, his approach to the referee after the referee made a mistake, and his comments to the press after a game. As a player and a coach, he always tried to mix education with the game.
How old were you when you turned pro?
I was eighteen years old. I moved to Saprissa and at that moment money, stability, and recognition were all factors to accomplish a dream.
How did your image change having grown up in Alajuela, yet you signed a professional contract with Saprissa? You know, always in soccer you find people that like the way you play and behave on the field. Some people gave me positive reinforcement and some didn’t give me good feedback. I always try to evaluate a person as a human being and then judge his or her comments. I believe in having good relationships with people before anything else.
Based on your knowledge of the ODP progarm as an ODP state coach, is there a similar structure in Costa Rica or do they rely more on scouting players? In Costa Rica we don’t have the same budget that the USA has, but we have a smaller population that makes it easier for coaches and scouts to find good players. Almost ten years ago, the Costa Rican Federation realized that time, money, and the best coaches need to work in the minor leagues to develop players. Coaches like Luis Roberto Sibaja, Carlos Watson, Juan Diego Casada, and Armondo Rodriguez took there experience in the minor leagues (youth) and transferred that knowledge and experience to the youth national teams. The coaches went to seven cities and selected players for the youth national teams to come to San Jose to train. It was difficult for some players because they had to leave their high school or college and start a new life. The Federation of Costa Rica is looking for the players from the U-17 and U-20 teams to develop to the national team. For example, Carlos Castro played in the world cup in 95 as a U-17 player, and then in 97 as a U-20 player. Finally he was selected for the World Cup in Korea/Japan. He is now 24-25 years old and he is getting ready to play in the next qualification for the 2006 World Cup. This is the main objective for the Federation that when those players make the national team, they will have already experienced the cultural, sociological, physical, and mental preparation necessary to compete on the world stage. Also, many of the players will have grown up in the same process and will know each other. For example, Harold Wallace, Steven Brice, and Rolando Fonseca, all play for Alajuela at the moment, and they play for the national team. This is one example of how these players have come through the
process together and played together on the U-20 level. Ironically they now have the same coach, Luis Sibaja, who was then the head U-20 coach and now the assistant coach for Alajuela.
What is your opinion about college soccer in the US? I think there should be more regulations on foreign players coming over. Many players from other countries have come to the States to play and receive an education and then they go back home and the US Federation and the MLS does not receive anything from the time they spent in the US. Also, many injuries can occur due to short season. A college player plays a lot of games in just four months and then just a few games in the spring. This imbalance is bad for the sport and especially for the fitness and health of the player. Also, the college coaches need to communicate more with the high school, club, and ODP coaches to determine the dynamics the players should have per their position on the field. This would help the development process.
What is your vision for the future having experienced the soccer in both countries? I think today you have to be open-minded and you need to know what is going on around the world in soccer. Some Costa Ricans don’t think American players are that good, but you can see players like Landon Donovan, Brian McBride, and Tim Howard can play for any team in the world and compete at the highest level. I like the culture in the US and the logistical support from the US Soccer Federation. I hope to take my experiences from coaches I worked with in clinics and seminars. For example I took several courses and seminars from well know coaches like Benito Floro, Real Madrid, and Francisco Maturana former Athletico Madrid and Columbian National Team Coach. The coaches association brought these coaches in and they held both theoretical courses and field sessions. I would like to see more international coaches with backgrounds such as these coaches offering courses like the USSF B and/or A licenses. I don’t think American coaches get enough exposure from coaches from other parts of the world. Also, in regard to Costa Rica, the teams need to play in other countries to learn more about different styles of play and the coaches need to study in other countries as you have done in Norway, Finland, Costa Rica, and now England.
Match analysis Saprissa vs. Alajuela – Saturday 8pm.
The match was even sided for part of the first half and had a good tempo. Then, one player for Alajuela and one for Saprissa were ejected for a small scuffle that I think the referee handled poorly. This set the tone for more fouls and then two more ejections riddled the game bringing it to a nine versus nine match. Alajuela took control of the tempo and flow of the match and tied the game at 1-1 in the second half. Saprissa barely held on in extra time and played for penalty kicks. Alajuela changed keepers just before the end of the second over time in a move to put their better penalty shot stopper in goal. While the young keeper saved one shot Alajuela missed two and lost 5-4.
Comments form Sibaja following the match: We controlled the game in the second half, but it was really a game of passion and not tactical intelligence. We were unlucky not to score a second goal in overtime as Saprissa just cleared the ball and defended. I think our fitness was good and I could see that Saprissa was struggling in terms of fitness in the overtime. Unfortunatly, Penalty kicks are like the lottery: sometimes you win and sometimes you loose.
Any problems with crowd control or fighting? Yes, there was some fighting in the stands and the supporters from Saprissa threw coins and objects at us when we got off the bus to go to the stadium. The security did not do a good job to protect the coaches and players.
Sunday 10am. Interview with Giovanni Alfaro U-17 National Team Coach. Having followed LDA so closely the last several days it was nice to switch gears and see what the national teams were doing. As Keylor and I approached the national stadium the bus was loading up the U-20 team to take them to Alajuela for morning training. All the national teams meet at the national stadium in San Jose to go to training. I thought of Bryan Ruiz and Josimar Arias who had to turn their attention away from these club pressures and now prepare with the U20 team for a date in Carson, California. The U-17 team was practicing in San Jose that morning and we met Giovanni Alfaro at a nearby café for an interview which Keylor Reyes acted as translator.
How long have you been with the national team? Six months
How much of a role does the head coach, Pinto, and prior Sampson, have in assigning coaches verses the role of the Costa Rican Federation? We have eleven regions or towns and each region has a team. Carlos Watson, u-20 national team coach, is in charge of the organization of the u-15, u-17, and u-20 programs in terms of coaching assignments and personnel issues. Pinto, head national team coach, is in charge of the u-23 team and national team. Pinto, however, does try to oversee what the coaches are doing at the u-17 and u-20 level. Sampson spent a lot of time with the youth structure and was instrumental in starting this process.
I was able to observe Pinto coach when he was with Alajuela. (Afaro)What did you think of him? (Leonard) I think he has very sound tactical knowledge of the game based on his experiences in Columbia and the time he spent studying in Germany. He also is very strict and holds a firm line of discipline with the players. I think he may struggle a bit with the cultural identity that the Costa Rican players and the fans bring to the game. The players and the audience in Costa Rica expect to see a style that is beautiful to watch and one that demonstrates the flare and technical brilliance of the individual player. This does not always fit into a sound tactical game plan and Pinto may have trouble communicating this.
How many players are in the u-17 pool? 26
What method does the Federation use at the moment to find players: scouting or coach’s recommendations? When I took over the U-17 team, the players had already been recruited. For two months I just observed the players and I looked to see if these players fit the same philosophy of the game that I have. At the same time, I looked around at some of the regional teams and any players playing in the second division. From that point we started to organize games against first division teams.
Do the players that play for the big clubs, like Alajuela, Saprissa, and Heredia have advantages over players coming from small towns in Costa Rica. I can see a big difference from the players coming from Alajuela, Saprissa, and Limon because those teams have good youth structures and they travel to other countries to play. Alajuela has gone to the Dallas Cup, while Saprissa has taken youth teams to South America and Mexico to play. This gives these players an obvious advantage in terms of the selection process.
How do you organize your season planning? Do you look at the whole year and make decisions on travel, budget, training times, and player recruitment? Also, is this your responsibility as the head coach or do you share this responsibility with the Federation? I set up a plan when I accepted the head-coaching role, but the U-17 qualification was moved from October to April 2005. I had to make adjustments to the season plan. I presented a plan to the Federation to take the team to Panama and the Federation accepted this plan and was in agreement with the economical resources necessary for the trip. Also, in December we went to Peru and in January we will play in South America and/or Mexico. In February or March, we will set up a tournament where we will play a match every forty eight hours to resemble the conditions of the qualifications.
Are the teams in this tournament Costa Rican teams or national teams from other countries? National teams outside of Costa Rican, but we don’t know the opponents at this time.
Does this have any relation to the Youth Cup held the last few years where teams from the USA have participated, including the U-17 US Team? No, no relationship. We played a tournament at the beginning of 2004, which had regional teams from the USA.
In my experience in observing Costa Rican football at the professional level I see certain things repeated. For example, coaches often organize team meetings the day before big games, where the pressures of the game are discussed and the older player speak very passionately about the directives of the team and the meaning of these games in their life. Also, coaches, players, and the fans respect the technical aspect of the game, which can produce beautiful moments in the match, but may not produce a tactical result. Can a coach coming from the outside have trouble with these and other matters of repetition? In other words, is the football in Costa Rica overly influenced by the cultural attitudes of the nation and not guided as much by influences from outside the country? Your right and you make a good point. Some coaches from other countries have come to Costa Rica with their own styles in mind. It can be hard for the players to adjust to extreme changes, but many coaches realize it takes more than good technique from the players to survive at the next level. Mobility, speed of play, and physical strength all play a role in the development of players. One problem with limiting touches is that the fields are not always so good; the players need more touches on the ball which can slow the speed of play and change the tactics of a match. When Costa Rica plays on the international level this is problem because the ball seldom stops at that level and the speed of play is very high. The tempo, intensity, and pace are different when you play overseas. These are some of the problems that we have in Costa Rican football: tempo, intensity, and speed of play.
How do you deal with discipline issues from the young players? For example, my good friend and mentor, Luis Sibaja, often says that Costa Rican players like to be “free” on the field and often they reject the structure and organization that a coach may set up. Yes, it used to be like that, but now things are changing. For example, the group I have with the U17’s at the moment does not reflect these kinds of problems. I try to keep the leadership within the group by giving them knowledge of the game and respecting them for their personality and qualities as a person. This group is very disciplined and may act as a role model for teams to come.
In terms of systems of play, does Carlos Watson or Pinto communicate with you in terms of what system they would like to see or is this solely your choice? Carlos Watson made the decision as far as the U-17 coach and we have very similar philosophies about the game, but he never has given me a formation. We play in a similar formation due to our philosophies not because of a directive. At the moment we use 4:4:2 and 4:3:3 playing flat or zonal in the back and we have some variations. The most important issue with the players is technique, but you must also consider power and speed of the game as well.
Do you scout other teams and make adjustments based on scouting reports? No, not at this time, but probably in the near future we are going to do this. We don’t have a lot of information about the US program, but we know they have been (u17 US team) working together for a long time. Many countries have been making changes based on scouting. We think it is best to scout or observe other teams just prior to the qualifications.
Is there a push within the Federation now to send coaches to other countries to study various styles of play and differing coaching methodologies? I don’t have any information from the Costa Rican Federation about a plan to achieve this, but I agree with you that it is very important for coaches to go to other countries to study football.
I would like to revert back a bit to the structure of the U-17 team. Do you have a resident program for the players to live, train, and attend school together? We have regional teams in various parts of the country where coaches or scouts can send players to San Jose to train with the team. For example, in Guanacaste, which is near the Nicaraguan border, the CR Federation has scouts from there that can send a young player to San Jose to tryout. If the player is good enough, then the Federation has an agreement with the Ministry of Education to sponsor the player to move to San Jose and enroll him in a school in San Jose. The Federation will pay for the expenses to house the player and school is free. The players are committed to play for us (national team) during the week and on the weekends they can play for their club teams. It is a small country so it’s not so hard to move around. Starting in January the team will have one training session three times a week and two training sessions the remaining two days.
Do the clubs have issues with the Federation in terms of wanting more time with the players? Yes, this happens, but I set up a plan and met with the other club coaches stressing the importance of the national team and I got a lot of good feedback from the coaches and I feel we have a lot of support from the clubs involved with the players. Communication is the most important concept in this issue.
Are professional clubs and/or the Federation looking at plans to encourage players to seek education beyond the high school level? The CR Federation does have program for education through high school, but not college. The coaches and board members in the Federation realize the importance of higher education for the players, but no plan is in place now to see this happen.
Are players on the U-17 team contracted by professional clubs? Yes, some are, but they don’t make a great deal of money.
Can a big club like Alajuela or Saprissa contract a 12 or 13-year-old player? Yes, but when they turn 18 the player must be given a different contract at that time. It is normal, however, for a youth player to be under contract at a young age.
Are there any questions you would like to ask me about the structure in the US? What are some of the issues facing coaches in the USA? I think American coaches don’t receive enough influences from high-level coaches in other countries. I had a great opportunity to work under Luis Sibaja while he was in the States. I learned not only about the philosophy of soccer in Costa Rica, but I saw how he was influenced by other countries like Argentina, Brazil, Germany, and Czech Republic. I wish American coaches would be open to different styles. I think US Soccer, however, is addressing these issues by having more Hispanic coaches on the national staff and they are seeking opportunities to include international coaches like Juergan Klinsman who did some work for US Soccer and other organizations in the States. In America, there is so much happening right now that is difficult to see the whole process. Youth is especially complex because there are so many leagues and differing organizations forming each having a respective structure. These makes it very difficult for the ODP and national team coaches to find time to work with the players.
Thank you for time and insightful comments. I hope we can have further dialogue in the future in the States, Costa Rica, or even England where I am going next to study the youth academy and professional structure.
(Alfaro) All the best to you in the future.
Following my rather lengthy dialogue with Giovanni Alfaro, I thought my translator, Reyes, would be a bit burned out, but true to our personality and sprit for the game, we live for international exchanges such as this, so next it was back to Alajuela to observe Herediano in training to prepare for their second match against Perez Zeledon at home. Due to a security issue, the match had been postponed and the stadium was closed until the club cleared a bill for security. This was good for us, however, as keylor’s brother is the head administrator for Alajuela. While we did encounter some difficulties to enter the stadium, a friend of the assistant coach, Breansse Camacho happened to answer his cell phone and clear our entry to the stadium. The team was working in an 11v11 format and including restarts in the practice. The head coach Ronald “Macho” Mora seemed to have a very relaxed way with the players and had a good presence on the field. I spoke with him and his assistant, Breansse Camacho following the training session.
How was your experience working with Steve Sampson as the assistant national team coach? Yes, it was a great experience and he has contacted me recently about working in the MLS in the States.
It seems you, Herediano, have a good relationship with the MLS. Yes, we have three players now being looked at by the La Galaxy and the Chicago Fire. Also, Mauricio Wright played for the New England Revolution for some time.
Do you change systems during the season or the match based on an opponent? Yes, I have the right players now to make those changes. Sometimes we play four in the back or we may play with three depending on the situation. We may play 3-5-2 or 4-4-2 depending on the situation. Liga (Alajuela) is an example of a team that does not change so much. They seem to stay with the 4-4-2 formation.
How do you handle discipline problems within the team? I try to put two young players with one older player both on and off the field as much as possible. If you mix all the young players together, this can cause problems. This would include the pairing of players in the hotel before matches. The experienced players can teach the young players and give them a positive model to follow.
How do you manage the pressure of big games? I have ten years experience in the first and second division as a coach. The pressure comes with the job; it’s normal in coaching. Tonight, I am going to the Saprissa- Alajuela match to scout the teams. Although I do not really want to go, it is important to scout the other teams to see any set plays they may have added or any changes in style or tactics.
How did your experience with Sampson shape your vision of the game? It was a great experience to share ideas with a coach from America. The environment in Costa Rica is different because of the passion the people bring to the stadiums. You can see and feel the football throughout the country. This is a big difference than the environment in the USA.
Keylor and I arranged for Jonathan McConnell, from Savannah, Georgia to come to Costa Rica. What was your impression of him when training with Herediano? He is a good player for his age. He needs to work on speed of play and making quicker decisions with the ball. He has good mobility and physical power. He shoots well from long range and he has a very good work ethic.
Thank you for your time and allowing me to watch the practice.
No problem let me know when you’re here again and we can travel around the country and see other teams play in other areas.
Monday, December 20, 8pm.
The final match I observed was Herediano verses Perez Zeledon in the second match. Herediano had beaten Perez Zeledon away 1-0 and the expectation was that they would win with ease. This was far from the truth as Zeledon frustrated Heredia by applying pressure on the flanks and seeking double team opportunities whenever possible. Zeledon’s goalkeeper, from Limon, made three huge saves which denied Heredia and Perez Zeledon went ahead on a counterattack sending the match into extra time. Perez Zeledon scored two goals in extra time to put the match out of reach, which shocked the team that held the top of the table throughout the year. Pablo Nassar, who played at Life University in Atlanta, anchored the back and provided leadership. He would later score the winning goal in the final against Saprissa. This prompted a call from the national team where he is now a reserve player. The supporters for Herediano showed their response to the match by chanting, “fire Mocho Mora” over and over again gathering just behind the locker room. Most of the people left with an empty feeling and some cheered for the exuberance that Perez Zeledon showed on the field.
Tuesday, December 20th. I had breakfast with my friend Luis Sibaja prior to my departure. He was preparing a beep fitness test for the players as they would take a week off for the holidays and he needed to know the fitness level to compare with the level upon their return. I left Costa Rica that Morning catching a glimpse of San Jose and flying over Alajuela I could see LDA’s stadium in the distance and the beauty of the church, la Agonia, resting at the center of the town . “Vive tu passion” as the Coca Cola slogan read reflected the openness and gentility of the people and it is this passion that drives a connectedness to a simple way of living and sharing regardless of socio-economic barriers. Football will always be an essential part of life in Costa Rica and a constant that unites the people.
