With Tuesday’s announcement of the Quakes’ full coaching staff, head coach Matias Almeyda gave sjearthquakes.com his full thoughts on the recent hires:
“To start, we came with a lot of people because I believe that we have to work as a team. The head coach can’t do everything. I brought with me Guido Bonini who is the strength and conditioning coach. He has a system and methodology that is compatible with mine. From warmups to the physical and preventative aspects, we have the same ideas about the game. More than being a strength and conditioning coach, he brings a lot with his exercises.
I also have a goalkeeper coach who is Carlos Roa. With Carlos Roa and with Guido Bonini, we started together at River almost seven years ago. He is going to train the goalkeepers along with a teammate that was already here at the club. Between the two of them, they are going to work with the goalkeepers that are in the other divisions too. For me, the goalkeeper coach is very important because in our system of play, we try to start play from the back. They know my style of play. In fact, we have worked together for seven years and apart from doing exercises in the attack, which is first and foremost, they do a lot of exercises with the ball so that the keepers play with their feet. We believe that the goalkeeper can be one more player by more than anything, playing with his feet.
I am bringing with me two people that are going to be assistant coaches. Omar Zarif has been with us since Banfield, Chivas and now here. He supports me a lot, helping me on the field, helping me communicate with players and with technology too. He is a person I trust. Benjamin Galindo has coached many clubs. He is a very humble person with a big heart. He has a lot of experience that we want him to share with the youth.
Above all, we are a family. We get along so well. We laugh, we enjoy what we do. Our families are great friends as well. When you are away from your country, you get closer to the people that you work with.
I am very happy because I won’t go anywhere without them. I would never go to a place alone or with just one or two. That is not my job. My job will always be with them.
I have a lot of belief in our work. Incorporating what we do with the people that are already here, I believe we can make a good team for the players that they can trust and feel comfortable with, knowing that they can make mistakes but with each mistake there is a lesson. It is going to be good. I am looking forward to starting.”
