Juan Carlos Carcedo (Logroño, 8/19/1973) arrived last summer in Ibiza to undertake his first coaching adventure, after several years as Unai Emery’s assistant. The course came out to order and Ibiza promoted to Second division. Now he is immersed in the preseason for the historic debut of the Ibizan club in professional football.
We must grit our teeth and work to show that we are worthy of this category
- First season as a coach and get a promotion …
- Yes, it was one of the challenges I had as head coach, to be able to transmit all that experience that I have accumulated as Unai (Emery’s) assistant. We put together a good project, with some players according to our idea of the game and with the dose of work and fortune that must be had to have a good season and get the long-awaited promotion.
- You just mentioned it, he spent many years as Emery’s assistant, for those who don’t know him, what kind of coach is Juan Carlos Carcedo? What football do you like?
- I think it was seen last year. An intense team, a supportive team, a team that plays together, that is offensive, but at the same time gives importance to the defensive aspect. I think it is very important to be a bloc, which was achieved last year. Be a dynamic team, above all.
- What’s the biggest difference between working with a top technician like Emery and leading a project?
- Well, the final decision making, which belongs to the first coach. I continue to do many of the things that I did with Unai when it came to field work and talking to the players. All this I continue to do together with my coaching staff, but obviously there has to be a person who is the one who finally decides all these situations.
- When people think of Ibiza, they usually think of beaches and partying. Now, he will also do it in football.
- Yes, I believe that, little by little, since the arrival of Amadeo, people have become more hooked on football as they see that the team is responding, ascending and achieving increasingly important challenges. You can see that people are looking forward to soccer on the island. Our fans have already renewed their season tickets and we hope we can give them a lot of joy. There is a lot of fans on the island.
It is important to go step by step and set immediate goals because that is what the club needs … we have very little time in history and we must grow step by step
- He talks about Amadeo Salvo. What can you tell me about this ambitious project that has been created on the island?
- The president’s ambition is passed on to all of us. He wanted to get to the Professional Football League and he has succeeded. He wants, patiently, but with enthusiasm and work, to go even higher. What we are trying to do is accompany him and build a professional structure, which is what the club lacked. Little by little, it is being achieved. We want to be able to settle in this Second Division, which is very difficult, and to start laying those foundations.
- Talk about going even higher. Does this Ibiza have a roof?
- What you have to do is keep your feet on the ground and be able to go little by little. The rush is not good counselors. It is important to go step by step and set immediate objectives because that is what the club needs, we have very little time in history and we must grow step by step. You don’t have to take two steps, when you have to go one at a time.
- Ibiza reaches the professional league, what can the fans of this team expect?
- An Ibiza that has nerve, a team wanting to show itself at the national level. This year we are going to be one of the newest in the category and we will have a lot to learn, we will have moments of inexperience and difficulties, but we will compete and try to play all the teams face to face.
- Talk about inexperience, how do you face the season? Is some kind of goal set?
- The goal is the next day, the next game. Arrive well at La Romareda for the match against Zaragoza. To be in the best possible shape to compete with the teams that are going to touch us this year, which are historic clubs with enormous difficulty. We started at La Romareda, which will be a very difficult match.
- Talk about going from day to day. It reminds me of Simeone. As a footballer you had an athletic past, were you happy with the league title?
- Yes, obviously. I spent five very good years at Atlético de Madrid and I still have feelings. It is a club that marks you a lot and I was happy because I see that they have been working very well in recent years. El Cholo is doing something incredible, which will go down in history and will be remembered for many years. I think the league has been deserved.
- Returning to Ibiza, the summer is advancing, with less than three weeks to go until the start of the league, there are still many chips from the first team to cover. What does Carcedo ask for?
- Well, we have a good base from last year who knows the automatisms and with whom we have been working since last season and, as I said, it is a good nucleus. We know that we are missing important players and we are trying to get it right. You have to see all the players to bring the correct ones for each position and to help us. We want those who arrive to make us stronger.
El Cholo is doing something incredible, which will go down in history and will be remembered for many years
- The club goes from being one of the big favorites to being one of the new ones. You have to change the chip?
- Well, we feel like Second Division players, but we know that we are one of the most rookies. What we have to do is grit our teeth and work, work and work to show that we are worthy of this category. That is our challenge.
- I suppose that he is already analyzing the rivals. Where do you think Ibiza can be?
- Right now, the only thing we’re focusing on is the first league game. Play against Zaragoza. We know that there are many teams that aspire to promotion and what we want is to get to La Romareda in the best possible way.
- A huge list of historic teams will parade through Can Misses. It will be a prize for the fans, right?
- Yes, for the fans, for us, for the players, for the club. It is going to be a prize, but not a prize to watch. It will be a prize to compete and try to get the three points every week to put Ibiza on the professional football map.
