The secrets of Spanish Gotham

Including the Spanish Esther Gonzalez and Maitane Lopezthe technician Juan Carlos Amorós and the tactical director Jesus Botellohe Gotham The Spaniard is in the final of the American women’s league (NWSL). Unique team in ‘soccer’ because of its game idea and use of Big Data, among its training strategies it uses chess. “It’s great for working on concentration,” Botello said in an interview with EFE.

From last place last year, with just four wins, to finalists in the NWSL women’s league against Megan Rapinoe’s OL Reign, who will hang up their boots after this match. The study of ‘Big Data’, exchange of roles, chess games to work on concentration. Gotham’s style is entertaining and winning. This Saturday in San Diego, the final hurdle for the title.

Maitane López and Esther González are summer additions to a team whose value has risen based on success. Its investors include the star of NBA Kevin Durantthe former ‘quarterback’ of NFL Eli Manning and the former player of WNBA Sue Birdwho, strangely, is partnered by his franchise’s main threat in the final, Megan Rapinoe.

But how do you go from being bottom to playing in the final?

“There were different plots that came together. First, the sports director contacted Juan Carlos and me and gave us absolute power to develop our ideas. The second, Juan Carlos. He is not simply a coach, super leadership, he knows. the medical department, marketing, logistics, management of a group of 15 or 20 people. The third part is the sports discourse, the winning mentality that we have developed,” Botello told EFE.

“I focus on an idea, a winning mentality. Divide it into the letters ‘WIN’. Work, work; Intelligence, intelligence; and Never Give Up, never stop fighting. This is developed with a series of small concepts. One of them “It’s meritocracy. There is no name here, you make money on the playing field,” he added.

There was a complete change of perspective. Maitane, a midfielder, now plays central defense. Esther González, a pure 9, drops to play 10. Jenna Nighswonger, born as a playmaker, aims to be rookie of the year as left back. Nealy Martin, a winger, competes as a defensive center.

Players who hardly had any popularity last year were reinvented in other positions, where their performance increased. Its market value increases, as does the value of the franchise. The American format of the NWSL makes it difficult to calculate the value of the current squad, but there is no doubt that European clubs interested in signing for Gotham will have to check their checkbook.

Soccer and chess

Among the work tools Botello used was chess, a game that helped increase concentration, having a clear idea of ​​the field and playing more calmly.

“Chess is a vehicle to work on concentration. How do you achieve concentration? I do it in two ways, with chess and with meditation. Chess is wonderful for concentration. I bought a chess set and started with the midfielder, which is the most important for me because it is the center of everything,” said Botello.

“Each piece has different movements and different values, but they all work as a team. It’s important that we understand all the roles that can be played. The idea is for them to learn to see the future . In chess the most important thing is how they react to the opponent and how you react to his moves,” he continued.

The players, initially skeptical, became chess enthusiasts and one of them, Yazmeen Ryan, celebrated her goal in the quarterfinals against the North Carolina Courage by making the gesture of a chess move.

The signing of Esther González, supported by Big Data

“We have a very advanced Big Data department. I asked my teammates to look for finish within the ‘T Zone’ (the area between the small area and the penalty spot). Which player will finish there, because we arrived with many players, We shot 20 times in one game, but we only got a few. And among these names, one of the first was Esther,” said Botello.

“But when he arrived, Esther had so much quality and so much distribution that we decided to put her as a false nine. She can do everything she wants, what we want is for her to have the ball,” he added.

Something similar happened with Maitane, now a defensive pillar for Gotham, who played in that position to take advantage of his quality in the off-ball phase. In the middle of the field, the Spaniard did not have the same impact as he received fewer balls to play.

Rapinoe’s ‘masterclass’

Between Gotham and the title is the Reign of Megan Rapinoe, double world champion striker in the United States, who will retire after this final.

“Like everything in life, we need icons. She has been and continues to be an icon for what she has contributed to women’s soccer, in the United States. She is a soccer player of stratospheric intelligence. If you check his games without the ball , he gives a ‘masterclass’ Constant. He is very good at helping his teammates develop different movements,” said Botello.

“It will be interesting to try to fulfill his demands. He is very competitive, and we are no less. We want to appreciate the profession we defend and we look at each game with grace and friendliness, but taking into account the Keep in mind that the winning mentality must be carried to the end,” he concluded.