“I want to experience athletics from the inside”

Did they have to convince you to sign for Athletic?

Not much. I’ve always had this club as a reference, ever since I was a kid. Philosophy has always caught my attention, how they always compete with people from home. Since I came to women’s football with Iraia (Iturregi) he has been one of the people I felt the most, we understood each other. I have a lot of confidence in him. I also know how difficult it is to go here from the outside, but opportunities don’t come every day and I want to experience it from the inside.

Aren’t you giddy to go to an Athletic that just suffered on its own a season ago?

I didn’t watch many games, but I told Iraia ‘be calm because this is a young team, which needs time, which needs to settle, many players are new to the First Division.’ I saw the talent, but suffering because the dynamics conditioned you. I thought and believed that the team could continue to grow.

And I guess you were surprised by your Athletic growth?

I thought I could continue growing, but I can’t. We had a season that exceeded expectations. My biggest goal is to be calm, where they don’t suffer. I wanted to take advantage of the time to develop the project without the burden of classification; But when you eventually grow up and grow and you actually find yourself with options to fight for a lot of important things, there’s no choice but to say ‘girls, let’s try to stay as long as possible.’

Garazi, Eunate, Yulema… There was also a generational change in the squad. Did you have trouble getting a locker room?

Generational changes are not easy. This is my fifth year in women’s football and I’ve never felt that way before. First time a player retired in my year as coach. It is difficult because we are also talking about players who have a lot of history at the club. They showed me maturity and a great personality and a very healthy locker room. They had exemplary behavior on a daily basis. They are very generous. They came here to train alone when the team was traveling and they had never had a problem. This team has a very strong and very healthy locker room.

The one about the gang…

The feeling of friends I really realized what it was. One day I asked them ‘will you go to the movies together’ and they replied ‘we will go 24 hours a day’.

He also had to experience another extraordinary situation this year, like Peke’s pregnancy leave.

An unusual situation, but one that is becoming normal. The clubs and the people close to the players need to move forward on how to give them the best opportunities to go through this important personal moment. We study and try to accompany the player as much as possible. We must respect and support the right to be a mother.

Speaking of veterans. What will happen to Marte Unzué?

He is finishing his recovery process. The first thing is that his knee is healthy and then we have to respect his decision whether he wants to continue playing or not.

Where do you feel the most pressure on the Athletic or Real Madrid bench?

All the coaches are under pressure because they are forcing us to win. They have different pressures. The difference is that Real Madrid is a club with a huge impact around the world and its focus is on winning. The fan is used to always winning and this, Madrid, is a project that has just been born, which obviously has a lot to do and the immediate result is not easy.

And in Athletic?

Here it is a pressure of responsibility. First of the players to help them. Here is a project that looks more at the players because they are ours. We have to accompany them and help them in the training process, in the responsibility of what this club has historically represented and what it represents for Athletic and for football throughout the Euskalherria.

I think you will excuse the irony, that the treatment of Jon Uriarte will be the same as he did with Florentino!

It’s one of the things that gets your attention the most (laughs). When I signed my contract in Ibaigane, the president invited me to dinner that same night. We were talking about the team and he was talking to me about the players from B, C, and the kids team. The close, humane treatment of a president is greatly appreciated. He comes, he is with us, he takes real beatings for trying to always be there.

A bargain for a president, then!

However, it is appreciated that he also balances all this with his characteristic ambition. He is a person who always thinks about winning, improving, growing. He is not happy with anything, he always wants more and more. That’s also good for us to push ourselves and keep the project growing.

Does the barge have to cross the estuary if the Athletic women’s team is crowned League or Cup champion?

The club with this president wants to do it. I hope we can achieve it, we want to try to achieve it.