Miguel Falero, coach of the Honduras Under-23 National Team, spoke Exclusive to TEN about what awaits the Bicolor in the Pre-Olympic. His dreams, the group formed, the captains and what he knows about the rivals he will face in the group stage.
Why bring Rigoberto Rivas only for a group stage? Goatskin says making the list has been complicated due to the number of good players. He responds to Ilce Barahona and explains why he did not make it to the list of 20.
Read. THE THREE RESERVE PLAYERS HONDURAS WILL HAVE
What do we know about Haiti, Honduras’ first rival in the pre-Olympic era?
Typically a French school, it is a team that does not have a strong competition, but exports its best to France, where it has a football and cultural connection, but there are different players who play in different competitions. They have three players in France, two in Spain, one in Armenia, one in Italy, one in the United States and one in Denmark. It is a very fast team and according to that we will prepare.
Darixon Vuelta said they have not seen any videos of Haiti. Has it been difficult to make a video of how these teams play?
Yes, apparently they haven’t had an international competition recently, the last minimum videos we’ve gotten are from the last six months, they’ve just played friendlies with local teams and faced a Mexican amateur team.
Do you feel that this group that played less complicated in relation to the other frame, although Haiti is not easy to me?
All the way. Firstly because they come from a French school, they have nine players abroad, but their values lie in the major leagues and that means that 50% of their footballers are at a good level because they are active abroad. The other problem is that at the last minute El Salvador registered five players who are abroad, Canada also has abroad.
It will not be easy to classify.
Not at all. Since we were in the previous U-23, there have been camps for Canadian junior teams in Fort Lauderdale and they have come a long way. Bayern Munich’s left back is Canadian (Alphonso Davies). All this production of players is important, they send them to major leagues and then they bring them to get the job done, it makes the area competitive. All island teams, such as Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Haiti, have always been good opponents to the Honduran teams.
How do you define the other rivals, El Salvador and Canada?
El Salvador has five players who play abroad, it has a coach who knows the youth and knows his job well, he has worked youth and gave good presentations and they are doing their best to improve the work. We know the parity represented by the matches against Honduras and that represents a special delivery and will make it a tough match. I think the baby of the group is still Canada, and as we move towards the championship we will have much fresher information and that will get us to the reality after the first two days.
What is your opinion that there will be an audience of 25% in the matches?
I don’t know how important they give (Concacaf) the Coronavirus, one thing is to check people who have been vaccinated, analyzed, tested with proper protocols and take them to a stadium or open the doors so everyone can come in and everyone can to contaminate.
Is there fear?
There are protocols. Things; This is the first tournament where the crowd is turned on, okay, it’s 25%, but we’re right in our game. We are also the only team to play at 1.30 in the afternoon.
How is the group doing in terms of health with the Covid-19 tests?
At an excellent level, the infections thankfully stopped after those of Edwin Rodríguez and Elvin Casildo, the issue of injuries also since we were punished from Carlos Pineda, Jorge Álvarez to Josha Canales. The health problem has improved and the protocols were the best and we followed them in a good way. Fortunately, they have worked well in the administrative and health fields.
What is the difference between the group that led you to London 2012 with Luis Suárez and the group that you now lead when you return to a pre-Olympic game?
There are differences. I think there used to be greater prosperity and now the coaches are forced to work for better production. Talents come out sporadically, fortunately we have put together a good group with a special technical wealth. We are confident that we have a good championship.
Ilce Barahona explained that he would like to explain why they didn’t consider him when he’s at a good level with Platense. What would you say?
Unfortunately, the list is 17 fielders and three goalkeepers. I have spoken with him personally; He had stopped playing since his last game, two and a half months, we had him, we prepared him and at the moment he’s at a good level and it’s one of the values we have to complete the list, but the returns are today. I can’t keep betting on maybe if I have players in that position who are doing well. Based on all the knowledge he had, he started against Nicaragua and Guatemala. He has not only been sighted permanently in U-23, but also in the Major. He has always been on schedule because he is a good player. Maybe the date we gave the final list was not at its best.
At this point, the captain of this group has already defined; will he still be Denil Maldonado?
Denil Maldonado is our captain.
And the deputy captain?
Rigoberto Rivas with many possibilities.
Professor, what does Juan Carlos Obregón need to be on the list if there are no videos of his achievements in football in the United States?
Juan Carlos is an excellent player, he is an excellent person and we value the personal. He is a technical attacker who holds the ball very well and takes advantage of the spaces, allowing him to facilitate the inside play and the combinations with the rest of the teammates.
Before entering the competition, what do you think Mexico and the US would be the favorites to qualify if Honduras has three consecutive tickets to the Olympics?
They are two forces because they are very good organizationally, they have worked in a good way, they have all the facilities, players who work and were trained in different youth categories. Canada has been contending for 10 years, competing in friendly matches and tournaments to draw players. All this production and those communities are paying off. Then football has that logic and equates us with those of us who don’t have that many numbers, but it does have a big heart, a great mind and it matches. All matches are special.
Can you feel the weight of getting to these pre-Olympics with the story of the three previous coaches qualifying for the Olympics?
That gives satisfaction and it shows us the way. It doesn’t assure anything because the past is the past, we bet on the future with work and the reality will be today starting in the game against Haiti on the 19th.
Does this team have the talent to take the Major later in the World Cup qualifiers on their way to Qatar?
Yes, we have collaborated with Professor Fabián Coito and the entire technical staff. I am very sure that if the dates had not coincided today, many of these players, four or five, would be called up in the Major to play against Belarus and Greece. We believe we are on the right track and hope that this U-23 will be a spare wheel in the adult Bicolor in the near future.
Have you already determined which goalkeeper will save the first match of the Pre-Olympic?
Yes of course. There is a base and I will not rush to give the list as I don’t want the player to inform themselves through the press before talking to me that I will tell him, but I already have a high percentage of the team that it game will start.