Marcelino García Toral participated in a top-notch round table: next to him, Juan Carlos Unzué and Javier López Vallejo. The event, organized by the Navarra Football Federation Coaches Committee, took place at the Hotel Tres Reyes in Pamplona. The reason was the celebration of ‘Coach’s Day 2023’. Javi Lerga, director of the FNF Coaches School, moderated an exciting conversation.
“I think my career was continuous, difficult; I trained children, youth, Third Division, Second Division B, Second Division A, LaLiga”, Marcelino recalled. “They are experiences that shape you, that improve and change you, and then they make you mature. I think I am lucky because I have achieved a dream and because I work on what I like. The day I don’t have that passion, I’ll go home, but still calling me”.
Doubt as a method of evolution
Javier López Vallejo, a former goalkeeper and psychologist of the National Spanish team, was directed by Marcelino in two teams (Recreativo and Zaragoza). He referred to two stages at the event: “They teach us from a young age that doubting is not good, and we have to doubt, and nothing happens. From there, there is self-analysis and self-criticism. In Marcelino, having an excellent memory of my first stage with him, I saw a great evolution in those aspects in the second one”.
The example and dignity transmitted by Juan Carlos Unzué in dealing with ALS should not hide the fact that he is an authorized voice to talk about training and group management. There is the endorsement of his sports career. “It’s good that the players feel that you don’t doubt yourself. I have had experiences with outstanding coaches who knew how to handle the team’s moments very well; when things were going very well, they pushed you the most and tried to get performance out of the team. When they went badly, they always tried to find that positive part”, expressed Unzué.
After the round table, the coaches who promoted their teams during the 2021/22 academic year received the trophies.
