Newsletter

Tulio Gómez told El País what the conditions of Duván Vergara’s departure are

Juan Cruz Real and Duván Vergara. The names of the champion coach and one of the great figures of the team are currently occupying the agenda of the directors of America, in the middle of the celebration of the 15 star, achieved on Sunday against Santa Fe.

If the main shareholder of the red team, Tulio Gómez, bet before on the Argentine coach, with all the more reason now that Cruz has been champion, but the Tandil coach has offers from abroad and his continuity in the red bank is not a fact.

Read also: Nothing personal! What Marlon Torres said about messages to Teo in the celebration of the title

While Vergara, 24 years old and one of the key men of the American double championship, has four offers – three from South America and one from Asia – and although the priority is to sell it, nothing has yet materialized.

On these two issues and other situations of interest to Americans, El País spoke with Tulio Gómez.

Juan Cruz has said that he has offers and that his priority is to continue in America, but with better salary conditions for the coaching staff. What does the maximum shareholder answer?

With Juan Cruz there is mutual gratitude, because we made a bet for him and he gave us a championship. I don’t think there will be complications for his continuity, he has a permanent contract and has told us that his wish is to continue. We have already made him an offer and great challenges are coming that he surely wants to face.

Does the offer match what he asks for?

It is budget-friendly and better than what is currently out there. There is a will on both sides, and our desire is for Cruz to continue, much more after getting a star in the midst of so many difficulties and so much criticism.

Was it difficult to avoid the questions that fell on you for the hiring of the Argentine coach?

The same thing happened when we brought Guimaraes, even though he was a World Cup coach, but they didn’t know him here. You should not judge what you do not know, you have to let people work. But hey, when you’re in charge of a team like America, criticism has to be accepted, what I don’t like is when it’s done unjustifiably or with disrespect.

But the lashings of the fans and the press were worse with the hiring of Cruz because of his background and because they considered that bringing him was due more to an economic situation than a sports situation …

Of course, the departure from Guimaraes occurred in the middle of the pandemic, we could not cover that expense or others without receiving money from the lockers, and we thought of Cruz, but not as a solution to seat any technician in the bank. Every contract we do is analyzed and although Cruz had not obtained victories, we liked the way he saw football and that it adjusted to our objectives with young players.
We bet and thank God we triumphed. Is that a football team is a company and sometimes it is necessary to take unpopular measures, but necessary to survive.

Did you ever think that this great goal of the star was falling 2-0 against Santa Fe?

Obviously I thought about it, because it was 2-0 in the first half, and I was afraid that a third goal would arrive and penalties would come, but I think that Cruz raised a good second half, he bet with tall players in the rear to counteract the aerial game of Santa Fe, who wanted to approach with balls, without elaborate game, and in the end we came out champions with the advantage that we achieved in Pascual.

In addition to the continuity of Cruz, another issue that must be resolved is whether Duván Vergara is going or staying. What will happen to this player ultimately?

So far we have received four offers for Duván, three from South America and one from Asia, but they do not satisfy us financially.

What proposal must satisfy them to sell it?

One where the player can remain competitive and adjust to economic pretensions. A player like Duván Vergara cannot cost less than five million dollars, he is a figure, two-time Colombian soccer champion, with a size for the Colombia national team, he is 24 years old and has a long time ahead as an active soccer player.

That is, Duván could continue another season with America …

Sure, and we have the need to sell it, but it can also give us an important hand in the Copa Libertadores in 2021. We know that. It is time to make smart decisions. If they don’t pay five million dollars, Duván stays.

Regarding the Libertadores, America comes from making a bad presentation in the 2020 Cup. For next year the challenge must be different …

America is a great team, cupbearer, with an international trajectory, it always wants to be a protagonist, but it must adjust, especially in these moments of crisis, to the budget we have. The pandemic brought a financial crisis that cost America not having 80% of its income, we stopped receiving 20 billion pesos for ticket offices due to the absence of the fans in the stadiums. And the Libertadores leaves a good income that helps a lot, that’s what we used this season.

Does that mean there will be no weight reinforcement by 2021?

The best reinforcement is to keep the payroll that is and adjust it in some positions. In fact, next season Diego Novoa will play with us, who is a great goalkeeper; Jerson Malagón, who is a very good defender, and another important defender, Óscar Cabezas, who played for Rosario Central.

What are the institution’s challenges for next year?

Achieve the three-time championship, advance far in the Libertadores, consolidate our homegrown players, improve economic indicators, finish the administrative headquarters in Cascajal; but we also have long-term projects. The idea is that in 2027 America will be the team with the most titles in Colombia, including the Copa Libertadores, but from that point on we need a ‘partner’, an additional investor. To achieve big goals you have to think big, because otherwise your goals become obstacles.

Rumors say that if Duván leaves, America would be interested in reactivating negotiations with Fabián Sambueza …

I really like Sambueza and we wanted to have him when he left Cali, but he is a very expensive player for us, his claims do not fit the budget.

Some say that having Michael Rangel again would be important for the Libertadores, especially when Junior does not use him …

It is not possible, Junior does not lend it more, to that player we owe a lot, but we could not support him due to the economic situation. People notice Ramos because of its cost, but look, we could never pay Adrián what he was worth when he came from Europe. He plays for America because he is a fan, because he loves the team and because he wants to finish his career here. Thank God he showed that he has football, he was our scorer and he helped us a lot in the championship. It was a great gamble.

As was also, without a doubt, the quarry …

That is a project that is gradually solidifying, what happened this season with the youth players is magnificent and we must continue along that same line.

Does all of this make the 15th star the one you enjoyed the most since you became America’s top shareholder?

I don’t want to collect things, I just want to say that this America came out of relegation, has two titles, returned to the Libertadores, was also champion in women’s football, has recovered its minor divisions, that is, the results of the work have been seen. But if it makes me choose any happiness, I would say promotion. People do not imagine what is lived there, and thank God we came out of that hell and recovered our greatness.

.

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending