Miller Salazar is the president of the sensational team and the sole leader of the national championship: Macará. The director from Ambato said yesterday on the City News program, from Radio City, that "the idea is to stay at the top" until the start of the playoffs and this campaign from the celestials is the best in the history of the club. Salazar also mentioned the three-match suspension applied to coach Paul Vélez, the absence of Moisés Corozo and Michael Estrada in the Tri's call-up.
"Statistically, what we have done in 2019 is unparalleled to what we have achieved in previous years. This despite the fact that last season we were disputing until the last minute to get into the finals back and forth," said Salazar.
The executive added: "Macará's campaign should not come as a surprise, but on one hand, it is always good to be ignored. We work silently and we see Macará in a stellar position. Beating Universidad Católica in Quito allowed us to gain some margin of difference that hopefully we can sustain until the end. Macará has already achieved something unthinkable: we are higher than the rest, the team has had consistency and has been the leader for the most time".
"The shirt weighs (in quotation marks) and it is a matter of interests. I am interested in having Michael Estrada in the Tri because he has earned it. Miller Salazar, president of Macará," said Salazar.
Regarding the punishment of three matches for Vélez, for insulting referee Guillermo Guerrero after beating Emelec 2-1, Salazar recounted: "Paul told me that he never insulted the referee and he is outraged. We thought about appealing, but what do we gain from it. It is his word against the judge's". He affirmed that he advised the coach "to keep a cool head and take things calmly". He informed that since Juan Carlos Ávila (assistant) is sanctioned, Boris Fiallos, coach of the reserves, will lead Macará.
The celeste president referred to what Ismael Rescalvo said after Emelec's defeat at Bellavista. The Spanish coach commented that he lost to a "primitive team": "I have tried to take things calmly because I am explosive. After discussing it with Vélez and the board, we resolved that there are more important things to worry about. I think Rescalvo did not want to disrespect, but he must be concerned about his team and not make misguided statements".
And about the exclusion of Corozo and Estrada from Jorge Célico's call-up for the next two friendly matches of the Tri, Salazar opined: "Initially, I did not want to talk about it because I was hurt. It is not a personal issue, the media has also demanded the presence of both in the national team".
Today, reaching the national team (as a coach) is like going to burn oneself since not everything is clear. But if the opportunity arises, congratulations. Paul Vélez, coach of Macará
He added: "I sent a message to the interim coach and demanded something that belongs to Macará with those players due to their work. I also let Francisco Egas (president of the FEF) know about my annoyance because if they do not call up Corozo and Estrada now, when will they?".
And about why the Colombian Santiago Escobar is mentioned as an option to coach the Tri and not Vélez, Salazar stated: "Escobar is an extraordinary professional, a great person, and balanced, but today Vélez has shown that he is the best national coach". (D)