Quito -
The preference from the top of the Ecuafútbol to have Paul Vélez, Macará's coach, as national team coach (denied by Francisco Egas, but confirmed by Miller Salazar, president of the Ambato club, who revealed that the director already proposed it to him) was analyzed by other local coaches, who highlight the possibility of returning the command of the Tricolor to a national, after the presence of Sixto Vizuete, who came close to taking Ecuador to the 2010 World Cup.
Although the time he will have to work is scarce, less than three months before the start of the qualifying round for Qatar 2022, the good performance with his clubs is one of the positive factors that reinforce the intention of giving the Selection to Vélez, after the failed project of Jordi Cruyff, which left only "harm" to the image of the FEF, say the strategists who spoke with EL UNIVERSO.
Polo Carrera mentioned Vélez's "merit" to reach the Tri due to his work in Liga de Loja, Técnico Universitario, Deportivo Cuenca, Quito and Macará.
- The successes of Paul Vélez, the 'favorite' of Francisco Egas to lead the Ecuadorian national team
"He has been one of the best national coaches and deserves an opportunity. He has the capacity and is ready to lead the national team. Supported by a good coaching staff, he can take the project forward," Carrera said.
Ricardo Armendáriz does not doubt the talent of Vélez. "It would be interesting to see him in the national team because with teams without large squads he fights equally against the big ones. Without time, we cannot bring in a foreigner, so who better than him, who knows the environment," said the Bocha.
'Conviction and necessity'
Although "capacity is above all," Kléber Fajardo has two approaches to Vélez's possible appointment. The former Emelec midfielder points out that "he is the most qualified Ecuadorian and has demonstrated it, taking into account the human resources that they give him in his clubs. He has not reached higher because the coach does not decide alone, but the player's ability also does."
Meanwhile, for Fajardo there is the "conviction and necessity" of the FEF leadership to appoint the 49-year-old from Cuenca. It is a "unique opportunity for him because not every day do they offer the national team to an Ecuadorian coach."
Carlos Torres Garcés aligns himself with this position. El Palillo referred to Vélez's appointment as "only circumstantial, due to the problems generated in the board. I don't know if it's the best time for Vélez, but he has everything to be successful. He has proven to be a good coach," said Torres.
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With the internal division in the FEF pointed out and the urgency of having a coach, for Fajardo, Vélez's option is repeating the history of the national team in relation to what the appointment of Colombian Hernán Darío Gómez was in 2018.
"With a divided organization, this (signing Vélez) seems like a copy and paste of what happened with the Bolillo during Carlos Villacís's presidency, all with the intention of recovering unity in the Federation and national football. That is dangerous, it could be thought that Vélez is being used," commented Fajardo.
For El Cabezón, although Vélez's presence in the national team would be important, "many details must be taken into account, but the main one is that they look for him out of conviction and not because with his choice they are going to improve the internal situation of the FEF."
'Cruyff left nothing'
About Jordi Cruyff's anecdotal pass, who did not lead a practice, only spent 24 days in the country, and since he left for Barcelona in March, he never returned, the four interviewees agree that he did not contribute anything.
"We saw nothing of his work, what he did not work cannot be categorized," said Carrera.
For Fajardo, "you cannot quantify what he left because nothing was seen. Documentation would have to be reviewed, but if he did not train, never called up, never led, and never set foot on a field, his work cannot be categorized."
Cruyff was presented on January 13 and resigned on July 23. He spent the last 132 days in Spain, but his salary still does not have clear figures.
- Jordi Cruyff has received less than two months' salary as coach of Ecuador and not six, according to a source from the FEF.
In the face of this reality, Torres Garcés commented that Cruyff "did not leave anything, only loss of money. He did not leave benefits and harmed in every way. He left without glory or shame."
"He left nothing. We lost time and money. We do not have a national team. Cruyff's act was a failure, to which much importance was given but he never wanted to be with us. Hopefully, with the coach who arrives, we can have a good process," estimated the Bocha. (D)