Pumas faces a major test this Saturday, no doubt. But it will be Paco Palencia who has to overcome a hostile environment like El Volcán, and beat, without a doubt, his footballing mentor Ricardo Ferretti, in order to reach the semi-finals. Regardless of how far Universidad goes, defeating Tigres in their own style and eliminating them as visitors would be a sort of graduation and reward for the young coach and his players.
With six and a half months in charge of Pumas, Palencia has had to deal with a little bit of everything. From the initial criticism of his management due to his inexperience and undefined playing style, to teasing about his excessive personal appearance care, Paco has remained calm and respectful of those who have a different perspective on football and its off-field aspects.
Ninety minutes away from knowing his fate, we attempt to get closer to Paco's personality, the one that today will have to face all kinds of complexities, from a coach who knows him perfectly in the opposing bench, to an array of offensive players like the Tigres' links, hungry for a victory that buries all hope for Pumas, especially in a stadium like El Volcán. If he manages to come out on top, Palencia will have graduated, passing the final exam with honors.
His new facet
It was in the final stretch of his career when Palencia became curious about becoming a coach. The last years with Pumas served as a course for him to constantly learn from Ricardo Ferretti, and later from Memo Vázquez, while also accrediting his academic training as a coach. After retiring, he took refuge in Spain, where he led a youth team in Barcelona, before experimenting as a sporting director in Chivas, something he learned from but wouldn't repeat. Paco is focused on what he desired since he defended the colors of Universidad on the field.
The preparation
He is a methodical coach, not to the extent of Juan Carlos Osorio, who takes notes of every detail of his team on the field, but rather in a practical way. Palencia, in his coaching version, feels confident, without excesses, with his players, as he coincided with many of them as a professional, maintaining a line of respect at all times: "The technical talk begins on Tuesday (usually he gives them Mondays off, whether they win or lose), when we arrive in the dressing room, moments before any game, we only talk about adjustments, to enter the field focused."
The music
He enjoys rock music, the classic bands of this genre. His passion for electric guitars and strong melodies sprouted during adolescence, listening to the music his father played in the mechanic workshop outside his house. Paco's younger years were spent with this type of music. "I used to listen to all of this when my dad worked and played songs by The Rolling Stones, Kiss, The Creedence; over time, my style in this sense started to form more. Now, Metallica is my favorite band, the one that inspires me."
The attire
As a player, Palencia chose to break with the established norms in Mexican football. Paco painted his nails in a dark tone, wore a ponytail, and of course, had the same style in his clothing. Nowadays, as a coach, dressed in suit and tie, he has found a way to be different. His clothing is almost fitted, very youthful in style, far from what might be expected from other coaches, like Tomás Boy or Ricardo Ferretti himself, to mention the more conservative ones. When he takes off his jacket, he chooses a lightweight sweater, but always wears a shirt and tie.
As a player
Palencia, who started at Cruz Azul, but also played for Chivas, Chivas USA, and Pumas, always had the image of a dedicated player. Possessing refined technique, over the years he was pushed back from his original position. In his early days, he played as a center forward; later, in the final stage of his career, he was used as a midfielder or winger, but without losing his goal-scoring instincts. He left the field with three titles, two with Pumas and one more with La Máquina, in addition to the memory of that Copa Libertadores final in 2001, lost against Boca Juniors.
The exercise
He has always had an athletic physique, from a very young age, but what is surprising is that even now, at 43 years old, he still prefers to train before considering hours of sleep or days of rest. He arrives very early for Pumas' training sessions, just to complete the routine in the gym with Sean Buckley, the fitness coach: "I am very disciplined and I was as a player. I always liked exercise, and now I train in that sense as if I were still active or even more. Throughout the week, I exercise at least five days, it makes me feel good."