WITH UNITY AND HARMONY

TIJUANA –Daniel Guzman did not have a job in soccer at this time last year. He had been out of coaching for more than a year since coaching Atlante in 2013. The 49-year-old is now the leader of the best team in the LIGA MX. 

Guzman was signed by Club Tijuana in September midway through the 2014 Clausura and the team began to adapt to his style rapidly. An off season with his new group of players proved to be important as the Xoloitzcuintles are on top of the 2015 Clausura standings. Club Tijuana leads the table with 23 points and a 7-1-2 record. Guzman is no stranger to teams with fast starts. He has won a Mexican title with Santos. But he is mostly known in Mexican soccer circles for helping struggling teams avoid relegation to the Second Division. This time, Guzman has a team that has not lost in nine games.

Guzman talks about the team’s progress and its 3-1 Week 10 win Friday night at Estadio Caliente.

Here is a transcript of Guzman’s post match newsconference:

Daniel Guzman:

Who did you feel the match?

“First of all what I had said beforehand, it was going to be a very difficult game. If you take into account the numbers, I know a lot about numbers and statistics. This team had only received four goals in nine games. They work very well in defense. Obviously our intention was to get the result by any means necessary. Our primary objective was to win to get us even closer to the qualification. We knew we had 90 minutes to work the game. I am honestly very happy about the way this team plays. Honestly, it has a lot of aggressiveness, a lot of good finishing; imagine we score three goals on a team who doesn’t concede many goals. That means the team is playing well, it is concentrated, it has variants going forward but without a doubt what I am left with is the three points which are very important to what we want which is the qualification.”

Talk about the set plays that produce two goals and does this make up for the Copa loss?

“I think that when you win you need to look at how you won. The first half was very even. But I repeat it is because we faced a team that works very well defensively, they only allowed four goals in nine matches. It wasn’t easy; you have to look for offensive variants to cause them harm. We know who we have: Juan Arango, he is one of the best midfielders playing right now because he has a great medium and long range shot. He is a specialist; he has a doctorate in that aspect. And that is why we look for our forwards to give him those opportunities in free kicks. That goal doesn’t surprise me because one day before we practiced it. I was even involved in it, I almost lost my head in the process. Everything you guys saw is the result of hard work which is being shown in these LIGA games. But making a quick recap: we beat a good team, we are close to the qualification, and the team continues to show things that continue to surprise me as a manager.”

How do you handle the mental aspect now in the final stages of the season? 

“I always work on the mental aspect. I you haven’t won anything yet then you can’t talk or party. We are still missing points in order to reach our first objective that we have set forth which is to qualify. And then id we have time then we have to work on a lot of different things for the playoffs. One thing is the regular season looking for a qualification but you have to work differently when you are searching for a more important objective like a championship. So this has me relaxed, makes me think about a lot of things. How they (the players) have demanded me to see options, variants, styles of play so that the rival won’t hurt us. Because from here on out, being on top will mean we are prey for the other teams. They will want to beat us really badly, it will be a challenge for them, and the team has to have a lot of variants, a lot of surprises which it is up to me to come up come up with them and teach the players so that we won’t fall.”

Last game you were very euphoric and today you were calm. Does this mean you prepared well for this game? And how is Hauche doing after all those fouls? 

“I did not celebrate a lot because they sent me a message that if I celebrated again they would throw me out. So I rather stay in the bench in order to best help my team. Not only Hauche, I think that all of them are in the ice bath right now. (Alfredo) ‘Chango’ Moreno came out with several knocks; they all came out with several knocks. But those knocks will disappear with the happiness of the win. Tomorrow they will be training thinking about our next objective which is Cruz Azul.”

Talk about the plan to play the same squad throughout the Copa MX:

“What you guys are seeing is not a casualty. It is due to the planning of a project. We started off working at the start of the season. We already had it all planned, the Copa, the league, friendly matches and without a doubt that harmony and unity with the club directors has given us (the opportunity) to set up this way. No matter what happened against Jaguares the boys were going to play until the end as a prize for their effort. Because I am testing them too, not only in the Copa matches. I am testing them to see who can give me the possibility of another variant in the league. I already have well identified who can help me out like Henry (Martin) today Elio Castro played. So my evaluation is not the Copa and it is all planned out. I am very happy because after returning to the fields again and see my team with a great attitude, see a team that plays good football, a vertical team, an offensive team, that scores goals and receives few it is to admire. I think this team has what it takes to be a historic team. But we have to work every day. So hopefully this team continues along this line to see the stadium, see the fans leave happy. It is what motivates us. So to the date we are very happy.”