Osasuna’s coach, Jagoba Arrasate, “happy and grateful” to all those who have trusted him, claims to have had “no doubt & rdquor; about his continuity in the club after the extension of his contract until 2024 was made official. This is how he acknowledges it in an interview with EFE in which he points out, however, that this issue is already “left behind & rdquor ;, and that the most recent is the tough defeat at the Camp Nou that “hurt us so much & rdquor ;.
“I asked for calm because we were in a process in which we had to talk about different issues. People keep congratulating me and I appreciate it. We are happy because this is the place where we want to be, here, and that is something that is not easy in professional football & rdquor ;, she said.
The club announced its continuity last week through a poster in the center of Pamplona, of which its protagonist thinks: “They told me a couple of days before, and I didn’t want to spoil the party. I was excited and shocked, but I also felt a bit ashamed & rdquor ;. “In Berriatua they suggest that I ask for the canvas to put it somewhere in the town & rdquor ;, he indicates between laughs about the enormous piece of cloth nine meters wide and 18 long that could be exhibited in some emblematic building in the Biscayan town.
Regarding the process between his agent and Osasuna, he affirms that he did not have “any” he doubts about continuing in the team, and that the conversations focused on “giving a twist to the work that is currently being carried outso various aspects were put on the table such as planning, management, day-to-day at Tajonar, the coaching staff…”.
“Doing a bit of self-criticism, we came to the conclusion that it was more appropriate to renew for two years. We already know each other and everything we are going to do becomes stronger & rdquor ;, it affects. Arrasate, who will be four years old this summer in the Navarran capital, assures that he had no “constancy & rdquor; of possible offers towards your person by other clubs, assuring that they did not lift “a finger for anything that was not to continue here & rdquor ;.
PERMANENCE AS A GOAL
About the youth squad’s debut as a starter Iker Benito against Barcelona he says: “We are happy with their performance. We lacked the Chimy; we understood that we were going to be subdued, and we needed depth and verticality. Iker is the winger with the best characteristics for it. He is training during the day, he will have more opportunities, and hopefully next year he will be in the first team.”
“There is a long way from staying in Europe. Putting the nose is complicated, so we will try to maintain our way of being, doing and connecting with people, but without ruling out anything & rdquor ;, he says about short-term goals.
It values and holds in high esteem “the sense of belonging & rdquor; that their fans keep towards the shield, highlighting the “communion & rdquor; that exists between the stands and the players, which extends to El Sadar. Osasuna accumulates 35 points in the standings, and Arrasate believes that they may lack a victory to close their presence for another year in the First Division. Then “there will be time to talk about other things, but we want to be ambitious and finish as high as possible.”
Jagoba Arrasate, along with Chimy Ávila in training
| EFE
“Finishing a campaign well means that the first day of preseason is already different; For that alone it is worth it. We will also have to see how Promises goes to know if we can count on a player in the last days & rdquor ;, he explains. Still with permanence in mind, Osasuna must “feel that need & rdquor; before him I raised to be able to bring a new joy to his public after the brilliant victory against Villarreal by 1-0.
The club has just announced the renewal of Chimy Ávila until 2026, a fact celebrated by its coach: “This is great news; the palpable proof that the player wants to stay here, and that the entity can undertake an operation of these characteristics & rdquor;. “It’s getting better and better. He is getting closer to that version that he showed us during the first six months, and I think we have to celebrate it & rdquor ;, he considers about a soccer player whom he values as “a fighter and a winner who has a gene that influences others, something truly remarkable & rdquor ;.
THE FUTURE OF SOME ‘HEAVYWEIGHTS’ OF THE STAFF
“The club is in good health and stability in the First Division. It is essential to maintain ourselves and have the financing of the televisions to be able to continue. We work in the present and in the future”, has responded when asked about the relevant movements made with respect to the players David García, Moncayola or Javi Martínez.
Of the possible exits in the summer, he maintains that it cannot be that “a player has a good season and nobody notices him; one thing leads to another & rdquor ;. “I value the day to day and how happy they are here. If later someone makes an irrefutable offer, we’ll see & rdquor;expresses about the great state of form of soccer players like Lucas Torro or David Garcia.
To be competitive, he thinks, Osasuna will have to make some changes; among others, in the preparation of the template. “We cannot stand still; football does not forgive, it evolves, and it is up to us to be prepared to improve in all areas & rdquor ;, he adds.
Captain Oier Sanjurjo and Íñigo Pérez will end their contract in June and Arrasate comments that they are in talks with them to “give them a voice and make a decision sooner rather than later”, without there being yet”nothing definitive”. On Robert Torreswho will end his contract with the team next year, acknowledges that “he has lost the prominence of the first three years, in which he proved to be a capital player”.
As for his preferred scheme, Arrasate opts for the 4-1-4-1: “It is the one that balances us the most; the lines are together and we are comfortable. Normally, we make the match difficult for the rival”.
The most expensive signing in the history of the club (eight million), Against Budimir he could return to the starting lineup this Saturday against Levanteto fatten up his records facing the goal after a first round in which “we could not count on him due to his pubic injury”, so he hopes that in the remainder of the competition “he will be relevant and score goals”.
“I think there will be few incorporations, but to improve we must get the ones we do right, regardless of the price”, tells about the summer market in which Osasuna will make some movement. El Sadar was named yesterday ‘Best stadium in the world in 2021’ by the Stadium Database website, an award it celebrates. “It is a joy that positive aspects of Osasuna are mentioned after some unpleasant news that we have had in recent times & rdquor ;.
His profession is one of the most stressful during game days, something that pushes him to escape to the Sierra de San Donato, a place “where I can be calm and think about my things.” “It is true that we lose hair, but there are people who tell me that in four years I have not changed and I am sure it will be in good health acquired by all the successes of the team & rdquor ;, he indicates about the competitive tension of his life, to which he adds : “In football or you live the present to the full… or if you deviate a little you hit it. You have to enjoy and suffer from the moment”.