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Gonzalo Pineda shares his coaching philosophy
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Of all the former assistant Sounders coaches, few have a place in fans’ hearts and minds as Gonzalo Pineda. After playing here for two years, Pineda joined the coaching staff in 2017 and was Brian Schmetzer’s top assistant until he was hired as Atlanta United’s head coach midway through 2021.
Pineda’s teams were never quite as successful as they seemed like the “should” be but they always played expansive soccer and actually posted a positive xGD in all three of the seasons where he was mostly in charge.
Niko and Jeremiah spent an hour talking with Gonzo about his philosophy, his thoughts on the Sounders and what he hopes to do next.
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Transcript
Introduction & Podcast Sponsor
00:00:01
Speaker
Hi, I'm Will Bruin, and I was just recognized as a Seattle Sounders legend. Now I get to do voice reads for the Sounder at Heart podcast network. Here we go. Come on. Hey, O'Shaan.
00:00:13
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Let's go. What a sorry, Bud Fry. The Seattle Sounders have done it. MLS Cup winners. Here comes Rui Diaz through the middle to crowd it for Seattle.
00:00:28
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The Saunders rule the region! Seattle Saunders is good! This feels fucking awesome. And Portland can't say it's genius! Nice work on your little
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Ooch of a gooch! All creatures great and small! Villaviga!
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Speaker
me
00:00:59
Speaker
you know What was the thought process in terms of who you decided to use and you didn't? Ever since I wrote a commentary that we didn't take the overcome seriously.
00:01:18
Speaker
This episode of Nos Arietes is sponsored by Full Pull Wines, a Seattle-based wine retailer and proud sponsor of Nos Arietes since 2011. Full Pull was founded in 2009, is based in Seattle, and is owned and operated by longtime Sounder supporters.
00:01:32
Speaker
They offer the best boutique wines of the world to members of their mailing list, with special focus on their home, Pacific Northwest.
00:01:43
Speaker
Welcome back to another episode of no started at this on the sounder at heart podcast network. This is a bit of a special episode. We're doing an episode of coaches corner, which is a show that Nico normally does.
Guest Introduction: Gonzalo Pineda
00:01:55
Speaker
I'm here with Nico Moreno and special guest Gonzalo Pineda, former sounders assistant, but much more recently the coach of, uh, uh where am i atlas atlas i was like it's not atlanta but he was previously atlanta but i got like in my head anyway and he's in atlanta he is in atlanta exactly this is all these atls that are and it's early here so i apologize for that but gonzo welcome to the show it's great having you oh thank you jeremiah and nico good to see you guys and yeah very happy to be here with you talking about football
00:02:32
Speaker
So we're going to get most of this show just to give people sort of a run of it is we're going be looking in more kind of broad picture what's going on and in from a coaching perspective.
00:02:44
Speaker
But before we get into that, I did. I feel like we have to ask you about the Sounders qualifying leagues cup yesterday. ah This is it felt like a big win. What did you make of the performance there?
00:02:55
Speaker
Yeah, honestly, especially the last couple years, I feel like a huge credit to, of course, to the players, but to Brian and his coaching staff. I think, you know, other than Pedro de la Vega, which is a fantastic player and finalist, he's having some consistency without injuries and all that. And you he's really showing his quality.
00:03:18
Speaker
Yeah. I think they haven't signed any major DP or something like that, like Raul Riddia's caliber or Nico Lodeiro.
00:03:31
Speaker
And Pedro should have been that one, but then the injury happened and and and the consistency part of of him wasn't quite there. And now it seems like it's getting better.
Sounders' Youth Development
00:03:45
Speaker
But The last couple of years, you could you can see Sounders relying a lot in in academy players, in in in young players that are doing great.
00:03:56
Speaker
And I think when that happens, it's it's a lot on on the coaches. It's said a lot on Preki, Andy, you know, and and all of them, Tommy.
00:04:08
Speaker
ah Freddy Juarez, it's on all of them. And of course, Brian, as as as the leader of that group, but ah you can see the their football ideas. And yesterday was...
00:04:21
Speaker
Very good. Especially the first half, I felt like the first half was ah little a little bit better. Second half, of course, ah l LA tried to press a little bit more, but the first half was really good. I watched most of the games of League's Cup.
00:04:37
Speaker
Cruz Azul was amazing. The second half was, you know, um just just for the books. So it was it was really good. Really, really good. It's been it's been amazing.
Gonzalo's Last Days with Sounders
00:04:49
Speaker
And so, ah you know, this was, I'm trying to remember you left right before the leagues cup in 2021. Is that right? Or do were you part, still part of the team? And when, and when leagues, when the centers played in leagues cup final last time,
00:05:04
Speaker
Yes, I honestly don't remember the stage of the tournament, but it was August and it was it was the game where Sounders beat Tigres 4-0 at home.
00:05:18
Speaker
at whole Yeah. welllasso from me know was That was earlier in the tournament. Yeah. Yeah. The last one from Nicolo there. And that, that should have been my last game on the bench, but then just arriving in the stadium, I got the COVID test and I, I turned positive. Right.
00:05:35
Speaker
So I went to my car and I had to depart and they then quarantine for one week and then flying to Atlanta. So yeah, it's, it's a funny story, but yeah, that, that should have been my last, my last game.
00:05:50
Speaker
That is, i had totally forgotten about that little detail. That was ah such a, it feels like such a long time ago. ah But what do you what have you made of this tournament in general? It's obviously evolved over the years.
00:06:03
Speaker
Do you, do you think this is a good thing? You were, you participated in on both sides now. What have you, what do you think of this? Is it a good thing for both leagues? Is it something that has more evolution to do?
Travel Demands on League MX vs MLS
00:06:15
Speaker
Yeah, look, I'm a bit more polite when I'm in Mexico, but to you guys, I'm going to be honest, it's completely unfair. It's a completely unfair tournament for League MX. I mean,
00:06:27
Speaker
ah the the teams are quite even. I mean, it's hard to tell, you know, Inter Miami versus Tigres, home and away, who's going to win.
00:06:38
Speaker
it's it' It's hard. Or Cincinnati or Columbus or, you know, it's... it's it's there it's quite there but if you take the advantage of you know in our case uh we played in monterey away a lot of humidity heed all that then come back to guadalajara then fly to miami heat humidity then fly to orlando heat humidity and then fly to atlanta turf all these things the stadium was open so it was a little bit of humidity
00:07:14
Speaker
um and then come back to Mexico to play your home game. You know, all of these six trips, ah six travels and in two weeks.
00:07:25
Speaker
It's is five games in two weeks. is is super crazy It's crazy for Mexico. Us... Inter Miami stay in Miami the whole the whole tournament and they are at home and they can train wherever they want. And at the time they want, they don't travel.
00:07:41
Speaker
Orlando the same. So it's it's quite unfair for Mexican teams. And that I think is is a differential. it's a ah Something has to happen where at some point in some stage,
00:07:54
Speaker
hidden and MLS have to play in Mexico too, just to even out things. Other than that, it's a nice tournament. I think we're both excited to play and against each other. I think it was better just playing and MLS teams and MLS teams only playing League MX. I think that was an improvement.
00:08:10
Speaker
But other than that, I think it's quite unfair. When it comes to the Sounders game, and I know you watch a lot of Sounders game, if I'm not mistaken, when you see the...
00:08:24
Speaker
the young players and the that commitment, because you've you've been on that coaching staff, you know, the commitment of the club to not just develop young talent, but to build a pipeline that allows them to become usual contributors with the minutes together.
00:08:44
Speaker
Is that kind of the the foundation, the secret, what what makes the Sounders the Sounders that ah maybe they don't have to consistently go and come out of pocket to buy, you know, ah designated players or, you know, a whole bunch of foreign players because they have this sustainable way of fulfilling the rosters consistently?
00:09:11
Speaker
Well, I think... I'm sorry to always ah come back to Brian, but everything comes to Brian. I mean, all all the ways go to Rome, all the ways go to Brian, you know?
00:09:24
Speaker
ah it's It's... Brian always figured out how to win. And that's the thing. Whether you have an experienced team with a bunch of experienced players, foreign players like 2016, he wins.
00:09:41
Speaker
And then you have two fantastic DPs like Raul and Nico, you win. And now you don't have that. And he's finding ways to win. and And that's Brian.
00:09:53
Speaker
Now, when when it comes to to developing talent, you have to take an eye to the scouting process that they have with college because most of the teams nowadays, they don't look at college.
00:10:10
Speaker
to fulfill that part of the team, that that part of the roster. And this comes from even Christian Roldan coming from UW.
00:10:22
Speaker
I remember Brian sending me to Seattle U to watch Alex Roldan. He was a number 10 and I was there Watching Alex and and some others, I mean, there were many players coming from college that we were watching and then taking tryouts in the summer.
00:10:41
Speaker
um ah For example, um the center back, the tall center back now, complete Jackson Reagan was there. ah Paul Rothrock, which i I knew from academies, but also I knew from college coming one week in this summer, whatever.
00:10:59
Speaker
And we were training them. with the team. So ah that part, you have to to to give credit to Brian that always keep an eye on on colleges and ah kids, especially kids from Seattle that went to college and he follows up. and So now you see if for me,
00:11:21
Speaker
great watching whether it's Nuhu. Nuhu came to Saunders 2 and came through some sort of academy system and then watching Jackson Regan and then yesterday Reed Baker Whiting coming from the bench and then Obed Vargas and then Christian Roland and then ah Paul Rothrock and ah then some other kid that I don't even know his his name. I never met Barrel or something like that.
00:11:47
Speaker
Snyder Ronell. Yeah, ah there are a lot of those. And then i watch a game where a center back 70 year old, which I don't know ah the name, 70 year old center back debut. Hawkins.
00:12:03
Speaker
Yes, Stuart, that kid. and And then, you know, you you see that. And Jordan Morris is another one coming from college. growing in academy system in Seattle. I mean, ah it's fantastic. It's great to watch that. And you can see again, great to the players because it always comes to the players, but great to the, to the coaching
Obed Vargas' Future Prospects
00:12:26
Speaker
staff. I mean, it's, it's amazing.
00:12:28
Speaker
Yeah. And look, we're going to get obviously, cause I, I'm not going to allow you to get off this segment without asking you about the final with Sounders and, and enter Miami, but, I did want to ask you a little bit about Obed Vargas and, and, you know, his future and, you know, you know him well, he's holding up to make that,
00:12:50
Speaker
step into Europe. You know, he's been very vocal about not wanting to go anywhere, you know, but Europe. What do you make of his talent, his potential, and, you know, his decision making to, you know, he's done a lot of things, right? He's switched from the U.N. Smith's National Federation, the U.S. Federation, the Mexican Federation.
00:13:11
Speaker
he seems like he's a guy that's very ah methodical about the way he handles his future. So just just your take on him in general. Well, before I go to that, I forgot completely forgot my boy, Danny Leyva.
00:13:25
Speaker
Danny, my boy, and and I completely forgot about him. The other day, he had, what, three assists, and and they yes the penalty was on him, right? So, yeah, it it was amazing to watch it. And then there was another game where he gave a fantastic assist.
00:13:40
Speaker
ah Well, not an assist in Cruz Azul, that he put the ball on top of the court, who scored his goal. So... um Very good on set pieces, Danny, but yeah, good to see.
00:13:51
Speaker
Then, yeah, Obed. Obed, it's super talented. I mean, a couple teams in Mexico asked me about him and, hey, what is he about and all these, and and they were serious on intentions to trying to sign him, and um I think he's he's just um improving quickly ah consistently his game.
00:14:19
Speaker
um you When you first watch Obed, you never knew that he was that powerful physically. I mean, he he made his debut at 15, so you can see he had yeah some physical attributes to cope with the intensity of and MLS, but ah what you see nowadays is a super complete and modern ah center midfielder.
00:14:43
Speaker
um I think when you look at his quads, The way he improved squats is amazing. Now I met him as ah as a teenager and, well, 14, 15 years old. And and and now ah he's a man.
00:14:58
Speaker
ah Physically, he's a man. And, and well, he is ah very capable of... ah player from the back of receiving in between the lines of connecting passes very well aware of time and space which is fantastic I'm sure I'm completely sure Preki top of him all the time uh watching him the way his angles and all these because Preki is super good on that um time in the space and look over your shoulder and all these and, and, and Brian loves vision.
00:15:32
Speaker
And, uh, and I'm sure, uh, he's developing a lot on that. And then you see the the power he has, he's able to receive the ball and go at people and dribble past people with power.
00:15:46
Speaker
And, uh, and that's something that surprised me a little bit when I, I've been watching his development. Um, um, So, yeah, and and the last part to me and the most important part is the personality, the mentality that the kid has.
00:16:01
Speaker
I remember that game against Pumas, painful, a little bit painful to me and a little bit happy that final Pumas. Versus Sounders in CCL and Joe Paolo got his seniority ACL and then the kid comes and it was just light.
00:16:20
Speaker
It was just just unstoppable. and And I was, oh my God, this kid coming in this stage and performing that way, it's going to be amazing. Yeah. And yeah, the personality and and and the humility that that that but he has is amazing.
00:16:38
Speaker
um So for me, no rush, no rush on signing, on going to Europe, on this. ah ah focus on playing focus on continued improvement listen to brian listen to preki to undy to freddy juarez to all of them ah listen to them ah be coachable uh perform and then the offers will come whatever it is Let your agent to do that job.
00:17:04
Speaker
You focus on playing. And that's my advice for a bet. But you never know. You never know when it's going to be his last game for Sounders. You never know because a good offer can come at any moment and Sounders may take it and and then he will be gone. So he needs to enjoy his time Seattle and continue the improvement because when the level goes up and if at some point he's going to play in Europe,
00:17:32
Speaker
All these little details of a bad angle, bad tone, lack of vision, not looking over your shoulder, not receiving the ball in the pockets, and all these little details will make the difference between...
00:17:46
Speaker
go to a different level or ah staying there coming back to MLS. So ah that has to be his mentality on preparing for the big big moments in his career and and whether it's national team with Mexico, which I'm very proud that he picked Mexico, by the way, and then or Europe, you know, so no rush for me. He has time and and I think he's doing well.
00:18:12
Speaker
you What do you make of the way that this has been received in Mexico or what do you make of it yourself that he seems to have been pretty clear about his desire not to go to Mexico, but to go to Europe as his next step that he sort of sees going to Liga Mackey's as a lateral move. Whereas he feels like, look, if I'm going to leave the Sounders, I want to go to someplace that's clearly a step above it.
00:18:37
Speaker
Well, um, I don't want to say that league MX is ahead of MLS because it's it's not clear. I just said that it's kind of even, but there are things that ML league MX has that and MLS don't have like the pressure, the pressure with the fans, with the system, the environment is something different.
00:18:59
Speaker
So if he goes to a big club like cruises, who Lord Tigris or Monterey or club America, which I, I hope he doesn't go to club America, but yeah, something like that um he will have to perform it's different when you're a kid and and people expect you to play whatever because you're a kid you're coming from you're homegrown and and and people loves you so whether you have a mistake and no problem you know you keep it up
00:19:32
Speaker
In Liga MX, if you don't perform one or two games, you have two bad mistakes, people go at you. you are the You are a reinforcement. You are you're ah an addition to the big team and you have to perform. You have to fight for your spot and you have to perform other It's not 34 weeks, 34 games. It's 17 games.
00:19:54
Speaker
Every match matters. ah If you lose one game, that may be the difference between making playoffs or not. And it's super intense. And that intensity, that pressure might be good for him, you know, ah to prepare for Europe as ah as a step forward.
00:20:11
Speaker
um in between those those two those two objectives, right? so um But yeah again, that's more his agent, that's more you know other people, ah even Sounders, I think Sounders,
00:20:27
Speaker
ah will try to help Obed with the best possible decision. I think Brian is super wise. You know, Brian is someone that I rely always on asking for his opinion on things because he's extremely wise and and he can give a good advice to Obed on that. But um eventually...
00:20:49
Speaker
He has to play, he has to perform, he has to go to the national team and and try to do well now that he's going to that World Cup. And, you know, I don't know. he he He has to let his people do those decisions and to make those decisions on on things and when to go and which teams are better for him and and all this.
00:21:12
Speaker
He has to play.
00:21:16
Speaker
ah Gonzo, I did want to get on if to try to conclude the Sounders portion of this. ah Huge game for the Sounders here at home.
Sounders vs Inter-Miami Tactical Preview
00:21:28
Speaker
Lionel Messi, Inter-Miami. what What do you make of this game? And you know how on on one end you got this collectiveness of play in terms of the Sounders ah with the group that relies on that.
00:21:45
Speaker
And then a a team like Inter-Miami with Lionel Messi, with a dribble to Paul and all of this, this stars, you know, what do you make of that game? Well, I was about to say something, but now I'm going to save it for private.
00:22:01
Speaker
ah ah There's always another factor with Inter-Miami that ah comes in play, but. Oh, yes. Yeah. ah but other than that, um, yeah, huge game. I Inter Miami has a fantastic team, uh, well coached and, um, and yeah, it's, it's a good final.
00:22:23
Speaker
Um, and, um, and yeah, that, that factor of Leo Messi, of course, it comes to place. He's, um, he continues to uh amaze uh the fans with you always think oh leonel you know he's getting older and how many games he will play and he continues playing playing and performing and yesterday was another testament for that and and He's impactful.
00:22:55
Speaker
He's extremely impactful even at his age where you can you may think that he's coming just to play half of the games or just three quarters of the game and and not being as impactful as before, but he's not. He's performing. He's playing and he's delivering ah goals and assists. And well, that that magic that surrounds Messi, of course, is something you have to...
00:23:23
Speaker
to take in consideration. Now, yesterday, Nuhu took a red card, which is going to be, you know, that left side where he loves to be in that little pocket in between left back and center back and a little bit in the middle. So now, I don't know if Reid is going to be the the guy who's going to take him or who's going to try to who take ah um a match with Messi. I as assume Nuhu was...
00:23:48
Speaker
was very important for that game plan. But um now we will see. ah I think the other part is, at times I feel like Messi is also a distractor because he attracts the the attention of so many guys.
00:24:04
Speaker
But then you have to keep an eye on Rodrigo de Paul. You have to keep an eye on Busquets. You have to keep an eye on... Jordi Alba coming always, overlapping always on that left side, and they have a huge connection between Busquets and Messi with Jordi Alba in behind, in behind the the right back.
00:24:22
Speaker
And then that connection, Jordi Alba, that pass, lateral pass to Messi on top of the box, and then Messi playing first-time shot on frame normally is a goal and that connection between those three and of course Luis Suarez with Messi, Busquets, those diagonals that he makes and those through balls that they can play but is you think it's always Messi and Messi and Messi and you are always keeping an eye on Messi because he's walking and he doesn't seem to be too dangerous years walking right but then the moment
00:24:57
Speaker
Paul goes to him, he makes magic, and and and the people around him kind of takes that attraction from Messi, and then they they appear in different pockets.
00:25:11
Speaker
And De Paul now is a new addition, super talented center midfielder. um So it's going to be a tough match, but um again, Brian Schmetzer always finds a way to win.
00:25:26
Speaker
Yeah, it is kind of a remarkable... what I guess this is we'll close on this as far as Sounders go, and then we can we can move into other stuff. But I just really want to get an insight and ah from someone who has worked with him and observed him so much.
00:25:40
Speaker
What does Brian do that is ah that allows him to succeed over such a long period of time and with such different sort of talent around him, ah the different kind of players that he has at his disposal?
00:25:55
Speaker
Like, it doesn't seem like he's... committed to a system per se. There's something else going on here.
Brian Schmetzer's Leadership Style
00:26:02
Speaker
Yes. Once again, ah i think everything comes to leadership and mentality from Brian.
00:26:09
Speaker
I think... For him, you know, Dules 1 a stat that he always paying attention. and And that tells you a lot of what he's looking at the players.
00:26:23
Speaker
He's looking at type of ah those type of players that deliver. And deliver in a good way. First, tough to beat. You know, Brian always talked about that. Always being a team that is tough to beat.
00:26:36
Speaker
And from there, you can build something. And that being tough to beat has... A lot of characteristics as a player and as a team is is ah being aggressive, is being ah intense.
00:26:51
Speaker
you know You have to show your intensity, do your job. ah You have to win your duels, match the intensity of the opponent. But the most important thing is the mentality.
00:27:01
Speaker
You have to have a good mentality in that way. Good mentality is not the one that is when we are winning 4-0, then I'm trying to do a nutmeg and I'm super nice and tricky. No, it's when you're losing 2-0, that's where you're going to show if you're ah you have a good mentality or not. You continue fighting, never quit, never surrender.
00:27:22
Speaker
Saunders never quit. That's the number one rule. And you always fight till the end, till the end, till the end. Over time, when you pass the years, not just one season, 34 games, whatever, over time, when you create that culture, that mentality of never surrender, never quit, always fight till the end, every ball matters, every every run matters, making your job,
00:27:45
Speaker
You have this, you have a culture of a team that doesn't matter who's on the field. Now, I don't know if you have noticed, but so many rotations in the last, I don't know, 10 games and and rotations and rotations and I see and and the performance is this, is this, it's is it's very similar.
00:28:06
Speaker
Yeah. Um, so, um, I think, I think that's Ryan that's creating a culture over time that, uh, is tough to beat is always competitive.
00:28:17
Speaker
And when you have a little bit of that magic confront and on on, on on the front part of the team, you score a bunch of goals, but the other part is you receive very little goals because ah the defense is always key for Brian.
00:28:32
Speaker
And that balance gives you this this this type of culture and this type of teams.
00:28:40
Speaker
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00:28:53
Speaker
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Speaker
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00:30:31
Speaker
Gonzo, as we move a little bit towards you and make that shift, you know, the Coach's Corner's and idea that Jeremiah and I kind of came up with too. get more into the coaches and not not just the tactical stuff, but, but the mental component of it.
00:30:46
Speaker
And I'm very curious to hear from your words, you know, what what your experience has been as after your first two projects.
Gonzalo's Coaching Philosophy
00:30:55
Speaker
I recall as it was yesterday, how many times you and I talked about,
00:31:00
Speaker
what you wanted to do because you've always been such a tactician, such a ah video guy, such a guy that was such influence on Christian Roldan and everybody around you because of your tactical brilliance.
00:31:13
Speaker
But it definitely hasn't been easy. So how would you describe, you know, the challenges? Was anything more difficult than you expected? You know, what what is it that... you would say about this, you know, your Atlanta time, i at less time and then your overall take on, you know, what's been ah head coach?
00:31:33
Speaker
Well, it's a, it's a very nice question. Uh, very good question. Um, it's tough to,
00:31:42
Speaker
to condense um four years of career in 20 seconds of my answer. But so um I would say that I'm different. I've been always different. As a player, I was always different. As a person, I consider myself different to the rest of the people. Not many close friends.
00:32:04
Speaker
umm I'm a person that loves privacy. I'm a person that loves... listening, you know, ah classical music or opera or trova, which is my favorite music is Latin American music, but more poetic, more, um you know, Silvio Rodriguez. I mean, I mean, um um I'm kind of different to people that listen reggaeton, for example. So I'm i'm different. My my my things my my things are are different to other people. It's just, just, I'm different.
00:32:33
Speaker
And in football, it happens the same. I mean, i love winning, of course, as as anyone loves winning. but But I'm more of,
00:32:45
Speaker
I don't know, but I have this utopia in my mind to play beautiful football. and to play always the way I want to play. And in that sense, I'm a little bit different to Brian because Brian, again, he delivers, he finds a way, he's tough mentality and always finds a way to win. And he adapts to his players and, and whether it's four, two, three, one, or whether it's a four, three, three, or whether it is a back line of five, which we did in, I think 2019 or something like that, or 2020,
00:33:18
Speaker
um And he adapts. He adapts to the... I'm not. I'm more of a coach that has a philosophy of playing, a way of playing, and I try to adapt my players to that that system. Of course, I'm flexible whether it's back four, whether it's back five. I'm i'm flexible with the system, but I'm not flexible with player from the back. I'm not flexible with high pressure. I'm not flexible with intensity.
00:33:46
Speaker
There are non-negotiables in my teams and having the ball more than the opponent, end trying to be the team with more goals more goals created, I'm sorry,
00:33:59
Speaker
chances created. I'm, I'm, I have this utopia in my mind that I want to deliver. So it's not just about winning. It's about winning in my way to, to, to try to provide a good product to, you know, you love a team that, that tries to play from the back that likes to attack that is fun to watch.
00:34:19
Speaker
And I want to deliver that. So I feel like in my, time in in Atlanta, we we did that. We kind of did that in many, many parts of of of my time in Atlanta.
00:34:32
Speaker
I mean, the first part was amazing. No one did more points than us, and I think we were playing very good football in that 2021 year. one game, unfortunately one game versus New York City in the playoffs in Yankee Stadium, ah two set pieces, and we were out. But it was a very, very good team with very good players, and eventually New York City was the champion that year.
00:35:00
Speaker
And then, you know, the next year, which should have been the continuation or or the the next step of the evolution of that group of players, I mean, we had a few changes earlier,
00:35:14
Speaker
In terms of players, um Marco departed to to River Plate and then Thiago came in, which Thiago was amazing.
00:35:24
Speaker
ah But then ah George Velo left too and center backs. I think Anton Wokes goes to Charlotte, rest in peace. uh, Anton, uh, and, and then suddenly the team changed a little bit.
00:35:39
Speaker
And, uh, and then the injuries happened. I mean, I tried to bring the best center mid possible. Then I brought, uh, Aussie Alonso. And then in the fourth game, he does his ACL.
00:35:50
Speaker
And then I lose Brad Goussan with Achilles in the eighth game. And then Miles Robinson in the eighth game, in the 10th game, Achilles for miles and the third goalkeeper,
00:36:01
Speaker
Aquiles in preseason, and then my second goalkeeper, which was number one by then, he decided to retire to go to college. So I suddenly, in the middle of the season, I had non-goalkeepers.
00:36:13
Speaker
And then had my best center back, my best center mid, and then Joseph did his injury too. So he was out for 10 weeks.
Coaching Pressures: Mexico vs US
00:36:20
Speaker
So a lot of these things happened. And then that' year in terms of results, was a disaster.
00:36:26
Speaker
In terms of results, was... you know, very bad, but the game and the football that we played, I think it was really good. I think consider the circumstances in that we continue trying to play off in the back. We did that.
00:36:41
Speaker
And we were one of the teams with a better balance between expected goals and expected goals against and possession of the ball. So again, ah we tried that. And then the next year when all players,
00:36:53
Speaker
the new players came in in the, in the 24th game against Seattle. Uh, I think it was the 25th game against Seattle. We beat them to zero in, in central link.
00:37:04
Speaker
Um, uh, now it's Lumenfield. I'm sorry. Uh, we beat them there. That was the first game with all my new players. The first game of Yakumaki is the first game of Sava.
00:37:16
Speaker
I think Sava didn't even play was Shandy. Uh, and we started that game. So it was the, first game, the last 10 games, and we did good things. We played good football with that that team.
00:37:28
Speaker
And eventually we did the playoffs, we made the playoffs, and and we had this unfortunate ah thing to to face, Columbus, one of the best teams, in my opinion. The the team that plays the better football is Columbus nowadays. I think is in MLS, it's the number one since three years ago.
00:37:48
Speaker
And and and the and And we faced them and they were really good. Three matches. We lost away to zero. Tiago wasn't there. He took cut a red card in the last game of the season.
00:38:02
Speaker
So we didn't have Tiago and we played really bad. We deserved to lose the next game. We beat them for two at home. And then the last match we lost for two in Columbus. But I felt that we deserved to win that one.
00:38:17
Speaker
So again, we played good football and we lost again against the ah champion. and the But I think the team tried to play in that way and did that.
00:38:29
Speaker
And when you look at the stats in terms of possession, expected goals, all these stats that people love, um I think it it shows that we try to play in that way. So and with Atlas, I tried the same.
00:38:42
Speaker
I tried the same. And we certainly wasn't as successful and and as good as we did in Atlanta. um but you see some stats like it was the best goals for a team in the last season.
00:39:00
Speaker
It was ah the second best ah numbers of goals scored for the club in the last 10 years. wow. So we scored a bunch of goals, a lot of goals. Unfortunately, we conceded also a lot of goals and we couldn't make the playoffs and all these, but we were a team that,
00:39:20
Speaker
was fun to watch, was scoring a lot of goals. This season, I left the team with seven goals in in three games. So it was it was a good average. I think ah that's that's what I want.
Gonzalo's Coaching Journey: Atlas & Atlanta
00:39:35
Speaker
I don't know if I will win at some point because I want trophies, I want to win, I want to deliver trophies, of course, as anyone, but I want to do it on my way. I want to do it with good football. I want to do it in this way. So...
00:39:48
Speaker
Once again, when you come to results and you see my average points per game and all these, well, it may tell one story, but I look at it ah different. I look at it as always trying to play good football, always trying to play the way want.
00:40:01
Speaker
And I think in many parts of my time as a head coach, I think it happened that way.
00:40:09
Speaker
Yeah, and if you do look at it, I will say, just to kind of back up what you're saying, you you look at the... Atlanta had a positive XG difference, ah meaning you were generating more expected goals than you were allowing all three of the... Or but at least the last three years that you were there.
00:40:25
Speaker
i mean, that's that's... To me, that's that's mostly coaching. Like, that's that's the stuff that... you You can control as a coach. That's the stuff that you your your job is to help create chances and to help limit chances. Right.
00:40:37
Speaker
You can't actually do the scoring. You can't actually save the shots. But I mean, I think that's a that's a testament to you. ah But, in you know, one of the things that always strikes me looking at League Amekis is just how quickly how fast the turnover in coaches is.
00:40:54
Speaker
It just seems like there are coaches, like there is no tolerance for ah project. ah It is, it's, you're either winning right now or you're done. And I guess how, how does that weigh way on? and yet there's coaches that seem to be addicted to sort of this, this, ah you know, this sausage grinder kind of like, what is the atmosphere like for a coach in, in Mexico?
00:41:18
Speaker
Yeah. It's life or death every day. It's life or death. everyday matters Every matters. matters. And yes, it's a lot of adrenaline, a lot of pressure, a lot of things. And ah for me, what I told my my staff ah was, guys, we don't know how much time we will be here. The average is six months, seven months, I think, the average for coaches.
00:41:44
Speaker
um For example, I was three years in Atlanta. And there are no coaches in Mexico that have been right now three years. I think the guy that has been the most is Club America, Jardine, which been more than two years, but not three years.
00:42:01
Speaker
And he won three trophies in a row. So other than that, most of the coaches have been just assigned right now, this season, or just the last couple of weeks, or at the end of last year.
00:42:16
Speaker
There are not many coaches that come from even one tournament ago, one season ago, which is six months. It's not one year. You remember there are two tournaments per year in Mexico. So it's crazy.
00:42:28
Speaker
And so I told my my staff, you guys, we don't know how how long we will be here because it happens. but So let's enjoy every day. Let's have fun. Let's put the work every day and, and let's try to do the best with the time that we have, uh, the time that we don't have, we don't control.
00:42:47
Speaker
We have the time that we have and that's it. We can control that time. Right. So, um, We did that. I think ah one of the things that make me more proud is the connections that we did in such a ah little period of time.
00:43:04
Speaker
It was amazing. It was the connections with all the staff, with the players, with and with the people working and and the offices. It was really, really good. All the text messages you receive at the end is just amazing.
00:43:18
Speaker
And and then Yes, the the work itself, it was good because we received a very good group of players, a hardworking group, very different from, i mean, guys, I've been in the U.S. almost 11 years now by now. I arrived to Seattle in 2014 and then I've been out.
00:43:38
Speaker
So then things change and people tell me players are different now and all these things and and you always get these things this thing of these comments of, oh, Americans are way more professional than Mexicans. And and in the US, everything is more professional and all this.
00:43:59
Speaker
And yeah, it's quite professional here in MLS. And yes, the the Americans are very professional, of course. But When my experience in Mexico, Mexicans are as as good as as as Americans in terms of professionalism, in terms of, you know, arriving at time, of in terms of of doing his duty.
00:44:21
Speaker
ah You tell them, hey, go to gym, they go to gym. if You tell them, hey, make these runs, they make these runs, whatever you tell them. Atlas players, they did.
00:44:32
Speaker
There is no complaints about the players at all. They were always disciplined, always ah hard workers, always wanting to, eager to improvement, ah very professional, very professional environment.
00:44:47
Speaker
And so that surprised me a little bit because I heard all these comments of other coaches of, oh no, you're going to, it's going to be a disaster for you. And, and, and you are,
00:44:59
Speaker
you are used to have professional player, never one, one problem, not even one. So, it's it It was really good. But yeah, ah coming back to your question, yeah, it's a lot of pressure, Jeremiah, a lot of pressure. What I told about Abed, you know, coming to Liga MX is like that, is you lose one game.
00:45:20
Speaker
For example, and my last period with Atlas, the first three matches I had, it was Querétaro, I'm sorry, Puebla away, we win. Then Cruz Azul at home, we are winning Cruz Azul 2-0, then 2-2, then we're winning 3-2, and in the last minute of the game, they equalized So people comments were kind of, yeah, it was good, you know, to cope with Cruz Azul is really good team and all these things.
00:45:52
Speaker
um But we time, but, but it's good. We're, we are showing something. We scored three goals against Cruz Azul, three goals against Puebla, like is, is doing well. Then we go to Monterey.
00:46:04
Speaker
And we are winning 1-0. I think 15 minutes, we are winning away against Monterey, which is kind of top and And then ah very very bad mistake from one of my players passed back to the goalkeeper, but intercepted by Tecatito Corona.
00:46:22
Speaker
He goes on the on inside the box, penalty, red card. So one one red card at 20th minute of the game. And then you ended up losing three one But we considered the goals at the end. Like like we fought and we tried and we were keeping 1-0, 1-0, 1-0 until it was not possible.
00:46:44
Speaker
ah But the vibes and the comments of people was... Yeah, we're but in a good track. We're doing good because, you know, we are coping with the big teams.
00:46:54
Speaker
Then you go to Miami. And then in Miami, we did a fantastic game against Inter Miami. I mean, we had some clear chances they had too because, again, they have a very good team. But I felt like it was even.
00:47:07
Speaker
So we were 1-0 losing. Then we equalized 1-1. And then we are there, we are there. It felt like we were closer to score the second one rather than Miami.
00:47:20
Speaker
And then we go, we go, we go. We felt that we were in penalties because actually the referee said six minutes and at six minutes, 10 seconds, they scored a goal.
00:47:31
Speaker
And then they beat us. So rather than ah equalize one one, you go to penalties, maybe you win Inter Miami, the vibes go, oh, Atlas beats Inter Miami, whatever.
00:47:43
Speaker
It goes quite the opposite for 10 seconds addition to Inter Miami, right? Well, whatever. The vibes were good. Then I made this decision to rotate the whole team against Orlando.
00:47:58
Speaker
We were good again, 1-1, and then two critical mistakes, 3-1, we lost the game. And then everything seemed to be like this. Everything seemed to be all the comments, no, really bad, what a disaster, ah losing two matches in League Cup. All the comments and the vibes were super, extremely negative in three days.
00:48:18
Speaker
And then you go to Atlanta, we had a disaster of ah match against Atlanta. Disaster. We were really, really, really poor. um I'm reflecting in a lot of things on what I could have done better, my line of choices, all these things.
00:48:33
Speaker
It was a game where none of the teams we were fighting for something. For me, it was more taking rhythm for the next match in League MX and then taking care of physical players and all these things.
00:48:45
Speaker
But we lost bad, bad, like really bad performance. But in in in the Liga MX, we were good. We were okay. Like we we've had a game at home and if we win that one, we were okay. We were in a good position. We were actually in playoffs position.
00:49:04
Speaker
But the vibes were so bad, so, so bad in the comments and the fans and even internally a little bit, not the players, but internally wasn't great. The vibe wasn't good. So,
00:49:17
Speaker
We ended up losing at home and everything was a disaster. Everything in, in, in one week, in one week, everything from coming from good vibes, everything went to a disaster, but bad is massive.
00:49:30
Speaker
And, and that is something that again, ah MLS don't have MLS. don't do you don't feel that type of pressure from everyone around, right? You have a couple bad performances you say, hey, yeah, but you have ah ah still a lot of season, it's still early in the season and all these things.
00:49:49
Speaker
So you can work with a project. but you can You have the time to test players. You have time to to see which one works better, which one is your your difference maker as a self.
00:50:01
Speaker
and And in League MX, you don't have that time. You don't have that luxury. You have to deliver right away or you're dead. And Gonzo, obviously...
00:50:13
Speaker
I know you're man of integrity. I've known you a long time. And that's why i' not going to like ask you about Atlas or the coaching stuff. They're nothing, but I did want to know because you're a passionate guy. You're a guy that it's highly intelligent.
00:50:27
Speaker
When you make the decision to, to step down, was it because of that pressure, the vibe, like what, what drives you?
Decision to Leave Atlas
00:50:35
Speaker
What, what goes into, you know, you making that decision to, you know, take the step away from Atlas.
00:50:41
Speaker
Look, there were a lot of things. Number one, it was kind of the, the understanding that I wasn't delivering, you know, my pride as a coach, my, my,
00:50:57
Speaker
my integrity and my dignity as I've been trying and we were good, but every match we concede three goals, four goals. and And that cannot happen.
00:51:09
Speaker
that That can happen to this club because actually the president and the sporting director are amazing guys, amazing people, super, super nice people, decent and and and just good heart people.
00:51:23
Speaker
And I felt like I was in depth to them. But also I felt like maybe, you know, ah if there was someone inside the club or in the front office that wasn't confident that I was the right guy for the project,
00:51:44
Speaker
In Mexico, normally coaches, you stay until they fire you because then you can get that money away from, you know, ah those extra three months or whatever. And it's good money for everyone, right? So it's not, and it's it's something like I never liked to do.
00:52:05
Speaker
I never wanted to be in a place not and wherere where there is someone that don't like me there or don't want me there. and And ah staying only because they cannot fire me because they will have to pay a lot of money to me and then they will have to hire a new coach and they will have to deliver a lot of money. So then they stay.
00:52:27
Speaker
And I never wanted that. So for me, it was, okay, guys, here is my resignation. If you take it, because you are not for sure that I'm the right guy and you feel like right now I help the team more without being here, you know, ah it's okay.
00:52:43
Speaker
You take it. I don't ask for any money. You just... We're just shaking hands and that's it. i't um I'm not receiving any money, actually. so Or do you say, no, Gonzo, you are our work guy.
00:52:59
Speaker
We want you here. Let's continue and let's go. And that didn't happen. So my my reading, what I was feeling in terms of the context, the media, the fans, and a little bit, you know, if there was someone in the front office that wasn't confident that I was the right guy, then I didn't want to be there.
00:53:22
Speaker
You know, i needed i needed that full support from everyone that I was the right guy, that they were with me the whole package. And and i was feeling that vibe that maybe wasn't quite there.
00:53:37
Speaker
And I didn't want to, again, ah stay there just because of the money. I didn't want to do that. So ah it was a little bit of dignity, a little bit of appreciation for the people that trusted in me and and not to, ah you know, it's so bad, the feeling when you feel you are in a place and you are only because...
00:53:57
Speaker
whatever, but not because people want you there. People are we committed with you and people is, no. And it it wasn't the players. The players were fully committed. i cannot complain about the players. It was more the environment, the media, the fans, and, you know, eventually maybe the front office it wasn't quite sure that I was the right guy.
00:54:19
Speaker
So I did that because of that. Gonzalo, I could talk to you for hours, but I know that Jeremiah probably wants to conclude this some point here soon. ah But I maybe have one more, but ah Jeremiah, do you have ah anything? No, go ahead. No, go go shoot.
00:54:36
Speaker
Fire away. Well, I'm just, I'm i'm wondering, Gonzalo, how do you go about the next job? Because if there's anything that I know is that
00:54:45
Speaker
Gonzo is a coach and he's going to be a coach, right? I mean, I just, I feel it. I see it. um I think you're built for it. ah Is there a need to rush?
00:54:58
Speaker
Do you have a ah specific situation? desire to either you know go back to MLS or stay in League IMAX because you feel like, I don't know, you have something to prove?
00:55:10
Speaker
um Or you know what's that mentality in terms of your next job? Well, number one, and I don't want to mix things because in mexico it's crazy. In Mexico, the media, you know, put your words in a very different context and then they have a different version of things and completely different. So one time I told media that that it was this period of time was very difficult for me and my family because we were separated and and having teenagers in high school with all the kids
00:55:45
Speaker
things that happened in that period of your life ah and and I wasn't there. It was really difficult for my family, for my kids, my wife and me being away. And then they said that that was the reason I resigned, which is completely false.
00:56:01
Speaker
ah But coming to your question, i think my family will take a little bit of priority in this case. So I want to be with my family ah as much as I can.
00:56:13
Speaker
so that means I will try to get a job in in in the US and I hope I have the luxury to do that because you're always up to you know the the teams that want you there, that want to to follow ah your ideas.
00:56:33
Speaker
and and And if I can choose, I will choose her a team in the U.S.
Future Coaching Aspirations in the US
00:56:40
Speaker
But I agree with you. I'm a coach. I feel like this is something that is ah more my call. That's how you say, professor right? And and it's it's my call to be a coach. And I feel I discovered this in my time in Atlanta.
00:56:57
Speaker
I think I discovered that this is what I want to do. Not because, again, because of the trophies, because of being ah the guy that goes as the best manager in the world and all this. That's not my goal.
00:57:12
Speaker
My goal is to make better players and better people. And I feel like that's my goal. That's what I want to do. I want to develop...
00:57:24
Speaker
not just players, but good good human beings. That's my contribution that that I want to make. And of course, if I can win a couple of trophies here and there, that will be amazing. But my goal is to, you know, for example, the they work, not just me, because it's not just about me, it's about the coaching staff and everyone in the club, but but the work we did with Caleb Wiley in Atlanta.
00:57:50
Speaker
oh The work we did with Thiago, the best year of Thiago was in Atlanta in goals and assists. ah The work we did with Yakumakis, for example, one of the is the second best production in his career ah was in Atlanta.
00:58:05
Speaker
um Luis Araújo, the same, the best year was in Atlanta. ah Caleb Wiley, ah the best years, you know, were in Atlanta.
00:58:15
Speaker
And Brooks Lennon, the best year of his career was in Atlanta. um So, and then we had little projects here and there with Noah Cobb and Efrain and Johnny Fortune.
00:58:27
Speaker
and And you had little projects of people that you want to develop together. But again, for me, it's not just about completing your passes and you know how picky I am about tactics and abilities, but I'm the same as picky as for them to say good morning to to the people helping in the kitchen.
00:58:48
Speaker
you know, good morning, please. Can you yeah do my breakfast, please? You know, thank you. ah Have a good day.
00:58:59
Speaker
You know, are nice words to to have as a human being and to develop those um here or in Mexico to be on time. For example, in Mexico, um someone It's not on time in any part.
00:59:14
Speaker
And he doesn't participate whether it's a training session or a game. So, for example, against Inter Miami, Leagues Cup, big game, one of my best players, Diego Gonzalez, wasn't on time ah for breakfast.
00:59:26
Speaker
And then he didn't play. He wasn't even on the bench against Inter Miami. But I'm trying to create a good human being that is on time is it's just respect for others time. And, and it's just, you are in the hotel. It's not like traffic or, or a crash or something happened. This, you are elevator distance to, to the meal and you are late.
00:59:55
Speaker
So don't be late. And, and, and those things, for example, those are the things that I, I'm, I'm very picky to and being good human being professional, professional,
01:00:06
Speaker
do do your best on the field, but also off the field. So that's my call. That's what I want to do for the rest of my days, if I can. And if I have a job to do that, and whether, I don't know which level, if at some point I'm in Champions League in Europe or coaching ah in a World Cup, or I'm in USL, or I'm in college, or I'm in a little kids academy, I don't know, but this is what I want to do because it's a call.
01:00:32
Speaker
So again, um I don't know what, future will bring to my life and to my career. But I definitely know that I want to, number one, develop good human beings and and and also deliver good football to fans to be engaged and fans to be happy to watch their team.
01:00:55
Speaker
That's what I want to do. And I'll allow Jeremiah to close this out, but I just wanted to thank you. Look, this, again, this coach's corner, could have sat here and talked to you about formations and your concepts and your principles. And we touched a little bit on that, but I was very interested on just your mentality because,
01:01:14
Speaker
You've said it best. And i used to watch Atlas because I wanted to watch Camilo Vargas and Quinones at some point. I would ah watch Atlas just to watch you. And your teams always reflect your high press, your attacking concepts, everything that that that really works for Gonzalo. So I know that you're going to land a great job here moving forward.
01:01:35
Speaker
um But I wanted to thank you. And hopefully next time we're talking the Coach's Corners with you, we could – touch a little bit more tactics, but, uh, thank you. And Jeremiah, you could kill it after that.
01:01:47
Speaker
Yeah. Gonzalo. It was really my honor to to have you on here. you You clearly are someone who is passionate about this, who has a lot of integrity and who I really genuinely hope gets more opportunities, ah both here and, and honestly anywhere else you want to be. I think you are a absolute, uh,
01:02:09
Speaker
gift to the soccer world, to be honest with you. i I just, I love talking to you. I love hearing what you have to say. I love your, your mentality. And I just want to say thank you for, for doing this. And I, and I hope people ah like, I know you get, we get so many questions about you still in Seattle.
01:02:28
Speaker
ah People are very interested in in what you're doing. People are very, you know, they remind, remember your time fondly here, even briefly as a player, but especially as a coach. ah It was, it was, it's, I think everyone that meets you is like thrilled to,
01:02:44
Speaker
that thrilled with the energy and everything else. So, um, really wanted to say thank you for doing this. Uh, with all that said though, I am Jeremiah Shan sending off for Nico Moreno for this joint production of no study at this and cool. So sports, uh, we will, this is coaches corner and we'll catch you next time.
01:03:28
Speaker
Let's go at Sounders.