Interviews
WED 17.12.2014
Gaizka Garitano (Derio, Vizcaya, 1975) is, without a doubt, one of the main architects of the Liga BBVA's breakthrough team; SD Eibar. Since taking the reins of the team in the 2012-13 season, when they were playing in the Segunda División B, the Basque coach has demonstrated that nothing is impossible in football. Despite his huge achievements, Garitano prefers to stay out of the spotlight and insists that the success of the team lies in his players. "Hard work, daily commitment and never giving up" are the principles of his Eibar, who lie in ninth place after 15 matches. LFP.es spoke with him about the team's impressive adaptation to the Liga BBVA and analysed the performance of his men in the first few months of competition.
LFP.es: What is the limit for this Eibar?
Garitano: I don't know (laughs). We are going to take it little by little, step by step, trying to do things well. There is still a lot of Liga BBVA left to play and a lot of points to pick up.
LFP.es: You have always shown confidence in your squad, but did you ever imagine such a satisfactory transition to the Liga BBVA?
Garitano: We are optimists, we always expect the best. We are competing in nearly every game and having 20 points at this stage is something to be happy about. But we still haven't done anything, there is a long way to go and we have to continue in the same way.
"The feeling is that we have to improve, but we are also delivering. A lot of people said that we would be relegated in December"
LFP.es: Which championship do you think is the most demanding, the Liga BBVA or the Liga Adelante?
Garitano: The Liga BBVA, by a very long way. There are better teams and the divisions are there for a reason. It was very hard work for us to get through Liga Adelante games and now it is even more so, evidently.
LFP.es: How would you summarise the first part of the season?
Garitano: Positively. I think that we've started well in the division, we're competing and reaching the end of each match with a chance. The feeling is that we have to improve, but we are also delivering. A lot of people said that we would be relegated in December and, so far, things are going pretty well.
LFP.es: Has what you have achieved with this team in such a short space of time sunk in yet?
Garitano: Not really, to be honest. I haven't had time. After a very tough playoff in the Segunda División B, we started the preseason with barely any holiday. Then the Liga Adelante was very long and then we had to prepare for the change to the Liga BBVA. We haven't had time to take it in, everything has gone very fast and with a lot of work every day.
LFP.es: What do you think is the key to the team's success?
Garitano: The players, I have always said it and I maintain it. We have players who improve vastly on a daily basis, who are enthusiastic, hungry… people who give their all on the pitch and are very dedicated. The success of Eibar is its players.
LFP.es: The debut in the Liga BBVA could not have been better, with a historic win over Real Sociedad. How was that special match for you?
Garitano: Against our famous neighbours! Being able to beat the biggest team in Gipuzkoa in our first ever match in the Liga BBVA is something to be very happy about. I would have preferred it to be against another team, because I have a lot of affection for Real Sociedad. Those three points gave us a lot of confidence.
"We have players who improve vastly on a daily basis, who are enthusiastic, hungry… people who give their all on the pitch and are very dedicated"
LFP.es: The Ipurua is known as a tough ground to visit but you have won most matches on the road and in difficult stadiums such as Vallecas, the Balaídos and the Martínez Valero.
Garitano: I am not so surprised. Last year we were a team that played well away from home and that happens to a lot of teams. We try to win all the matches we can at home, but being reliable away from home is something that gives us a lot of guarantees.
LFP.es: What do you think is missing to get more points at home?
Garitano: Without being one of the teams to have conceded the most goals, our team can improve in that regard. We have conceded 21 goals and that, for us, is a lot. It's true that it's more difficult in the Liga BBVA, where there is so much quality, but I think we have made some mistakes that have led to us losing points.
LFP.es: What demands do you make as a coach?
Garitano: Hard work, daily commitment, never giving up. More than just playing, we have to compete. Also, the team is always bigger than the individual. These are our calling cards.
"I hope things continue as they are in 2015, we couldn't ask for anything more"
LFP.es: If this team has proved anything it is that nothing is impossible. In a little over two years, you have gone from playing in the Segunda División B to being one of the breakthrough teams in the Liga BBVA. Could you imagine going one step further and taking Eibar to Europe?
Garitano: It's crazy, unthinkable. For us, having three teams below us would be like another promotion. At the moment we have some teams behind us and we hope to end up where we are.
LFP.es: What do you hope for from 2015?
Garitano: That everything continues as it is. We are not in a position to ask for anything more! Football has given us a lot in recent years and hopefully we can continue to enjoy it.
© LALIGA - 2014