translated from Spanish: [VIDEO] Sergio Vargas and the criticism of his management: “If we had made bad decisions we would have gone to relegation”

“I didn’t remember sleeping 8 hours straight,” says Sergio Vargas, smiling. The Idol of the U worked for two years as sports director of Azul Azul, whose link ended with the arrival of the new owners of the concessionaire. “I’m calm, I regained quality of life. They were very intense years, very complicated, “he admits at the beginning of the interview. However, he remembers how difficult his period was, from the beginning. “We arrived at the end of April 2019 (with Rodrigo Goldberg). Carlos Heller had left in March and the U was an erupting volcano (…) in addition the equipment did not work. A squad had been formed in which a lot had been invested, but that year the team finished penultimate. Then came the social upheaval, then we went into a pandemic. We had to deal with the budget cut, but we put our shoulder to the situation. Within everything we take it forward,” says the exporter. Then it was their turn to take out important players like Matías Rodríguez and Johnny Herrrera and carry the accumulated table that reflected the poor performance of 2019. “That year 17 players came out and we brought only 6,” he warns. “They say the management was bad, but if we had made bad decisions we would have gone downhill,” he says. Of course, Universidad de Chile managed to avoid promotion matches in the last dates of last year’s tournament. “The objectives were met. We never said we were going to be champions, because we knew the club wasn’t for that. The issue was to balance finances and be in international cup,” he adds. How much freedom did they have to make decisions? We had a lot of freedom. But freedom was about working together and collectively. Decisions were made in a sports committee, which was made up of 5 or six people. We took the proposal and gave it a certain order of priority (…) within, and this is very important, the budget. About his legacy, the Superman clarifies that “we reached two years and it was unfinished. We had only one tournament. What we did achieve is that in the squad there were at least 40% of players trained at home. We had projected that for 2022, because in 2019 it was 25%, but we were able to reach it in 2021, it’s even a higher percentage.” So, there was a sports project… It was partially done. I want to be clear, that today appears playing Cristobal Campos, Marcelo Morales, Simon Contreras, Mauricio Morales, Luis Rojas who left, but was also part. This is no accident. There is a work, there is a projection. He also referred to the hiring of Rafael Dudamel and the relationship he had with the squad. “I think there was a difficult time because I had been at the U for a very short time and the results weren’t happening. Everyone has a way of being and at one point they talked to the players and I think that improved and it was in time because the U was playing with Iquique and there were only four games left, of those three were won and one was drawn, “he says. Of course, in order for that dialogue to be generated, he and “Polaco” Goldberg had to intervene. “But there was a job of the sports management, the coaching staff and the players to have conversations that were clarifying, that were sincere. Where many things were talked about and said, certain situations were corrected. That allowed us to get out of the promotion and finish third in the championship, “he explains. Superman believes that “from there, he was modeling his leadership, his relationship with the roster. It was another way, trying to get closer to the players. I go to the numbers, we wanted to move up the leaderboard and that’s what I wanted. I think the underlying issue and I take responsibility for, which is a bit of a debt to us, is that the quality of the game never met the expectations of the U’s fans. The team never reached a good level of football. The reasons can be several, coaches, players were changed.” The former director of Azul Azul also acknowledges that “in Montillo’s departure there was a mistake on all sides. The positions became polarized, unfortunately Walter did not follow. He had a great year, he was one of the mainstays of the team. The conversations with Walter were taken by (Christian) Aubert, but I don’t want to get into that because he wasn’t involved. Yes, I was to get it.” As for the present of the U, it supports the continuity of Esteban Valencia. “I think Esteban’s performance is an option, in the 90 minutes he hasn’t lost, he’s won important matches. You have to listen to the players. I’ve heard they’re asking to leave. I think there is management of the group and that is very important in the coaches,” he says. And before desask himself warns that he doesn’t know who is behind the new owners of the U. “It’s a question we all ask ourselves.” That he thinks it is strange that a sports project is not yet presented, but warns that they left the club in good economic condition for the investment that can be made next year. The financial situation of the U, by the end of this year will be solved. It is a matter of looking at the balance of 2019, the squad had a value of eight thousand 890 million. In 2020 it was worth six billion and this year it will be less than 6,300 million and next year, with the 27 players, where 60% are home trained, the budget is 2,600 million.” Of course, he says that his heart is still blue. “The connection won’t end,” he says. What’s more, he asserts that his doors will always “be open to the U.” Although, this time I would analyze the position well and that they “fulfill what they promise”.

Original source in Spanish