AGUSTÍN LÓPEZ: "WE'RE REAPING THE REWARDS OF 3 OR 4 YEARS' HARD WORK"

Agustín López spoke to our club channels about the academy has been managed this season. Overall, he was positive about the work done: ‘I think this year's results have been good and we have many youth players participating and, above all, performing well, which is also important.’ In this regard, he referred to the only competition remaining: ‘We have had our plans in place for months. We are finalising the squads and this week we are competing in LALIGA FC FUTURES, which has more media coverage than sporting significance, but it was important to arrive with our homework done and they have to enjoy that tournament as champions of Andalusia too. We are Sevilla FC and we are going to compete.’

He also referred to the players coming through in the older age groups: "We have been tackling different types of contexts. Big Data, social media, playing systems and the coach. In this process we are undergoing, we are reaping the rewards of what we talked about three or four years ago. We have rejuvenated the entire sporting structure, believing more in training than in immediate performance, as well as in the contexts for the proper development of the footballer."

As for Sevilla Atlético, he highlighted that "the current generation that makes up the first team are part of a vision that is now being realised, with players such as Carmona, Kike Salas, Isaac, Juanlu, and Alberto Flores. Then there is the second batch that has emerged with Manu Bueno, Álvaro García Pascual, Oso, Ramón Martínez... Sevilla Atlético is also committed to a home-grown coach who knows football inside out, who manages in accordance with what the youth academy directors want. We achieved our goal with the reserve team a month and a half early and we are satisfied." In this regard, he also spoke about promotion: "We are not nervous because we are clear about the profile of players we want, how we have to prepare them and also that it will not be a one-off opportunity. We have to know how to wait for them if necessary, without any fuss. We always try to ensure that players arrive as prepared as possible in all sporting areas. The only player who made it to the first team at the age of 16 was José Antonio Reyes himself. The key to success is that we know how to do it."

‘We achieved our goal with the reserve team a month and a half early and we are satisfied.’

Regarding the reality of the players who come through, the general coordinator of the youth academy also said, "I really believe in our local talentpool, in those who are brought up here at home. The team is also wonderful and there are different work plans. Players such as Alexis Ciria, Nico Guillén, Sergio Veces... Iker Muñoz, Rober Jalade, Sergio, Pablo Rivera have also appeared... there are players who, when it's their turn to wear the first team shirt, people will be proud of them.‘ And as for the message that is conveyed, he insisted that: ’I always tell them to prepare themselves to taste glory when they put on the first team shirt at the Sánchez-Pizjuán and always want to win. That's the message. They're young lads who need time, as they're going through that process in their mental development. Ramón Martínez looked like he'd been playing with the first team for four seasons, for example, combining the roles of centre-back and right-back like Carmona, for example. It's already a reality and you can see that they arrive prepared."

Looking to the future of the reserve team itself, he stressed that "next season is going to be a tough year, although the players believe in themselves. We are looking for players who will stay on to form a core group that will carry the weight of the year. We will bring in some very talented young players who will also reinforce our work over the past few months. Next year, they will have to be the kind of players who will knock on the first team's door sooner rather than later. We may not have the young group that has been together for many years, we have to refresh, promote our players without any fears, perhaps a little inexperienced, but not lacking in quality, and we also have to help with patience. Confidence is high, but the first team coach must also be patient with the youth players to allow them to develop."

He also announced that the Sevilla Juvenil B youth team will train in the morning shift to facilitate this move towards professionalism: 'We are pioneers in doing things differently. Putting the Juvenil B team in the mornings was a radical change, it has given us an extra boost of professional work with our youngest players. This year we are going to do the same with the Youth C team. It is very important that all teams over the age of 16 are in that more professional environment in the morning. Players are promoted weekly, and that gives us a very important turnover of players to see which players are best suited to these kinds of changes.'

He spoke at the end about the changes expected in the coaching staff: ‘The youth coaches are responsible for training our players. This year, we believe we must promote this in the morning, and there will also be changes in the afternoon because we don't want anyone to get complacent; we want everyone to be on their toes. Some coaches may be there in the morning and then return in the afternoon, and I think that can be beneficial.’