He may not be a household name in Australia, César Ferrando Gimenez, but the former Valencia midfielder and manager of Atletico Madrid has expressed his desire to coach in the A-League.
Ferrando played over 50 games in La Liga for Valencia before continuing his playing career in the Segunda division with various clubs, including Salamanca and Alzira.
Once retired from the game in 1991, he went on to achieve his coaching badges and worked his way up the Spanish football coaching ranks, culminating in a move to coaching Athletico Madrid for the 2004-05 season.
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He was also one of a number of managers from Spain who have moved abroad to manage in Malaysia with Johor Darul Takzim FC.
Ferrando spoke exclusively to Outside90 on his past experiences and what the future might hold for him.
O90: Was it always your dream to play for Valencia when you were growing up?
César Ferrando: I was born in a town near Valencia. I always wanted to play for them in my childhood, that was my dream.
O90: In your playing career who was player that you played against that you most admired?
CF: I’ve had the chance to play against great players like Diego Maradona and Bernd Schuster, but I can’t forget my former teammate Mario Kempes.
O90: How long into your time as a footballer did you decide that once you had finished playing you wished to move into management?
CF: If you want to be manager, when you are playing you must think as a trainer. Then you want to teach what you have learned.
O90: You started your professional managerial career at Gandia, eventually leading your first club to promotion how did that feel?
CF: It was a tough job. Most of my players were amateurs, but they always put in the effort. I felt we hit our targets when the season ended.
O90: Your next move was back to the club you made your footballing debut for in Valencia to work with their B side, was that a great homecoming for you?
CF: Yes, two years working with them. I worked with young players and several of them went on to play in the first división. When you are working with toung players, you must look ahead, you must see their potential and to convince them to achieve it.
O90: After your successful time with Valencia B you moved to Albacete Balompie wining the second division and moving up into La Liga, how did you adapt to the challenges of top flight football?
CF: It was a big step in my career, it’s true, you have more pressure and you play against better players and better teams, but we were convinced that we could do it well.
O90: The next move was probably the biggest in your career to date taking over Athletico Madrid for the 2004/05 season, what was the highlight of that season?
CF: Atletico De Madrid is one of the four big teams in Spain. We played the Intertoto Cup Final against Villarreal and we reached the semifinal in the Spanish Cup.
O90: In that Athletico side of yours you had Deigo Simeone in the squad, did you see any management potential for him in his playing days?
CF: He wanted to be manager becuase he was always asking about everything. He wanted to learn.
O90: Your top scorer that season at Athletico Madrid was a young Fernando Torres what have you made of his career?
CF: Fernando is a great player. When you are training young great players all you want to do is make them improve and fulfil their potential. Fernando certainly achieved that.
O90: After your one season in charge at Athletico you returned to Albacete, throughout your career you have returned to clubs you have previously been involved with on multiple occasions, do you always try to remain good relationship with each club you have worked for?
CF: When you are working in a team, you must trust our staff. Lots of people come and go at football clubs, when you leave a team, this doesn’t mean they aren’t your friends, the relationship is forever.
O90: After spending further time at Gimnastic and Elche you decided to head abroad to Malayasia, what was the inspiration for this?
CF: I wanted to work, I needed another challenge: I had a proposal and I didn’t doubt it.
O90: Having managed a wide variety of clubs in different situations, how would you describe the way you like your sides to play?
CF: This is a question difficult to answer. It depends on the players I can find in the team, the team’s target.
-It isn’t the same target to train toung player as training professional players
-If we talk about systems, I like my team can play with the ball a lot of time but what is a must is winning.
O90: Recently we have started to have a great influx of Spanish coaches to Australia what do think appeals to them about coming to Australia?
CF: I think we want to look for others challenges, above all you think you can help them to develop their football.
O90: Have you had the chance to observe much of the Hyundai A League?
CF: No, I haven’t. I’ve read about A-League and sometimes we can watch highlights on TV.
O90: The latest Spaniard to grace these shores is guest player Luis Garcia, what do you make of the idea of a marquee concept in a developing league?
CF: If you sign good players and good managers this mean you want to improve the league. If you want to get this target everybody will have to work together.
O90: If given the opportunity would you ever consider working in the Hyundai A League?
CF: Of course, I think it would be a great chance for me, it’s a huge chance to be able to show my credentials.
O90: If you were to be a manager here, what do you think you could bring to the league?
CF: My experience as a manager, my work and above all to be able to help to develop your football.
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