Abraham Paz (The port of Santa María, 1979) lives a dream adventure in Gibraltar who wants to crown in Europe. Train for several seasons to St. Joseph’s FC And this campaign wants to make history by putting your team for the first time in the League phase (formerly group phase) of a European competition. Eliminated al Cliftonville from Northern Ireland in the first round of the Conference League and this Thursday starts the second tie against the Shamrock Rovers From Ireland from 18:00 in Europe Point. To make history they have to spend four rounds. Abraham Paz attends to Okdiario From their home in the previous one of this historic match for them, calm and convinced that they have options to dream.
Question: How is the team before a historic appointment?
Answer: We are very happy. Passing the first Conference Prior Qualifier (Q1) for a team like us, from the Gibraltar League, is a fairly important achievement. At an economic level and sports level. To continue growing. We have been lucky to be able to get into three consecutive years in the Conference League and pass twice, as now, to the Q2 (second previous round).
Q: A team with a humble budget in Europe St. Joseph's FC.
R: We are fighting in the League right now, although it has not started, in the last two years with Lincoln Red, which is Gibraltar's most laureate team with a lot of leagues. We have the highest budgets in the league along with them. Equivalent to a team of First Federation or Second Federation Alto. The players who come now are all from First RFEF, Second RFEF or First Division in foreign leagues that come back. And young people with projection that come from quarries and who want to play European competition.
Q: Being able to play European competition attracts the Spanish player a lot when it comes to playing Gibraltar.
R: Yes. The first and more valued federation player is more valued. He is going out abroad and it is more difficult to bring him, according to age too. But second and third RFEF soccer players who want a comfortable competition and not be traveling so much, and above all earn more money at the economic level, comes to play Gibraltar. More and more players come and the league is much more competitive. It is not easy to sign because there are many teams in Spain. We are lucky that we are making a good team.
Q: In the first round you eliminated the Cliftonville from Northern Ireland. But you have never passed to the second previous round of a European competition.
R: Never. We are facing a fairly beautiful and important challenge for the club. The last time we played the Q2 touched the Slavia of Prague, which in the end is a Champions team with a budget of 60 million euros. Well, imagine how difficult it was. Now it is true that we have an opportunity. It is an open tie against the Shamrock Rovers in Ireland. They have a much higher budget than us, it goes first in their league, with a very high competition rhythm … But we have our options and we will explode them to try to make history and move on to the third round.
Q: The first leg in Gibraltar this Thursday and the return next week in Ireland.
R: Yes. See you with possibilities. I see my team quite well at the confidence level. In a year we have only lost a game against Lincoln and having six casualties. We did not lose since last year at the Conference. We have made important signings and I think we can move on to Q3, with the difficulty of a game of this level. And that he is a great rival who has not been in conference groups.
Q: What would the four previous rounds of the Conference League mean for you and to play the League?
A: It is true that the difficulty is very high. We are focused on the second round and the two games we have now. They will be very hard. We play the first leg in the Europe of Gibraltar at 6:00 p.m., it will be very hot and the Irish are not accustomed. We play in new generation artificial grass and they come from natural grass. We are going to try to play our tricks, be ourselves and demonstrate that personality. And what I have told you, focused on this round, but dreaming of being able to get into groups. That would be to put St. Joseph's on the European panorama, and it is something that only Lincoln could do it.
Q: You are a bit the 'spanish' St. Joseph's.
R: We have about 12-14 Spanish players (plus Abraham himself). The premises in the eleven headlines of the League have dropped to three. Plus seven or eight stores in the squad. The others are Spanish. Also three Argentines. We have had a Swedish, Brazilians, English … we signed people everywhere. We have that ability to put a house and a good salary. It is increasingly attractive to come to the Gibraltar League and especially teams like ours who will be fighting the league this season.
Q: A promise to Okdiario if your team manage to get into the league phase of the Conference League.
R: Another safe interview and invite all OKDIARIO components to come to a Conference League match and enjoy it together.
