“He is one of the three best coaches in Colombia” and “he becomes friends with the players”: this is Alejandro Restrepo, the new Alianza coach in the voice of those who know him

Restrepo has a short career as a technical director, despite having worked as a trainer in regional clubs in Colombia and strategist for the Colombia Under-17 National Team. In 2019 he arrived at Atlético Nacional, highlighting one of his achievements in obtaining the Colombia Cup. He then moved to Deportivo Pereyra in 2022, becoming champion of the BetPlay Torneo Finalización League and having a good performance in the 2023 Copa Libertadores.

For this reason, El Comercio contacted three Colombian journalists to learn in detail about the work of the Colombian coach, one week before the start of the blue and white preseason, where the confirmed 2024 reinforcements such as Renzo Garcés (former Vallejo) and Kevin Sandoval (former Cienciano) will be. .

1. How would you define Restrepo as a technician and person?

2. What is the objective of Restrepo in Alianza Lima?

Jorge Eduardo Hurtado – RCN Sports Director in the city of Pereira

1. Restrepo as a coach is a strategic coach who starts from a 5-3-2 module and who can modify it according to the conditions of the game, especially if the result is against. In his first semester with Pereira, when he became champion in only 28 games, he was characterized by using medium and high pressure and by reading very well the virtues of his rivals to neutralize them. He happened with big teams like América, Millonarios, Junior or Santa Fe, to mention a few. A defect: when the initial match is not favorable and he is being outplayed, he takes a while to read the situation and almost always only recovers during the middle of the game. Another difficulty is the defensive aerial game, since a brand works in the zone and is often passive. They scored many goals that way.

As a person, Restrepo is an extraordinary human being, very respectful, very attentive, open to football discussion based on arguments. With the press always very willing and a true gentleman. Restrepo is a very paternalistic coach. He is very close to the players, he defends them, he is a very good friend to them, especially the experienced ones who are like his work base, since he likes to go to the death with his players and the footballers. They defend him to the death. It’s a pity that the management of discipline was not the best and was caused by great players like Carlos Ramírez, who was one of the captains, and Restrepo supported him despite this. The only thing he did was take away the captain’s band and passed it to Medina, but he never removed him from the starting team. Then came other actions from the other colleagues and they said: “If they forgave Carlos Ramírez, he has to forgive us.” So, Restrepo’s relationship with the players is close, especially with experienced soccer players.

2. One more answer for himself or for what the managers have planned. But from the pleasant experience at Pereira I can tell you that he is very competitive. I imagine that he is aware of being in the biggest team in Peru and that this conditions him to always be in first place and now that they participate in Libertadores the demand is higher than in Pereira, since here we were debutants and each step was valued or magnified In Alianza the demand is higher. A final detail that he wanted to share with you, despite his extraordinary campaign with Pereira, he leaves as the most important coach in our history, he gave us the only title in 79 years and historic participation in Libertadore. Restrepo had already had an offer from Alianza Lima in the middle of the year, but he respected his word and signed his contract in Pereira. He also had a couple of local offers.

Julián Andrés Santa of the newspaper El Diario de Pereira and Radioreloj

1. As a coach he is in the top 3 of the best coaches in Colombia today. Despite being young, he is already a winning coach. In Nacional he was champion and in Deportivo Pereira he achieved what no one had done in 78 years, taking out the champion team for the first time in its history in the highest category and then reaching the quarterfinals in Libertadores. Furthermore, as a technician he is a very hard worker. He uses a 3-5-2 offensive method. Here he innovated with the three-back line. Likewise, he greatly strengthens the mental part. He was key here at Deportivo Pereira since with very few resources he achieved the most important thing in the entire history of the club, and, as a person, he is super friendly, very simple, with a low profile, he never fought with the press and he left here like a king. .

2. With Restrepo you can expect a competitive team, it will always go out to win, never hide. You may lose, of course, but always trying to go to the top. Always with the conviction of his offensive scheme.

Mauricio Trujillo – Win Sports

1. Restrepo is a man full of knowledge, dedicated to his profession, who works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, together with his work group, which is very wise and knowledgeable. His technical command has good ways of training, that is the key to his success. He is a great leader and is very attached to the new way of football. He is very professional in his dealings with the press, he is calm and dedicated to his work.

2. I imagine making him champion. He has just finished a very rewarding experience for him, such as directing Deportivo Pereira, a team that had never won a championship in 78 years. He had just won Atlético Nacional champion in the Colombia Cup and in Pereira he made them champion of the League and with the help of Restrepo he qualified for the Copa Libertadores, where he had a good performance. So, I suppose Restrepo’s goal is to make him champion in Peru and for him to have a good performance in the Copa Libertadores de América.

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