Bristol Rovers Head Coach Iñigo Calderón sits down with BRTV to discuss his first two months at the Club...
So Calde, it’s great to sit down with you. It's been about two months since you joined Bristol Rovers. What has it been like so far?
“Wow. I would say the word to describe it better would be intense. It’s been really, really intense. Every single day here has been good, but really, really intense because of the timing and the situation when I arrived here. Everything has been like, wow.
“You say it has been two months. For me, it has been longer than that in terms of the intensity of the days, but I am enjoying every day.”
After time at Alavés and Brighton, you decided to come to Bristol Rovers. Why was this the right Club for you?
“You don’t know everything. You have to guess. In the beginning, it was more of a football thing. When something like that happens, you start to say, ‘OK, what can I do? I can do something for the team.' Then, you start to watch games. It's more about how you can impact the team because that’s why you are a head coach. After, you start to get more information about the city and about everything, but it was not that important for me.
“It was more about the football where I thought it's a good place and I could help the team, knowing that it was difficult because if you can choose, you don’t go to a place that is not in the best moment of the season. At the same time, you have to accept as a coach that it’s not going to happen. Most of the time, you have to go somewhere because something is not working. You try to pick the one that it’s not working, but I think I can make it work.”
It’s been a really busy period, but how have you settled in the area?
“I have been so focused and concentrated on the football stuff that I haven’t seen too much of Bristol. I found a place to live quite close to The Quarters, so I don’t really live close to the town like I prefer. I thought, and I spoke to my family, and it is the time to stay really, really focused on the things I have to do now. I will have more time after to enjoy it.”
Looking at the playing squad, how do you think they have adapted to your style?
“I think it’s been tough for them because you want to change a lot of things. You want to change the style, and you want to change the philosophy, but you don’t have time for that. Especially at the beginning, it was really, really difficult for me because we couldn’t train in the Christmas period.
So, it was nearly impossible to try and get my message to them because we couldn’t train. It was really difficult and credit to them because it is not easy, especially in a bad moment. If you have the whole pre-season, or you are doing everything really well, everything is going to be smoother, and it’s going to be really good.
"When you want to try and change something when it’s not working, and you are not in the best place, it’s not easy, and they have to really believe that they can do that. That’s why I am so happy with them because I think they embrace it. Especially at home, you can see the improvements the team has made is really, really good."
You have been a player during the transfer window, but this time, you were a head coach in the January period. What was that like?
“It’s intense because it was not at the best time as I had just arrived here. If you are here three months before and then you have the window, I think you have time to effect it or even enjoy it. I didn’t because it was my first month here. So, I had to do 200 things at the same time as we had to do the best window we could.
"It was really, really intense because you want to do the things for the ones you have. The most important ones for me are the ones we had at that time in the building. You have to focus on them, the sessions, the game, the game planning and analysis. Everything and on top of that, obviously, you want to have a good window in January. So, that was really, really intense.”
This is the first time you’re a senior head coach. Has it lived up to your expectations, and have there been more challenges than you expected?
“I am enjoying it. I spoke with my wife yesterday and said it has been intense. There is something always happening. A player coming to your office to talk, or you have to plan the session and the game plan. But I think when you are having a better season, everything is easier. In football, when you are down in the table, it’s not the same football. The way you train, the way you sleep and the way you behave is not the same. You try to not think about that, but it affects you a lot. When we lose, I don’t sleep the same way. So, that affects your lifestyle. It’s been intense, but at the same time, I’m enjoying it.
“I haven’t been surprised about that. I was expecting that. It has not been too different to the academy. I would say it is easier because the conversations you can have with the players are easier as you don’t have to think about how you say things. They have to take it. Whereas when you are with an academy, you have to be very careful because they are kids. Even in the games in the academy, it’s more about developing the players and improvement. Here it’s about winning games and I prefer that because I played football for 20 years and the winning was the most important thing. I am enjoying it and am really happy with this.”
The most important part of any football club is the fans. What have you made of the Gasheads, especially at The Memorial Stadium?
“I enjoy it so much when we play at home. Not because we win, but because I enjoy it so much with the fans. I always say the connection with the fans is the most important thing because the fans are the most important part of a football club. The players and the coaches go. The philosophy can change, but the fans are always there. I remember on the first day when I went to the game at Exeter, especially when I saw kids with the Rovers shirt, I loved that.
“They travelled the whole way just to watch the game. I love that. A game day at The Mem and spending the whole day in there is so, so good. That’s why I am glad that at home, we have been better because the experience on a Saturday makes sense for them. They go there, enjoy the football and after you go home. For the fans, it’s so important to get the result and to see the team performing.”
How important are the young fans for Bristol Rovers?
“They are the future. That’s why, for me; it is not a small thing when I see a small kid with a Rovers shirt instead of Manchester United or Manchester City. I love that. That happens in the Basque Country when you go to a place, and they have an Alavés shirt or Athletic Bilbao shirt instead of Barcelona or Real Madrid. I love that because they are the future.
"Obviously, it’s easier to support Manchester City because they are winning the Champions League, but when you support your hometown club, I love that. It’s the future for everything, so I think this is key.”
Finally, as we go towards the end of the season, what is your message to the Bristol Rovers fans?
“Thank you for the support, but there are still a lot of things to do. I would like them to keep doing the same. I know it’s probably not been as good as they expected, but we need them big time. It’s going to be difficult until the end. I have been saying that since the first day. I think I have been quite honest about that. I think you can see the commitment from the players, and for me, it’s key to have the connection.
“Even if they are not happy with the performance, try to support them because we need them, and that can make a big, big difference. I always say after the game, if they are not happy with us, they can say whatever they want, but during the game, it’s important for the players to feel the support. Even if things are not going well. We need them because they can be a big difference.”
