Jonatan Giráldez, the new head coach of the Washington Spirit, will finally make his sideline debut on Saturday on the road against Bay FC.
Team president and general manager Mark Krikorian said on Wednesday it was important to have Giráldez jump into the role with “a fully intact team,” adding that it was the most appropriate time to make the transition. Saturday’s match will be Washington’s last regular season match before the Olympic break.
“Our plan to transition Jonatan into his new role as the Head Coach of the Spirit has always been targeted toward ensuring as smooth a process as possible for our players and staff,” Krikorian said in a statement.
In Washington’s 1-0 home loss against North Carolina on June 29, Giráldez sat in the stands at Audi Field but was seen on the field during warm-ups and at halftime. Interim head coach Adrián González will move to his role as an assistant coach as part of the coaching staff.
Giráldez, who was hired in January, was officially introduced on June 25 as Washington’s new head coach. Prior to his arrival, he led FC Barcelona Femení to its second UEFA Women’s Champions League title and helped secure its first-ever Quadruple in the same season, winning the Liga F title, Copa de la Reina and Spanish Supercopa as well.
“I was really comfortable and happy at Barcelona,” Giráldez said during his introductory press conference. “But I am 32 years old and I can improve a lot being with other players, staff, in another culture, in front of different supporters and speaking another language. It’s a challenge for me being here every day.”
After his introductory press conference, Giráldez spoke to WTOP on his training philosophy, thoughts on owner Michele Kang and what his Washington players must do to become “the best team in America.”
The transcript below has been lightly edited for clarity.
José Umaña: First off, for you, how’s the last week been like, transitioning from Barcelona now coming to D. C.? How do you feel?
Jonatan Giráldez: I feel good. Many changes in my life, for sure. When you move to another country, another city, and when you have to know new players, new staff, new facility, it is the moment to meet and understand what they need. But I feel good, I feel happy. I wanted to come here as soon as possible after the end of the season (with Barcelona). I’m here. What I want is to enjoy, to help, try to give my best (and) to help the players give a good performance.
Umaña: You mentioned multiple times during the press conference the importance of training, and getting it right in training. What have you liked so far what you’ve seen of the players, and what do you think needs improvement?
Giráldez: I’ve been here for the last three, four trainings, not too many to have a good feedback about what I am seeing. But what I have seen is good connections with the players. That, for me, is the base to create the important things in terms of soccer. And so far, the feeling I have is they like to enjoy, they like to compete, like to play. Today, for example, players were out watching, training with the other players who did not play so many minutes in the last game. That connection is special, and I will need more time to understand what they need.
But so far, the feeling I have is good, because of the connection I have with the staff members has been good. We are working on the same page, step by step as well. We try to help the players and have individual meetings to understand what they want us as a player, as a person, and what they expect for the future and to be part of the group — that is very special.
Umaña: You mentioned in the press conference that meeting with Michele. Can you kind of elaborate further what that conversation was like? What did you speak about? What was it that made you feel like she would be great to work for and that you wanted to be a part of this organization?
Giráldez: I was almost close in my contract with Barca to extend for three more seasons. And when Michele appears and explains everything to me, it changed my mind, my way, my mood. For me, it is just not about changing your country. It is about what we can do here. Working with so many personnel around the players is, for me, the base to get important success for the future. And everything what she wants to do is very similar to my side.
I remember when I made the presentation to Michele, I said, ‘OK, look, that is who I am. Maybe I don’t like you. But, you have to understand who I am.’ But now, we have a good match. At the same time, I know Michele and Michele knows me, that is the perfect beginning to understand that we are sharing goals for the future. (Those goals are) to make better woman’s football, grow together, having a professional structure on the players and have big visions to want to be the best.
Umaña: Some of your players are already performing at a high level. Trinity Rodman already plays for the U.S. women’s national team. Croix Bethune as rookie is performing really well. What do you think thus far of your star players and how they performed? What would you like to see in terms of training, as well in game, to see them perform better?
Giráldez: We’re performing well. I agree, but we’ve done nothing so far. We need to keep moving forward, we need to keep training. We can’t say that everything is done, because in the moment you say that, you’ll start relaxing, and you start to go down. That is what we have to avoid. We need to understand that the process around the season will be long. You need to be at the top for many, many months. Now, we are performing well, but we have to keep going.
When you train, with an understanding that you didn’t gain anything, that is the best possible way to face the competition. In the moment that you consider that you did everything, your performance usually goes down. This kind of desire to train everyday, to want to be the best, that is my focus. To explain the players that (based on) my experience, when you face the training and the competition in that mode, it will be easier to get the result you want.
Umaña: Lastly, what message would you have for the D.C. area to motivate them to come see you guys play?
Giráldez: We’ll do everything to be the best. We’ll work together to get the important things. What I will like to give all the supporters is we will give them reasons, as I said before, to enjoy (everything) together. The feeling that you can get when you’re scoring goals, creating chances, defending at the highest possible level and being together with supporters, that’s an incredible feeling. That’s what they want, and what I can promise is work everyday to help the players give the best possible performance.
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