Diego Forlan writes a weekly column for The National, appearing each Friday. The former Manchester United, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid striker has been the top scorer in Europe twice and won the Golden Boot at the 2010 World Cup. Forlan's column is written with the assistance of European football correspondent Andy Mitten.
Uruguay were playing Ecuador in a huge game ahead of the 2010 World Cup. Played at altitude in Quito, it was as difficult as we expected it to be. Yet we needed to win to stand a chance of making the play-offs for the World Cup in South Africa. Ecuador were ahead of us on points and we both had little chance of automatic qualification.
Antonio Valencia put Ecuador ahead, Luis Suarez equalised for us. In the 94th minute, we won a penalty. I took it and struck the ball high into the net. It was one of the greatest moments of my career. We had given ourselves a great chance of qualifying for the World Cup.
As we walked to the team bus after the game, our manager Oscar Tabarez approached. He is a serious man, a legend in Uruguayan and South American football who has now managed one country for more international matches than any other. He is currently on 179 matches, across two spells, his second from 2006 until whenever he decides to stop. He is 69 and still going strong.
“Diego,” he said. “Did you really need to hit the ball so high into the net?” I realised that I had pushed the nerves of the man we call “El Maestro” (The Teacher) a little too far. Then he smiled. It was a beautiful moment.
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We were on a roll and we didn’t stop until we reached the semi-finals of the World Cup the following year. After that defeat to the Netherlands, Tabarez gathered us in the dressing room. “We didn’t deserve to lose,” he said. “ You gave everything for your team and your country. I’m proud of you.” All of the players applauded. For a country of three million to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup is incredible.
Tabarez had experience. He was in charge of Uruguay in the 1990 World Cup and I think he learnt a lot from that. He took the players on tour before that World Cup. They had been away so long that they were tired and angry when they finally arrived in Italy. That is why we now prepare for competitions in Uruguay.
When he returned in 2006 after doing well in club management, he took over a country which had not qualified for three of the four World Cups since 1990.
Tabarez had become a star manager though. He coached Boca Juniors to so many wins over their great rivals River Plate that big clubs in Europe started to take note. By 1996, he was coach of AC Milan when they were considered one of that continent’s best. By 2002, he was back at Boca and in 2006 re-joined Uruguay. He has been in the job ever since and qualified for both the 2010 and 2014 World Cups. At present, Uruguay are second in a very tough South American qualifying group and are looking good to reach a third successful finals in Russia in two years’ time.
Tabarez is successful for many reasons. First, he trusts his players. Second, he reads the game exceptionally well and makes substitutes when they are needed. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of opponents and he is not afraid to give young players a chance.
Of course he has been lucky to have players such as Luis Suarez, Edison Cavani, Diego Godin and myself. Of course it helps to have really experienced international players like Fernando Muslera, Maxi Pereira and Arevalo Rios, too, but Tabarez knows how to get the best out of all his players. He also is not afraid to adapt his tactics away from his normal 4-4-2, either.
The stability he has created in an unstable profession has allowed him to do things the way he wants. He completely changed the training ground and because he is so well respected, his judgement is trusted. I do not think I have seen him angry. Disappointed, yes, but never shouting and angry. One of his greatest attributes is how calm he is.
With him, we won the 2011 Copa America and the national team became popular with fans again. It used to be that only the biggest games sold out at the Centenario Stadium. Now, almost every match attracts huge crowds, regardless of the opposition.
As a person, he is very pleasant. He is very proper in his conduct and keeps a distance from the players, though he is happy to speak to any player about anything and I think some of the younger ones would consider him a father figure. He used to be a schoolteacher during his own playing days.
Because he enjoys the players’ respect, and the team wins, the team spirit is excellent. Very few players fail to perform when given the chance because they find it so uplifting and because Tabarez has already identified that they are good enough.
In 2009, before that Ecuador World Cup qualifier, Tabarez twice stated in the pre-match team talks that we needed to begin the game with 11 and finish with 11. When he said that, we had players sent off in both matches. The players were concerned, they felt he was putting a curse on the team and asked me, as captain, to speak to him. I approached it gently; he’s not a manager who a player tells to change.
“Maestro,” I said. “The players are concerned. Every time you said we have to finish with 11, we finished with 10. We respect and understand what you are trying to say, but could you please not say that again?” He laughed and agreed.
When I retired, I called to tell him. He said it was best to be remembered for what I had done when I was at my best. He also said it takes a lot of courage to stop. He is not someone who needs courage because he continues to do a brilliant job.
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