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Sevilla, Monchi yüzünden başarili.
The secret behind Sevilla’s success? Meet Monchi, the transfer wizard | Football | The Guardian
The secret behind Sevilla’s success? Meet Monchi, the transfer wizard | Football | The Guardian
Monchi was appointed as Sevilla’s sporting director in 2000 when the club faced a financial crisis and had just been relegated. On Wednesday they play in the Europa League final and four days later in the final of the Copa del Rey
Ramón Rodríguez Verdejo is running through the team written on the paper in front of him, smoke rising slowly from the cigarette in his right hand, a Coke bottle on the table. Andrés Palop in goal; a back four of Dani Alves, Federico Fazio, Martin Cáceres and Adriano; Ivan Rakitic, Júlio Baptista, Seydou Keita and Christian Poulsen in midfield; Luís Fabiano and Carlos Bacca up front. All men he signed, for little over €25m (£23.5m). All men he sold too, for around €170m.
Inside, Monchi explains: “Sixteen people cover a series of leagues. For the first five months we watch a lot of football but with no particular aim: we’re just accumulating data. Every month we produce an ideal XI for each league. Then in December we start watching players who appeared regularly in different contexts – home, away, international – to build the broadest possible profile.”Monchi pulls out his phone and, carefully reducing the image so the names can’t be seen, says: “That gives us this.” A colour-coded spreadsheet shows players by position. Around 250 potential targets, in all positions.
“The manager says: ‘I want a left-back who averages 11km a game, runs 800m at full speed, uses both feet.’ And from these, 10 will fit.”
Negotiations come next, where you have to know the market, have an alternative, and be realistic. “The guy selling a Seat Leon will claim it’s a better model,” Monchi says. “Kanouté wasn’t the first option; we were going after Fred, the Brazilian. We wanted [Kevin-Prince] Boateng before Keita. And if a player says: ‘Chelsea want me,’ I say: ‘What are you talking to me for, then?’ But if Swansea or Spurs want you, let’s talk. I sell the city, the club: a serious club that pays as promised, which sounds trivial but isn’t.”