Exclusive to Radio Gol: Alejandro Russo outlines Colón’s youth project | OneFootball

Alejandro Russo, the brand-new General Coordinator of Youth Divisions and Head Coach of Colón’s Reserve team, gave an exclusive interview on the “ADN” program on Radio Gol 96.7, hosted by Darío Pignata. During the conversation, Russo shared his first impressions and details about the project he is leading alongside Sporting Director Diego Colotto.

First Impressions and His Connection with Colotto

Russo expressed his excitement about the challenge at the Santa Fe club. “The first impressions are very good. Since I arrived at the club, I’ve been living here at the facility 24/7 and I’m very happy because I can see the growth since I arrived, in all the infrastructure, and in the eagerness to do things to improve,” he stated.

His arrival came about through a long-standing connection with Diego Colotto: “My arrival is due to my relationship with Diego Colotto, whom I know from Estudiantes. Well, we were both developed at that club and I’ve known him since 2000.” When the proposal came up, he didn’t hesitate: “It seems like a great challenge at such a big club, and when I got here, I confirmed that it has all the potential of a club that is up to the task and deserves to be in the first division.”

The Organizational Chart and Field Work

Russo detailed how the work is organized in the youth divisions, where he has the opportunity to coach the reserve team and coordinate, something he really enjoys and has already done at Estudiantes. He highlighted the addition of Fernando Nogara, who “is from the Santa Fe area, was in charge of the Santafesina League’s selection, so he knows everything about the local scene.”

The main objective is football coherence: “The idea is to bring down a first-team style so that both the reserve and the older age groups have the same style as the first team, so that the player is adapted when it’s their turn to move up.”

Competition in the AFA and Comprehensive Development

A valuable point for Russo is that, even though the professional team is in the second division, the reserve and youth teams compete with the top-tier teams in the AFA. “The truth is it’s very valuable that the boys have the chance to compete with the top references of the first division category. That raises the bar and demands that we be up to the task in all areas that concern a footballer, whether physical, technical, tactical, or mental,” he noted.

Regarding the management of young players alternating between the first team and the reserve, the club has an interdisciplinary team. “The club has professionals in that area, there are two excellent psychologists, and we have a nutritionist,” Russo mentioned. The focus is clear: “It’s not easy to speed up the process and have a youngster be the savior.” The idea is for the experienced players to carry the weight, and for the young ones “to bring their freshness and support the experience of the older players.”

The Management and a Promising Future

Russo found a very involved management team. “I see a management that is present all the time, solving urgent matters,” he assured, highlighting the work of president José Alonso, who “comes to the facility almost every day.”

The coordinator was optimistic about the local talent: “Having this source of good players close by means you don’t have to go too far.” The long-term project seeks to emulate the club’s historic success in talent development: “One gets excited that these players, in 4, 5, 6 years, will be the ones starting to appear in the reserve and will give the club the chance to make sales as Colón has historically done. We know that sales of young players are what sustain clubs financially.”

To conclude, Alejandro Russo sent a reassuring message to the fans: “I want to tell the people of Colón to be calm, that the club is in good hands with the management, with Diego Colotto’s leadership, with the first-team coaching staff, who are very professional, very hardworking, and very humble people.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.