Pulga Rodríguez on Radio Gol: “León was born here, Santa Fe's best gift” | OneFootball

Luis Miguel “Pulga” Rodríguez returned to the city of Santa Fe to begin an intense and emotional schedule of tributes that will culminate in his farewell match. The historic captain, leader of the squad that won Colón’s first and unforgettable star in the 2021 Copa de la Liga, made his first public appearance in an extensive interview on the classic program “ADN,” broadcast on Radio Gol 96.7 and hosted by journalist Darío Pignata.

In a conversation filled with nostalgia, frank statements, and reflections on the end of his career, the forward from Tucumán looked ahead to what promises to be an unforgettable day next Sunday, June 14, at the Brigadier General Estanislao López Stadium.

Mixed feelings at the end of the road

Just days away from officially putting on the red-and-black shirt for his tribute match, held under the slogan “#ElUltimoBaileDelPulga,” the Simoca-born attacker did not hide the mix of emotions going through his mind. With deep honesty, “Pulga” reflected on retirement: “It’s a mix of feelings because, well, everything has a beginning and an end, and honestly, as I’ve always said, football gave me so much. I gave everything to football, and no, all of a sudden I feel empty.”

Likewise, the forward admitted to feeling somewhat anxious about Sunday’s event and compared the longevity of his profession with that of other fields: “I heard Caniggia saying, why can’t we be like singers, who are 60 years old and still singing? Well, we don’t have that luxury because if we stop running, we can’t keep up anymore in today’s football, where intensity, GPS and all that matter so much, so football ends earlier than any other sport.”

A great social gesture in difficult times

Aware of the realities hitting people’s pockets, Rodríguez emphasized an important measure adopted together with the event’s organizing team, confirming that retirees will be able to enter the stadium completely free of charge. “It was an initiative from the organizers, from the people behind all this, and from someone who understands the economic situation we’re all going through and how hard it is nowadays to make it to the end of the month. I’m very happy about it, that we can help, that we can contribute, that retirees can be in the stadium, because the idea is for everyone to have a good time, for no one to be left out.” For the Colón idol, the main goal is to make access easier so families can attend together and all fans have the unique chance to witness and celebrate alongside the 2021 champions.

The birth of his son León and his eternal bond with Santa Fe

When asked about the deep meaning the capital of Santa Fe has in his personal and professional life, the forward did not hesitate to describe it as his second home, second only to Tucumán, where he built much of his career. Beyond sporting achievements, finals, and titles, “Pulga” revealed the most sacred reason that will bind him forever to the province: “My wife got pregnant here in Santa Fe and decided that our son would be born here in Santa Fe, with doctors from here and everything else. That’s the most wonderful thing Santa Fe gave me, my son León, who was the youngest and who was born here in Santa Fe. After that I lived unforgettable moments, unique moments, I experienced losses in Santa Fe, but I was always happy, my family was happy where we were, and things were going very well at the club.”

His view of coaches and the memory of Eduardo Domínguez

Football analysis took center stage in the interview, where Rodríguez shared his experiences with coaches of very different styles. The forward dismissed certain locker-room myths by highlighting managers who spoke little but were extremely clear in their day-to-day work, directly mentioning Ricardo “Ruso” Zielinski and Eduardo Domínguez.“He spoke very little, but in the day-to-day, in training, in everything, he gave you all the tools to do everything you had to do afterward. He hardly spoke in the locker room, just what was necessary, and you went out onto the pitch wanting to devour your opponents.”

He made special mention of Domínguez, whom he praised as a professional deeply devoted to his role, to the point of taking on a fatherly approach with Colón’s young prospects such as Facundo Farías, Santiago Pierotti, and Eric Meza. Recalling how Domínguez’s coaching staff imposed strict limits to significantly boost their professional careers, he explained: “If he sees that a kid has potential, I saw it at Colón, he calls him in the afternoon, he calls him at another time… he’s very dedicated and committed to the role of coach, and I think sometimes he even takes on the role of a father. If he sees potential in a kid and the kid doesn’t take care of himself… he always tries to help him, to advise him. He didn’t reward them for doing things wrong, on the contrary, he punished them, and that helped them grow much more and be where they are today.”

The funny anecdote of his departure from Atlético Tucumán in 2019

One of the most lighthearted moments of the radio interview came when the idol recalled the intense negotiations that led to his move to the Santa Fe club at the beginning of 2019, after a direct call from Colón’s then-president, José Vignati, whose sporting project immediately won him over. To break the deadlock amid the obstacles put up by Atlético Tucumán’s board and to make his position clear, “Pulga” showed up at the club’s training ground on a Saturday morning, unexpectedly took his boots, sneakers, and personal belongings from the locker room, and went home without yet having signed anything with El Sabalero, prompting an audio message from the equipment manager warning about his departure to go viral.

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