Claudio Úbeda dismissed claims Riquelme picks Boca's teams | OneFootball

In an interview in which he spoke about everything for the first time since his departure as Boca’s head coach, Claudio Úbeda debunked the idea that club president Juan Román Riquelme picked the team for him. El Sifón put an end to a myth that had also taken hold with his predecessors.

One of the most recurring media rumors around the Xeneize revolves around the president’s alleged interference in technical decisions. However, the former coach was blunt when referring to his daily dealings with the club’s top authority and what the working dynamic was like.

“We talked. Not much, but we talked. I think we talked enough. As president, obviously we talked a lot about the team, about what he saw in the team and what I saw,” Claudio Úbeda explained, making it clear that the dialogue flowed within the logical boundaries of institutional management.

Juan Román Riquelme. Photo: Juano Tesone/Clarín.

The central point of the controversy has always been whether the president suggests or demands names when putting together the starting eleven. On this key issue, the coach left no room for speculation and was categorical: “At no point, never, during the year we were there, did he force me to play one player or another.”

Claudio Úbeda highlighted his autonomy

In addition, El Sifón stressed that the coaching staff’s autonomy remained intact and was respected at all times, drawing a line of continuity from the start of the season. “The decision on the players who played throughout the year was always Miguel’s first, until Miguel left, and then it was mine until the last match,” he said firmly.

His relationship with the president.

To close the subject and put an end to the versions about outside pressure in the tactical setup, Claudio Úbeda explained what everyday conversations at the training ground were like and reaffirmed his stance: “Logically, many times there are football talks with the coaching staff, with the president, with the sporting director, with Chelo.”

“Chelo Delgado was constantly with us, but the final decisions were always made by us. We talked about football; afterward, I made the decisions on who had to play and who didn’t. About that I have complete and absolute peace of mind,” he concluded.

Keep reading:

Claudio Úbeda broke his silence after leaving Boca: how he found out and his relationship with Riquelme

Rodolfo Arruabarrena would be the main candidate to replace Úbeda at Boca

Kily González expressed his desire to coach Boca and revealed talks with Riquelme

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