Andrés Yllana on Colón: "They demanded players and tactics" | OneFootball

Andrés Yllana revealed the reasons why he stopped being the coach of Colón, and emphasized: "Without institutional support, it is impossible to execute profound changes".

The former coach of Colón, Andrés Yllana, broke his silence after his abrupt departure from the club following the controversial defeat against Mitre de Santiago del Estero, a match that had to be resumed a few hours after its suspension due to incidents in the north stand. In an extensive chat with Mundo Ascenso, the coach referred to the context of his time at the club, internal difficulties, the relationship with the players and the board, and the lessons the experience left him.

Chueco Yllana's explanations

"I needed to make significant changes to the team. It wasn't just about tactics or technique, but also about how the group's dynamics were lived, about the energy that was generated. Many times with good energy and an irregular team, you achieve more than with a great squad and bad attitude," explained Yllana.

For him, a 360-degree change in the functioning and mentality of the squad was essential, something he could not achieve due to the lack of support from the directors: "They wanted to demand certain players and plans from me. They didn't let me make the decisions I thought were necessary to change the dynamics and the climate of constant defeat".

The former coach remembered that when he arrived at the club he found a group already formed by previous processes: "I took over a squad that came from other coaches, with some new kids and others with more time in the club. It wasn't a matter of quality, but of energy and moments. A team becomes a winner or loser depending on how you handle these situations".

About communication with the players, Yllana admitted the difficulty of conveying complicated decisions: "Telling a leader that he is not in your plans is not easy. You have to be smart, measured, and do it with institutional support. If you don't have it, the message gets diluted and is not executed. That's what happened to me". In addition, he pointed out the importance of understanding the attitude of each player: "Not everyone reacts the same; some accept, others get uncomfortable. You have to measure each situation and not generalize".

Regarding the match interrupted against Mitre due to incidents in the north stand, Yllana explained the situation: "Security did not allow us to act as we would have liked. The most sensible thing was to stay and take care of the players. That picture sums up the complexity of the moment: it was not about technical decisions, but about logistics and safety".

The coach also reflected on the relationship with the directors and how to approach the transfer market: "The initial plan of the board sought to recover a sense of belonging, bringing players who had already worn the Colón shirt. But to change the mentality of a squad you need quick decisions and support. When that doesn't happen, it's very difficult to implement a project".

What Yllana took from his time at Colón

Regarding his learnings, Yllana was self-critical and aware of the magnitude of the challenge: "I don't regret having coached Colón. It's a very big club, with high demands. I learned to handle complex situations, to measure energies and times, and to understand that without institutional support it is impossible to execute profound changes".

The former coach left a clear message about how to manage a squad in a professional level club: technique and tactics are important, but energy, communication and strategic direction are fundamental for a team to transform and achieve results. His time at Colón, although brief, highlighted the difficulty of imposing a project without the necessary support and left lessons that, according to him, will serve him in future experiences.

In conclusion, Andrés Yllana emphasized that his departure was not due to his own inability or that of the squad, but to the lack of freedom to implement the changes he considered essential: "If you want to change a team, you need tools, clear decisions and support. Without that, even the best project has limitations".

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