23.10.2007, 04:21
Jose Ignacio San Miguel: "Cabanas stays"

After consecutive bad results for Portland San Antonio, the club’s president talks to Eurohandball.com.

Jose Ignacio San Miguel: “Cabanas stays”

The difficulties of Portland San Antonio is a hot issue in Spain at the moment. It is not usual to see Portland standing with two defeats and a draw after the first seven matches of the Asobal League. The only consolation in Pamplona is the Champions League as the team can almost say goodbye to the Asobal title. Eurohandball.com tried to look for the possible explanations with Portland president, Jose Ignacio San Miguel.

Eurohandball.com: What is happening in Portland?

Jose Ignacio San Miguel: Our problem is not only one problem. There have been certain negative circumstances from the beginning of the season. Many of them can be explained by the sudden replacement of former coach, Zupo Equisoin. He did not give us much time to find a good coach and this is important now.

Eurohandball.com: Does it mean that Javier Cabanas will step down?

Jose Ignacio San Miguel: No. We must wait. I think that Javier has not made so many bad things so far in Pamplona and he did not cause such a disaster to fire him. Nobody is thinking about it at the moment. We are in a situation where the team must show an improving performance and if the things will not change for the better, perhaps we must speak again.

Eurohandball.com: Javier Cabanas has tried to implement changes. Is it so difficult?

Jose Ignacio San Miguel: Zupo had a way of coaching and Javier has a different one. Perhaps Javier sees that there are some things in this team, mainly in defence, that worked better before and it is right to go back to that direction. It is not my opinion, he told it to me. However, it is normal that a new coach brought new ideas. When these plans do not work out, we must change them.

Eurohandball.com: What is the objective of the club now?

Jose Ignacio San Miguel: Of course we must fight to win every game, but we know that the Asobal League is very, very difficult. However, we have to qualify for the next Champions League. We must reach the third place in the Spanish League or win the Asobal Cup. There is no other way to reach the next edition of CL.

Eurohandball.com: What is your message for the Portland fans?

Jose Ignacio San Miguel: I know that the spectator numbers are decreasing in Pamplona. Perhaps the fans are disappointed because the team always won their matches in Pamplona easily. We have not been defeated at home for two years. I can only say to the fans to continue with their support because we will fight till the end.

TEXT: Fernando Urra Goñi