- Despite such little time together, Falero already notices a strong bond being formed by the players both on and off the field.
MIAMI, Florida – There is just something about the Concacaf Men’s Olympic Qualifying championship that brings out the best in Honduras, as starting this month in Guadalajara, Mexico, the Catrachos will be seeking a fourth straight Olympic berth in the 2020 CMOQ.
The man tasked with achieving that feat is Under-23 Head Coach Miguel Falero, and judging by the training sessions and friendlies that his team have had since the start of the year, Falero believes the pieces are falling into place.
“I think the team is getting better. It starting to gel. We were able to have several mini-cycles with the entire team, so we have been getting better and have just had two friendlies against a good opponent in Costa Rica in which some good things were seen and other things that need to be corrected. Therefore, I think we’re on the right path. It is fundamental that this is just the beginning and marks the way we want to go forward,” said Falero in an exclusive interview with Concacaf.com.
Despite such little time together, Falero already notices a strong bond being formed by the players both on and off the field.
“In this team there is great eagerness to learn and a desire to work hard. Every time it’s been time to work with the team, we have been able to take advantage of it and make progress. They have showed us that ever since the first day. They have that attitude and solid style of play that the Honduran player has. There is a good connection. We haven’t had any issues in any of friendlies. It is a very proper team, a group of players who know clearly that this a great opportunity. I’m convinced that once we have the final list, the union and solidarity both on and off the field will make it so that we have a good performance,” said Falero.
Honduras are drawn into Group B in which they will square off against Haiti, El Salvador and Canada. All three opponents bring differing characteristics, and Falero knows they will also bring their challenges.
“Normally against El Salvador it’s the same thing, with very even games. The Salvadoran player is very hard-working and never gives up on any ball. The final game with Canada, they have been improving a lot for a while now. All of their players have been playing and experiencing all the youth levels. They have been doing a good job and it is bearing fruit. In that sense, we know they have figures on a global level in their Under-23 team who are in the best teams in Europe,” said Falero.
No doubt that when it comes to a CMOQ, motivation is never a problem for Honduras, but considering all of the difficulties that the country has encountered in the last year, punching their ticket to Tokyo would be extra special.
“For all of us, qualifying again for the Olympics would be a very proud moment. These games are very special considering everything that started a year ago. We have all had to face difficulties in this pandemic with being confined at home, plus here in Honduras we have had to deal with severe weather with two hurricanes making it hard to train and play on the few fields that we have. Considering everything that we have faced, it would be a great honor to show that we are on the right path if we are able to be one of the two teams that qualifies from Concacaf. It would be a great honor for the entire delegation. We feel proud for being able to defend these colors and hope to be able to meet those objectives,” concluded Falero.
