By Doug Reed @DougReedFutsal

**EXCLUSIVE**

Santiago Futsal from Spain entered the Mini Club World Cup in Kuwait as favourites and so far they have lived up to expectation. They won their first two group games to ensure qualification to the second round with a game to spare. Leading the team on the bench is their former player Santi Valladares.

Valladares was born in Padrón, a small town less than thirty kilometres from Santiago. As a player he played for Santiago and the Spanish National Team. He represented his country in the first ever FIFA Futsal World Cup in 1989 in The Netherlands during a time when futsal was beginning its journey to becoming an internationally recognised sport.

In those days the sport was still in its embryonic stages, both globally and within Spain. Comparing that time with now he jokes “There has been a lot of change since I was a player. The balls were square when we played!”, highlighting the drastic evolution that has happened in the way the game is played.

After retiring from playing due to a knee injury he started to get involved with coaching the game alongside working as a physical education teacher. In those days there were not professionals and a living had to be earned outside the game. He returned to Santiago Futsal when current Spanish head coach Venancio López took over the team in 2004. He called Valladares to be a part of the coaching setup at the club and he has worked there ever since.

Santiago is one of Spain´s most famous clubs but it has never had the financial resources to compete with the likes of El Pozo Murcia, Inter Movistar and, more recently, FC Barcelona Alusport. Valladares is keenly aware of the impact this has on the club and explains “Every season we lose 4 or 5 great players. We develop players and then they leave.” The lack of spending power means the club must cultivate its own talent. “The club philosophy is one of developing in-house. “

This philosophy also extends to the development of the club's coaches. Key in this was Venancio who mentored coaches such as Jose Maria Pazos ´Pulpis´ and Tomás de Dios. Both Pulpis and de Dios are an example of the success of the system of development at Santiago, becoming established and widely respected coaches and both progressing to become head coaches at the club.

Valladares worked under all three and they provided an excellent environment for an aspiring coach to learn about the profession. He regards himself as lucky to have had this opportunity and said “I was always with the best. They are coaches of the highest level. To learn from them is the best because I think they are the top coaches that are around today.”

Venancio´s influence on his apprentices means that his mark is still visible on the team today. He provided the foundation for his successors to build on as Valladares describes: “The defensive system of the team was introduced by Venancio. Each of us has made small changes and added their own touch but the fundamentals of the defence were implemented by him.”

Whilst taking much from the experience of the coaches he has worked with, Valladares has also been able to form his own ideas and opinions on the game. He is clear on his attacking philosophy giving a lot of responsibility to the players: “I like to give a lot of freedom to my players to play. I don´t like to say you pass here, you come here…” He trusts his players to adapt to the situation in the game and take the right decision, explaining: “The player has to express himself. Futsal is an art where the player has to express the art that they have, for the benefit of the team logically. I like to give freedom to the player, a lot of freedom."

Valladares’ opportunity to follow the path taken by his mentors came when Tomós de Dios decided to leave at the end of the 2011/2012 season. The philosophy of internal development meant the club looked within the ranks for a replacement and as de Dios’ assistant he was offered the role of head coach. It was a challenge he could not turned down: “To coach the club of your city, at the highest level, with this squad of players; that they allow you to do this is something sweet.”

It meant taking over at a difficult moment for the club, with upheaval present in the boardroom. President and founder of the club, José Antonio Lobelle, departed after more than 35 years at the helm with the club’s name changing from Lobelle Santiago to the current Santiago Futsal. On the playing side the usual pattern was repeated, five key players left the club, including Spanish international Aicardo, who signed for Barcelona.

However the season was a relative success with the club reaching the final stages of all the competitions they entered, only losing to clubs with far greater resources available. They finished 5th in the regular league season which meant they met El Pozo in the quarter finals of the Playoffs. Despite winning the first game at home they were unable to record victory in Murcia and lost the series 2-1. In the other competitions they reached the semi-finals in the Copa de España, losing to eventual winners Barcelona, and they got to the same stage in the Copa del Rey, with El Pozo ending their run here too.

The Mini Club World Cup in Kuwait is a great opportunity to pick up some silverware as well as earn some prize money to invest in the club and promote the club internationally. Valladares highlights that the benefit spreads throughout the club: “I think the experience to come here is very important, at the club level and at an individual level. It is an important tournament and good for the club to come here.”

However he sees the timing of the tournament, in the middle of the European off-season, as having an impact: “The preparation is not ideal because we only had nine days plus the training sessions here [in Kuwait]. I would have liked more but we have to adapt. It is not the optimal way to face a tournament.”

Despite this the club has started well, winning both of their opening games against two of the stronger teams in the tournament. They are hot favourites to win the inaugural edition of this competition but they are not taking anything for granted. Asked who their main rivals were, Valladares’ answer is clear on the need not to be complacent: “Everyone. We have to be humble, committed and have a good team spirit. We can beat anyone, but we can also lose to anyone. We must treat each rival like they are the toughest rival in that moment.”

The club has been impressed with the running of the tournament and Valladares is hopeful for its continuance, “The organisation is good. I am very happy with it. There are things that can be improved like any tournament. I think if they continue it, it will be better in the future.”

The signing of players only for the tournament and the timing of the event are two areas that were highlighted for improvement. “A team can´t sign 7 players just for the tournament. We come with our real team and didn´t bring 5 players just for the tournament. Also it would be better for us if it was in August because it would be the best time for us to prepare for our season.” These are things that will be taken into account for future editions. “Everything can be improved but for the first edition I think it is good."

If Santiago can take the title it will be a great moment in the club´s history and will sit alongside winning the European Cup Winners Cup in the 2006-2007 season under one of Valladares’ predecessors Pulpis. With many of the team’s current players and head coach all having been developed inside the club, it will also provide validation for the club’s home-grown philosophy.

The lack of financial resources has certainly not limited their ambitions and the club and the coach set themselves very high targets. Valladares is positive about the club’s future: “Every year, players leave, but the objectives are always the same and are always ambitious. Our objectives are always the maximum. We want to fight with and beat the big teams.”










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