He knows Cristiano Ronaldo better than anyone. He is one of the few lucky coaches to take part in the meteoric rise of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner. Close friend of legendary coach Carlos Queiroz and FIFA World Cup winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, Dan Gaspar is sometimes upset how the term “arrogant” is unnecessarily applied to his brightest student.
In addition to being Iran’s assistant coach with Queiroz, the 65-year-old has also worked as an assistant coach and goalkeeping coach for Portugal and South Africa at the national level, and Sporting CP, Benfica and Porto at the club level. In an exclusive chat with indianexpress.com, shares his thoughts on training, Portugal’s historic triumph in the UEFA European Championship and, of course, his days with Ronaldo.
After being associated with Portuguese soccer for decades, how did you feel when Ronaldo led Portugal to their first euro five years ago?
It is an honor and a privilege to be a small part of such an incredible journey. The success that Portugal has achieved in the international arena becomes even more incredible when you consider the small population [just over 10 million] from the country. The hearts of all the Portuguese were filled with joy when Cristiano lifted the Euro Cup trophy. I think it was one of his proudest moments. He led the team to victory on and off the field. It was a tournament in which Ronaldo not only demonstrated his world-class abilities, but also proved to be a world-class captain.
Season after season, Ronaldo accumulates more minutes on the court than any other member of the team. As you’ve seen it up close, how does he stay super fit even at the age of 36?
Once, during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Ronaldo and I were alone in the steam room. He had asked, “What motivates you?” and he simply replied, “Win. I want to be the best in the world, the best of all time ”. Ronaldo lives every second, minute, hour, day, week, month and year of his life working hard to be the best of all time by breaking records. You surround yourself with a world-class team, the best medical staff, nutritionist, performance coach, etc., who are all on the same mission. He is always the first in training ground and the last to go.
There is a debate that Ronaldo is generally selfish and does not respect his teammates. What do you think of that?
There are different types of leaders. Ronaldo is one of those leaders who manifests himself not in words but through his actions. People often confuse arrogance with confidence. His leadership and maturity have evolved over the years. Through your experiences, you gain wisdom, insight, and compassion. What people don’t realize is his tremendous generosity behind the scenes. He has a huge heart.
Do you consider Ronaldo the best Portuguese player of all time?
Portugal is fortunate to have phenomenal and talented players like Eusebio, Figo and now Ronaldo. When Ronaldo decides to end his career, he will be considered one of the greatest of all time.
Lionel Messi is likely to leave Barcelona at the end of the season. What do you think of that?
Lionel Messi is a great player. However, I think he is at his best when he plays with the Barcelona style of play. Barcelona need to reorganize and provide a better supporting cast for Messi. They just aren’t good enough right now.
Dan Gaspar with former Iran coach Carlos Queiroz.
How was your experience working for Queiroz and Scolari?
Two different styles of coaching and leadership.
Carlos Queiroz is a visionary. He’s consumed with attention to detail both on and off the field. Create and share with your staff a very clear picture of your methods and mission. It implements the vertical integration process, which means that all departments are linked with the same purpose. Responsibilities are assigned and assigned. If you have the privilege of working with Queiroz, you must be prepared to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. His work ethic is incredible. A consummate professional. An educating and motivating teacher.
Luis Filipe Scolari is World Cup champion. A proven winner. I think his training style is reflected in his Brazilian culture. First, he has had the opportunity to train and coach the best players on the planet. As a result of the talent of the Brazilian players, their atmosphere was relaxed and fun. Scolari has a great presence who fought hard for her beliefs. Strong personality and motivator. His loyalty was unconditional to the players and staff. If he believes in you, he will win or lose with you until the end. His loyal staff was always part of his new projects. He trusted them and gave them the freedom to express themselves and add value to the process. With any new project, the first thing he brought to camp was a sports psychologist who collected information based on a questionnaire.
The Indian Super League has aroused some interest in recent years. Legendary players like Zico, Marco Materazzi, Robert Pires, Luis García, Teddy Sheringham have trained or played. Do you have any plans to train here if it is offered?
I have been very fortunate and blessed to have worked on four continents with world-class coaches and players at the highest level. I love the challenge of making a difference in every project that I am deeply involved in. I have spoken with colleagues who have worked in the Indian Super League and they would be open to the opportunity to share my knowledge with India.
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She is a freelance blogger, writer, and speaker, and writes for various entertainment magazines.