Q&A: Getting to know Israel Gutiérrez, Villarreal CD México Academy Director
We spoke to Villarreal CD México Director Israel Gutiérrez, the man in charge of Villarreal’s first official partner academy in Mexico.
Please tell us about your soccer background.
Since I was little my father instilled in me a love for this beautiful sport and I played soccer from a young age up until I made it to play professionally in the second division.
Then I had to make the decision to keep playing or dedicate myself to my studies and get a university degree. I graduated from the School of Technical Directors so I’m a Professional Technical Director, and have a Bachelor of Science in Sports Science among other studies and I am still very passionate about soccer.
What is your main reason for creating a soccer academy?
It was always a dream of mine to start up a soccer school and now I am making that dream a reality.
One of the main reasons for creating the academy and its primary objective is to continue to encourage sport in society. And how better to do that than with a serious and professional project, offering young people physical and sporting activities that help them to develop their skills, attitudes and values; as well as meeting their individual needs to improve their physical and mental health, which has an impact on their personal, social and family environments.
What made you decide to partner with Villarreal CF?
I consider Villarreal CF to be an international club that has had many Mexican players in its ranks and this led me to think big and want to get on board the Yellow Submarine.
What opportunities will partnering with Villarreal CF give to young boys and girls in the local community?
Young players will have the opportunity to practice football as a means of training for life, learn teamwork, discipline and compete in national and international sports competitions. All through a different vision and way of working, combined with a cutting-edge structure and methodology, with highly-qualified staff.
What are the medium and long-term goals for your academy and its partnership with Villarreal CF?
As a primary objective, we want to be one of the best soccer academies in Mexico. In the medium-term, objectives of ours are to build a high-quality structure of an international soccer academy in Mexico, to have professional staff and coaching staff with the skills and necessary knowledge to carry out the roles and responsibilities entrusted to them, and to establish an institutional training program with the methodology and know-how of the club. Also, to generate sources of employment for the local community.
In the future, we’d like to take Villarreal CD México Academy to national and international events and continue to be recognized and known as a prestigious soccer academy. We want to hold summer camps in Mexico and Spain, to have our players visit Villarreal CF in Spain and have a continuous training program for our coaches.
For the long term, we want to continue to be one of the soccer academies in Mexico with the greatest potential and open academies in other Mexican states.
