Joe Aboumrad, of Grupo Carso, Fundación Telmex, and Director of Clarosports, arrived in the city of Oviedo yesterday afternoon to attend Saturday’s match between Real Oviedo and UD Almería at the Carlos Tartiere. In the following interview, Aboumrad discusses the latest news around the team and his feelings during this latest visit, evaluates the work carried out under the management of Grupo Carso during these six years, and tells us the next steps for a project which has not stopped growing.
What feeling have you had during your return to Oviedo?
I am very happy. You can feel the buzz of hard work just like when I was here during the last promotion. Very good memories.
You’ve come back to a very similar city… and a very different club?
It’s very different. The truth is that I’m very happy with everything we’ve improved. At El Requexón, the state of the pitches, the dressing room… all of those improvements you don’t see from the outside, but the team is growing internally. You’ll see this reflected in results on the pitch in the future. There are things to do and it’s a process, but we’re on the right track.
You said hello to the squad this morning. How was the chat with the Coach and the players?
The group is very good. You can tell that they are committed. We know the objective we have; we want to go up. The group knows it and the Coach knows it. We have to be cautious and know that we won’t win just because we are Real Oviedo. The conversation was to let them know that they have all of our support, and that, in the name of Arturo and Grupo Carso, we are here to support them and for whatever they need. I hope they can give us what we want.
Are you happy to find a Mexican player in the squad?
Yes, the accent is different! He found it hard at the start, but I think he’s adapting well. The important thing is for him to contribute to the team like any other player.
In addition to on-field matters, it is important to evaluate management which, within six years, has brought an end to the 15 million euros of debt which the club had accumulated. How do you evaluate the work done so far?
It’s one of the most important things that has been achieved. This shows that we are like Real Oviedo, the backing there is, and the commitment we all have. The management style changes a lot now and you can make other types of long-term plans. You couldn’t do so before with such a significant debt. The effort made by all of us; the fans, Grupo Carso, and all Real Oviedo season-ticket holders, means that we can plan for the future. It’s very important, because it means that better things are coming.
Is Real Oviedo followed with the same passion from México?
It’s difficult because we can’t always watch the match live. Sometimes we follow it through social media. We experience it very intensely, as do the supporters’ clubs. They always come together to watch it in a couple of places in Mexico. It’s very nice.
What’s the next step now?
For us all to go up… (laughs). The ideal scenario would be for both our teams to be in the promotion places in May of next year. I hope that we can see those plans soon, but at the moment the thing is to continue managing the team well. We mustn’t commit mistakes in administrative matters, must continue to grow the B team, the youth teams, see player growth… these areas could mean that we have a much stronger team in the future. We mustn’t commit errors in the administrative area. We must be cautious and take responsible decisions for the team and fans. There are big changes coming in the world of football in terms of television rights, LaLiga… We have to manage them well and I believe that we are in the right place to be able to reach those objectives, although at the end of the day the footballing and objectives and the results are what decides everything. To do well we have to have a solid financial situation, solid administration, and a work team which is solid in all aspects. Communication with the fans and with the teams is very important… All of these parts, which we are completing up little by little, have been very fortunate for us.
Any message for the ‘Oviedistas’?
See you tomorrow at the match. I am very happy to be here again. We’d love to come much more often but we have many other commitments. Our hearts are with them and committed to the fans. We know how hard it is to get to games every weekend, but they are there at home and show their backing away from home. We are very grateful to them. I hope we win. See you soon.
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