Velázquez, on the subject of Cedrick: "The best option would be to find an opening with another team"
The Real Betis Balompié coach spoke to the press after the match against RC Recreativo de Huelva. In the pressroom at the Nuevo Colombino Stadium, Velázquez confirmed having spoken to Cedrick Mabwati yesterday afternoon, with whom he agreed that the best option is to find an opening with another team for the upcoming season. With regard to Sergio Rodríguez's future, Velázquez also mentioned the possibility that he might join another team on loan to accumulate minutes on the pitch.
Opinion of the match: “I'm happy. It's always good to win, and to make that a habit. I am much happier with the second half of the match than the first. We played against a good team with aspirations to be in the play-off. It was a match that counts for a lot. We have to continue to grow, we are in the construction phase. We have to keep absorbing new concepts and continue improving. It was Lolo's first re-appearance. It's a good sign. I am optimistic, I see it as one more small step that we have to take to keep growing.
Suspension of the start of the Liga Adelante: “It's neither good nor bad for us. We just have to adapt to the circumstances - as do all the other teams in the category. We shouldn't waste too much energy on aspects beyond our control. There are cases such as that of Lolo Reyes, where the more time he has to train, the better it will be for him and for the team. We are in the process of choosing the squad, and therefore it's also time to reinforce the team”.
Cedrick, not picked for tonight's match: “Yesterday I spoke to him. He's a player who strikes me as a terrific person who throughout the pre-season has demonstrated a superb disposition and exceptional commitment. I have no bad feelings towards him. We have assured him that we are happy with his attitude and his work, but from a football perspective, we need a different type of player on the wing. The best option is that he find an opening with another team. He will continue to train normally and we will see what happens. He's a very likeable lad, but we have to weigh up the pros and cons. It is my decision. In my opinion, we need a different profile of player in that position, not better nor worse. We spoke together yesterday because I had to make my evaluation based upon what I have seen during the pre-season”.
How many footballers are yet to join the squad?: “I am really happy with Alexis. He's really in tune with the group. We talk together a lot, it is our daily obligation. His role is to transmit what he thinks is appropriate for the Club, in accordance with his position as the Technical Secretary. If he has said that three more reinforcements will be joining us, he will already have explained that. With regard to what we do or do not discuss, it is not my place to comment on those conversations.
Will Sergio Rodríguez be leaving?: “I like to keep the dialogue open all the time with all the players. To avoid speculation, yesterday I spoke with Sergio Rodríguez. I am very happy with how he has been working so far. I think that given his ability and profile, he will be playing with Real Betis in the First Division sooner or later. That will determine his potential for progression, but he is more than capable. Given that this season is already upon us, I told him that he could stay in the squad, but that if he did, he would not be given the continuity necessary to keep developing as a player. I told him that the best scenario for him and for the Club in order to create a more rounded Sergio would be to find some solution on a loan basis which would allow him to accumulate minutes on the pitch, so that in July we find ourselves with a much more experienced Sergio. His participation would be less continuous if he stays. We have to look at the real situation, and consider that the most productive solution is that he spends this season somewhere he is always guaranteed a place on the team”.
What type of Betis will we see in the first fixture of the Liga Adelante?: “We know that the squad is not fully determined yet. The fundamental factor in a team sport is the ability of the players on the pitch to work well together. It requires mixing it up, getting it right and making sure that the players that you put on the pitch work in harmony together. We have to see what works. What we want to avoid is only having one plan of action, but rather to have several different alternatives. We have to find the optimum combination of the players that we have available for the first match of the Liga Adelante”.
