Caparrós: Arbeloa's rise to Madrid dugout 'no surprise' to former mentor
Joaquín Caparrós reveals insights about Álvaro Arbeloa's playing days and coaching potential, claiming 40% of his former players have become managers.
Legendary Sevilla boss Joaquín Caparrós has a remarkable track record of turning players into coaches, with an astonishing 40% of his former charges going on to become managers themselves.
Arbeloa’s journey from player to Madrid boss
Caparrós, who coached Arbeloa during the defender’s early career, shared some fascinating insights about the current Real Madrid manager’s development from promising youngster to elite coach.
“He was very, very professional and lived everything with great intensity,” Caparrós revealed about a young Arbeloa who arrived from Castilla alongside Filipe Luis.
The veteran coach always saw something special in Arbeloa’s approach, noting that his passion for the beautiful game was evident from day one. It’s this dedication that helped the former defender achieve remarkable success as a player, collecting World Cup, European Championship, Champions League and La Liga medals before transitioning to the dugout.
Media savvy from an early age
What’s particularly interesting is Caparrós’ recollection of Arbeloa’s fascination with the media side of management:
- Arbeloa paid special attention to press conferences
- Caparrós advised him that managers are judged as much on media appearances as technical ability
- The importance of delivering headlines and defending your players
“In each press conference, you need to deliver one or several headlines,” was Caparrós’ advice – something Arbeloa appears to have taken to heart in his current role.
Advice for the Madrid hot seat
When asked what counsel he’d offer Arbeloa now, Caparrós emphasized the importance of positive messaging and defending both players and club – something he believes his former pupil is already doing brilliantly.
He also stressed two fundamental points: “Be yourself and listen carefully to the players.” Communication skills, according to the Sevilla legend, are absolutely crucial for modern managers – so much so that he’s advocating for specific communication training in coaching courses.
While Arbeloa’s appointment raised a few eyebrows in some quarters, Caparrós clearly isn’t among the doubters. For him, it was written in the stars that his former charge would one day take the reins at the Bernabéu. Now the real test begins – as Caparrós notes, at Real Madrid “only winning matters.”