00:00Hello, welcome to a new video of El Espectador.
00:02Today is Juan Carlos Toja, who is a player of the Selección Colombia
00:05and is the new director of the Menor Division of Fortaleza.
00:08Hello, Juan Carlos, how are you?
00:09Hello, Daniel, how are you? How are you all?
00:12Well, what I know is that recently you were announced as the new director of Fortaleza.
00:18In 2013 you retired, perhaps there was an attempt to return to the type of 2016.
00:23And now you have this new stage, or at least a more meditative stage
00:28of what you were doing in the last decade. Tell me, how did you get your arrival?
00:32Well, I retired more or less in 2016.
00:35I was just here in Fortaleza trying to return.
00:38I had several injuries and unfortunately I retired,
00:43a little bit before I had expected.
00:44And I did a long time without doing anything,
00:48trying to find out what I wanted to do in my life after the retirement,
00:52after the professional football.
00:54And of course I came to work with Fortaleza,
01:01with the president, with Carlos Barato, with Pacho Serrano,
01:05who is the general general manager, with the coaches of the club.
01:10And I was also helping the scout team,
01:13as I said, I came to work with the club.
01:16And I opened this space as director of the basic forces, director of the inferiors.
01:20And, well, I didn't think so. I decided to take it.
01:23I'm in a new stage of my career in which I want to learn.
01:26And to bring to the football, to bring to Fortaleza my experience, my knowledge.
01:32And, as I said, to learn, especially because there are many things I have to learn.
01:36I don't think so.
01:37I'm a little bit about that.
01:38You can't leave the field anymore.
01:39And then, having to deal with that.
01:40How to accept that your passion can't follow with injuries.
01:45Well, it's very difficult.
01:46I think that for any professional player who's playing in the retirement,
01:49it's very difficult.
01:52What we live in the field, in the camerino, in the day-to-day, is something very special.
01:57I think the adrenaline of the games is not compared with nothing.
02:00Being able to play in a full stadium has a great feeling,
02:05that is difficult to leave.
02:08In my case, because of lesions,
02:11I have retired a little bit before I had planned,
02:14it was very hard, it was difficult.
02:18I was a little bit discouraged,
02:22I didn't find myself well in what I wanted to do
02:25and how I felt,
02:28which is also normal for me to retire from football.
02:33I had been doing a long time without doing anything,
02:34I was fine, I was with my family,
02:36I was with my family,
02:37my friends,
02:38most of the time when you are footballer
02:42you don't have time for those things,
02:43or very little,
02:45so I took advantage of traveling,
02:46to meet my family,
02:48to be here in Bogotá,
02:49and then after a long time,
02:53I said, what do I do?
02:56I said, what do I do?
02:57I said, what do I do?
02:58And, well, it came to my mind
03:01to start working in football,
03:03because, obviously,
03:04it is what I like most,
03:05what I love,
03:05what I love,
03:06and, well, here we are.
03:07Okay, cool.
03:08Well,
03:09and, well,
03:10what do you highlight of that new role?
03:12Well,
03:12in a certain way,
03:13there is a very big responsibility in the project,
03:19in this case,
03:20in the mine,
03:20in the lower divisions,
03:21in the lower divisions,
03:23try to, well,
03:24try to, well,
03:28to get,
03:29or to get,
03:30get good results
03:31in the players
03:32that we have,
03:33in the scout's area
03:34bring the best players,
03:35with a lot of portrayals,
03:37the best athletes as possible,
03:38be able to stay in the day-to-day
03:40of the boys
03:41and reach out to those kids
03:42and help them
03:42their own process.
03:43You lived on the other side
03:44You lived on the other side,
03:45you You were
03:45like a young talent that they discovered at a early age,
03:50what would you show that perspective,
03:53how to turn 180 degrees, what does it show you now?
03:57Totally, on the one hand it's trying to fall into account
04:03or remember one at that age of adolescence
04:08or after adolescence, when one gets to be older and so on,
04:13it's very complicated, football requires a lot of sacrifice,
04:20a lot of training, to be very concentrated, very involved in football
04:24and not let us go for things that are more, yes,
04:29rather than being very involved in the story of football
04:33and that we see things from another perspective,
04:36that the football happens very quickly,
04:37unfortunately it's very nice, but it happens very quickly
04:40and we have to take advantage of the moments
04:41because if no one doesn't put the ball,
04:44then they will soon have the opportunity to play football professional
04:48so try to advise them from all sides,
04:51give them the best tools for them to work, grow, grow,
04:55evolve and have the opportunity to reach first division
04:59or professional football.
05:00Let's talk a little bit about that,
05:03you were part of that sub-20 team
05:06that marked a generation,
05:08a friend of some referents,
05:12Abel, Falcao, Rodallega, Dayro,
05:15and that team of Lara.
05:17So, what do you remember as the principal
05:21aprendizaje of that time,
05:22and what do you remember from that time?
05:25Well, I remember a lot of things,
05:27very nice things,
05:28it was a very important moment,
05:31very nice, very beautiful,
05:33of my career and I think of all of them,
05:36to participate in a Colombia selección,
05:38in a sub-20,
05:40well, some of them had been in sub-17,
05:42but most of them came to the sub-20,
05:44to have the opportunity to represent the country
05:46that is a huge pride,
05:49and also, at the side of the big players
05:50like the ones you just mentioned,
05:52and many others,
05:52because we had a very good team,
05:54and it was a very important training for us,
05:58in all the senses,
06:00and having, in this case,
06:01with the selección,
06:02able to play international matches,
06:06competing against strong teams
06:10at the world,
06:11it makes you grow a lot,
06:13in all the senses,
06:14in the football level,
06:15in the football level,
06:17in the psychological level,
06:18in being able to measure
06:20and internationally,
06:21I think it gave a very big plus,
06:23and that made me,
06:24I think, not only to myself,
06:26but to all of them,
06:26to grow a little bit faster
06:28and evolve in our game,
06:31so it was a very nice experience,
06:33and we were able to be
06:34American champions,
06:36we went to the world,
06:36and they were eliminated,
06:38but I think,
06:39in all, it was a great process.
06:41You played in the sub-20,
06:42and then you had the opportunity
06:43to get to the majority,
06:43because many people
06:45have stayed in the way
06:45to get to the majority of the youth,
06:47to the majority,
06:48what is the main thing
06:50that happens
06:50in the majority of cases
06:52that you don't see
06:52that transition?
06:53Jugar en la mayores
06:54es uno de los retos
06:56más grandes que existe
06:56para un futbolista
06:58en cada país.
07:01La exigencia,
07:02pues, es mucho más alta,
07:03siendo, obviamente,
07:04la exigencia de la sub-20 alta,
07:06siempre una mayores
07:07va a ser mucha más alta,
07:08y, pues,
07:09va a ser más difícil
07:10para los jugadores
07:10poder estar,
07:11por más de que hayan pasado
07:12por selección o no,
07:14en sub-20,
07:15sub-17 y demás,
07:16pues, la exigencia
07:17es mucho más alta
07:17en el fútbol de mayores,
07:19¿no?
07:20Desafortunadamente,
07:21me hubiera gustado
07:21estar mucho más
07:22en esos procesos
07:23de selección mayores,
07:25estuve en algunos,
07:25afortunadamente pude estar,
07:27pero,
07:28obviamente,
07:28es más difícil
07:29y la competencia
07:30es mucho más alta y demás.
07:31En esa época en la que
07:32te estaban llamando
07:32a selección tipo 2009,
07:34tú también debutaste
07:35en Liga de Campeones,
07:36lo hiciste con el este agua
07:37de los colombianos,
07:38porque estaba Rufa
07:39y estaba Dairo.
07:40Eh, bueno,
07:42por un lado,
07:43eh,
07:44pues, sí ayuda a tener,
07:46eh,
07:47en este caso,
07:48cuando fui a este agua
07:49de Bucarest,
07:49cuando fui a Bucarest
07:50en Rumania,
07:51eh, ya Rufa y Zapata
07:53y Dairo estaban allá,
07:54llevaban seis meses,
07:55no sé exactamente
07:56cuánto llevaban en el club
07:57y, claramente,
07:58es una ayuda poder llegar
07:59y tener compatriotas
08:01en tu,
08:01en tu equipo,
08:02¿no?
08:02Y más tan cercano,
08:03a Rufa no lo conocía personalmente,
08:05pero a Dairo,
08:06pues, ya lo conocía
08:06por la selección,
08:07entonces, obviamente,
08:09eh, pues,
08:09me acobijaron
08:10y me ayudaron muchísimo.
08:11Con el este agua,
08:12tú pudiste debutar
08:13en la Champions
08:13y, pues,
08:14todo el mundo sueña
08:15el que,
08:15el que empieza a jugar
08:16en División Menor,
08:17suena con escuchar ese uno,
08:18pero, pues,
08:19también sé que,
08:20hoy por hoy,
08:21estás más pendiente
08:22de maracaneiros,
08:23de,
08:23de los torneos de acá,
08:24de,
08:25que se juegan entre Cota,
08:26Bogotá.
08:27Totalmente,
08:28¿no?
08:28Pues, ahorita lo estábamos hablando
08:29y es así como te lo dije,
08:31eh,
08:32estábamos hablando de Champions
08:33y, desafortunadamente,
08:34no he podido ver mucho este año,
08:36no vi casi las semifinales,
08:37ni la fase de grupos,
08:38ni de nada,
08:39eh,
08:40porque, pues,
08:41me la paso acá trabajando,
08:42viendo partidos de diferentes,
08:44eh,
08:44divisiones,
08:44sub-13,
08:45sub-15,
08:45sub-17,
08:46sub-20,
08:46entonces,
08:46estoy más enterado de la Copa Metropolitana,
08:49del torneo nacional federativo,
08:50o de,
08:51o de fútbol,
08:52que de la Champions,
08:53de la Europa League,
08:54¿no?
08:54La verdad,
08:54no,
08:54no estoy muy enterado,
08:55obviamente,
08:58de la Champions,
08:59que sé que es contra el Real Madrid,
09:01contra el,
09:01contra el Borussia,
09:02pues,
09:02tampoco,
09:03pero,
09:03pero no he podido ver mucho,
09:04y veo a veces la formación en los equipos,
09:06cuando veo un otro partido,
09:07y ya,
09:08antes conocía a todos,
09:09hay varios que ahora no conozco,
09:10entonces, pues,
09:11sí es,
09:11sí es cómico.
09:12Santa Fe,
09:13en estos momentos, pues,
09:14se están jugando el paso,
09:15¿cómo lo estás viviendo a la distancia?
09:16Bien, pues,
09:16haciéndole fuerza,
09:17yo, eh,
09:18siempre le hago fuerza a Santa Fe,
09:20eh,
09:20haciéndole mucha fuerza también a,
09:22a Hugo,
09:22a Rodallega,
09:23que fue compañero mío,
09:24y, pues,
09:24lo está haciendo muy bien,
09:26entonces,
09:26pues,
09:26muy contento,
09:27muy contento haciéndole fuerza,
09:28ojalá, eh,
09:29podamos clasificar a la final,
09:31y, bueno,
09:31también tener otra,
09:33y poder conseguir la otra,
09:34la otra estrella.
09:35Ok,
09:35y bueno,
09:36si estás en Fortaleza,
09:37es casi imposible no hablar de la parte de las redes sociales,
09:40pues,
09:40Forta,
09:41el rey de las redes,
09:42rey del Twitter,
09:42que también se le dice,
09:43¿cómo,
09:44cómo has visto esa parte?
09:46No,
09:47pues,
09:48increíble,
09:48la verdad,
09:49los amics son,
09:51somos,
09:52eh,
09:52muy chéveres en,
09:53en general,
09:54y en ese sentido ni hablar,
09:55eh,
09:56pues,
09:56yo soy,
09:57eh,
09:59fiel seguidor de,
10:00de las redes de Fortaleza,
10:02eh,
10:02amo el proyecto en general,
10:04por eso hago parte del proyecto,
10:05porque me siento muy,
10:08eh,
10:09muy,
10:10o sea,
10:10en la misma línea del proyecto,
10:12en cuanto a la educación,
10:13en cuanto al trato,
10:15con,
10:15con,
10:15entre los profesores,
10:17desde las cabezas del proyecto,
10:18hacia,
10:18hacia abajo,
10:20eh,
10:21y el,
10:21y en la caso de comunicaciones,
10:23no es la excepción,
10:23¿no?
10:24Yo creo que los conozco personalmente,
10:25además tipazos,
10:26muy buenas personas,
10:27y el contenido,
10:28pues,
10:28es excelente.
10:29El,
10:29Santiago Montejo,
10:30que pues,
10:30la persona que trabaja aquí en la parte de redes,
10:32de comunicaciones,
10:34eh,
10:34a veces pone a los jugadores a actuar,
10:35¿te imaginas que te pongan a actuar?
10:37Uy,
10:38espero que no,
10:38la verdad,
10:39espero que no,
10:40pero bueno,
10:40si toca por,
10:41por,
10:41por Santi,
10:42por todo el departamento de comunicaciones y de Forta,
10:44bueno,
10:45algo haremos,
10:46¿no?
10:46Algo nos inventamos,
10:47pero espero que pongan a los jugadores,
10:49no,
10:49no,
10:49no a nosotros los,
10:50los que estamos en otros puestos.
10:52En tu carrera,
10:53pues,
10:53bueno,
10:53tu posición no era de muchos goles,
10:55pero,
10:55pues,
10:55me gustaría preguntarte cuál es el que recordas con más cariño.
10:57Te recuerdo con más cariño,
10:59pues,
10:59yo creo que uno de los más importantes y,
11:02sí,
11:02los que más me gustó fue el de River Plate en Copa Libertadores contra Oriente Petrolero,
11:08ese fue un muy buen gol y,
11:10lo que significaba llegar a Argentina a River en el primer partido que juego oficial,
11:16si no estoy mal,
11:18creo que no había jugado ningún oficial.
11:21Fue muy importante para mí,
11:22siempre me va a quedar grabado en la memoria.
11:27¿Y cuál fue el compañero,
11:28pues,
11:29ya de equipo que tú dirías este man fue el que,
11:32no sé,
11:32el mayor tipazo,
11:33el con el que más me divertí?
11:35¿Mayor tipazo?
11:36Pues,
11:36tuve muchos compañeros muy divertidos,
11:38muy buenas personas,
11:39pero,
11:39pues,
11:40siempre que me preguntan,
11:41yo hablo mucho del ejemplo de Falcao,
11:42que es un gran tipo,
11:44gran amigo,
11:44muy buena persona,
11:45excelente profesional,
11:47y creo que es un ejemplo para,
11:48para,
11:49para los futbolistas generales,
11:50y ni hablar para los futbolistas colombianos,
11:52en,
11:52en su forma de trabajar,
11:54en,
11:54en su ética,
11:55en,
11:56en,
11:56en su compañerismo,
11:57y además que es un tipazo,
11:59muy buena gente,
12:00un bacán.
12:01Y bueno,
12:01esta fue nuestra charla con Juan Carlos Toja,
12:03Juan Carlos,
12:03te agradecemos este espacio que nos diste acá en la sede de Fortaleza,
12:06gracias por dejarnos entrar aquí a tu casa.
12:07Muchas gracias a ti.
12:09Y pues,
12:09estaremos ahí,
12:11manteniéndonos al tanto de lo que pasa con Fortaleza,
12:12lo que pasa con Juan Carlos,
12:13y lo que pasa con el fútbol colombiano.
12:15Los invitamos a que sigan las redes sociales del Espectador,
12:17y nos veremos en una próxima ocasión.
12:19¡Gracias!
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