BT continues with the round of notes to the DTs of the DTA. In this case it was the turn of Luis “Bicho” Silveira, who returns to train seniors at Deportivo Paysandú.
How is the preparation of the team for the DTA?
One week before the start, we are in the final adjustments, but I can say that we prepared well. Suddenly, we have missed one more day of training per week, but there are some circumstances that must be taken into account, such as renting the court or being able to coordinate schedules with the players who study or work. But the commitment that the boys have had really surprised me, it has been spectacular, despite their many activities they are committed to the cause, so I was pleasantly surprised about it. It must be taken into account that we have an extra difficulty, almost two years of pandemic. Players like Rodrigo Carvidón or “Cococho” (Álvarez) come from a long standstill and getting them ready is a great challenge, but on the other hand, we have a part of young players who contribute and provide extra energy.
You return to directing older How do you feel on your return directing in Third?
I feel very happy and excited. Almost two years have passed and I was really needing it, that quota of competitiveness is always present. Although there were conversations with some teams, nothing ever materialized and when Paysandú’s proposal arrived I did not hesitate. I think that the club has a fantastic group of leaders and personally it is a very nice challenge. We find ourselves with a very particular DTA, the divisional teams are used to a certain level of competitiveness. Today there are three or four first division teams, which due to different circumstances are in third place and are managing to build squads that are not normal in this tournament. So the challenge is even greater.
Are you satisfied with the team that they put together?
Yes, totally satisfied. We chose these players and we are fully convinced that with them we will achieve a very good result, their commitment is total. We are going to put our thought and effort to throw everyone to the same side and have better results. The only casualty we have is Marcio Rivas, a fundamental player for us. He was the base of the team and at the last minute he got injured. Although he will continue to accompany us, in the first part of the tournament he will not be with us on the field. We supplied that part with Facundo Pérez, who we incorporated two days ago. However, the team we have achieved has a good balance. The challenge we have is to balance the young player base with the more experienced players.
You have experienced players who also know the club. What can they contribute to the division?
They are players who are used to this competition. Although the teams have changed and there are currently Uruguayan League players playing DTA, the competition will maintain the characteristics of third in general and they will contribute in that sense. I have known Gonza (Rama) since the days of Defender when we shared teams and I know the quality of a player he is. Although he has not been able to dedicate himself 100% to basketball, he has a lot of experience that in hot moments of the games he can be very important, he is the captain and has a very great importance in the team. Fabián Cabrera is another who knows the division and knows those details that are essential when playing games. It is a short tournament and you have to be focused from the beginning.
What role will the young players on the squad play?
They are going to provide that energy that we need in each game, as well as helping to increase the speed of the game. The idea is that we are a block and that what the most veteran cannot contribute, the younger ones can compensate. Young people with a lot of quality and projection to play Metro or Liga. The idea is that this becomes a springboard so that these athletes can empower themselves, that it be a trigger for them.
How will El Paysa de Silveira play?
There is not much mystery, in basketball everything is made up. I like aggressive teams, supportive in defense and with a decisive attack, regardless of who the ball goes to. It is not about looking for a single differential player, which apart from Paysandú does not have it, but having several alternatives in search of the hoop. All this without neglecting the fact that you have to go game by game, since the teams in the DTA are very different from each other. Sometimes you find frames that have great power in the table and others that are based on their intensity and speed. In that sense we have a long squad and it is an advantage, since many times depending on the rival, we will have to change systems or players on the court.
The DTA fixture was raffled. Larrañaga at home on the first date, they continue with Marne on a visit and on the third they play again at home with Welcome. What did you think?
As I always say, the fixture is going to be good or bad according to how you approach it and how you do in the first games. Out there you have hard teams that were put together to go up in the first rounds, which can be very important to get points and get a plus of confidence. Or you can also have teams that a priori are not candidates and prefer that, because you know that if you win them you already have a base to face the most difficult teams with another face. All this is relative, there are teams that have been put together better and others that have not, but we know the difficulty of the division in general. In any case, the draw is already done, we know the teams that we play and if you do the first games well, when you have a team like Welcome in front of you, which is one of the candidates obviously, you will go with another mental strength. My team is prepared for any circumstance. Keep in mind, and this is my opinion, that the fixture was late. There were changes at the table and it ended up being done on that date, but it is not the best. And on the other hand, there were modifications in the days of dispute, which I consider to be detrimental to the competition. We have to realize that in a format as random as this, it is difficult for clubs and non-professional players to organize.
What do you think of the DTA form of dispute?
I know that the times surprise us and that we have come from very particular circumstances in these months of pandemic, but playing a tournament in which there are teams that can finish champions in so few games seems to me that it is not the best. We are always trying to strive for more competition and we are doing shorter tournaments every time. I believe that this is not the right thing to do, but they are the rules of the game and one has to adapt.
On the other hand, there was an improvement in the floor of the divisional teams’ courts. Does this improve competition?
Definitely. Several teams have managed to put a floating floor and it is an improvement that I consider very good, but that we should have solved a long time ago. There are very few teams left that do not have a floating floor and that is always beneficial, both for the show and for the player who has to take care of the physical. You have to bear in mind that in this division there are veteran players who, logically, feel tremendously on the hard floor. So that is very good news, you have to continue on that path and look for the necessary support to keep changing, improving what you have.
What goals are set for this tournament and what teams do you see as candidates in this DTA?
We set ourselves the goal of qualifying for the playoffs, so we are going to work hard for that. And with respect to what I see in this DTA, there are three or four teams that if Metro played today, they could be fighting at the top of the table without any problem, like Welcome or Atenas, clubs that want to go up yes or yes and They have spared no resources. A priori, I could tell you that the table can be broken quickly, but all this is speculation, nothing will be known until the games take place. There are other schools that also invested very heavily such as Reducto, Auriblanco, among others, but as I said before, we are prepared for what is to come.