:format(webp)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/grupoclarin/ZSA47GBLURF5VLC7KUH2J3OF7Q.jpg "Norberto Fernández, coach of the Belgrano Reserve, beats the start of the Projection Cup")
The Reserve Division Projection Cup will be launched next week and with a format similar to the League competition, that is, there will be two zones of 14 teams, with a classic date and the first four will access the quarterfinals .
Belgrano, which is in Zone A, will play the first day against Atlético de Tucumán on Thursday the 8th at 7 p.m. and the match will be played at the Gigante de Alberdi. The Pirates were included in the other group and do not share a fixture, like last year, with the main team.
The Pirata coach, Norberto Fernández spoke with Mundo D about this new stage in the Reserve and said: “We are good and happy because a new group was put together with all boys who come from the youth teams. We had a very good preseason in San Jorge and we have worked hard physically and tactically with many concepts.”
Regarding the objectives set for 2024, “Beto” assured: “One sets very high objectives, because I see the players we have. Surely it will take us a while to settle in, but I think we are ready to fight and be at the top like we were last year. Our challenge, as is that of everyone in the club, is to have Belgrano up there in the top positions and prepare the kids so that they reach Primera in the best way.”
The Reserve is the final step of the training categories and that is clear for Fernández who assures that “the first thing is to promote players and that is why high objectives are set, because if we compete in a good way the boys show themselves at their best.”
“We know that everything takes a process and that there are kids with few matches in the AFA youth teams, that’s why it’s going to take us a while, but they are very eager and if we add some of those who are relegating us from first class, we will surely be very “good,” the coach continued.
Unlike last year after the promotion, this year the average age has been lowered and Beto says: “It is like this, it happens that last year after the relegation in 2019, several categories were brought together and there were some older juniors who we noticed had conditions, as has happened now that several 2001, 2002 and 2003 have signed their contracts. That’s why the work was positive. But this year the average age was lowered and there is room for many kids who arrive in fourth grade and come with very good competition.”
The change from inferior to Reserve is noticeable, because not only is it one step away from First Division, but the days of competition are modified (it is played during the week) and the scenario, because in the case of the Pirate it will play several dates at the Gigante : “It is something that the kids want to experience and they saw the results that occurred last year and that is why they are excited looking to be in this place. The challenge is to stay on top, we prepared well and now it remains for us to settle into a fast field at the start of the championship.”
“The idea is to be protagonists. When we started working with the boys, we were very excited about the potential that was observed, so it is a nice challenge, because it is their growth and ours as a coaching staff,” he continued.
Finally, personally Norberto Fernández answered about his dream of making a jump to a main team and said: “You know that this is a consequence of how things are done here, that is why you are focused on work. Last year was good for the boys, because many were taken to First Division and for us as a coaching staff, because we showed that we are up to the task. Now we have to be here and we want to show what we are as a coaching staff, because if things go well, nice and good things will surely appear.”