Up to now, the only MetroStar/Red Bull player to win MLS MVP has been Amado Guevara. The Honduran midfielder, who for many years held the Honduras national team’s captain armband, surpassed all expectations during his four seasons at the club. Guevara scored 39 goals and gave 39 assists across all competitions. In the four years he played for the club, he played 117 games, 114 of them as starter. Nowadays, Guevara is living the game as a coach, taking advantage of every opportunity to prepare and be ready for when the opportunity to return to the bench comes his way.
Question: What events had to happen for you to sign with the club?
Amado Guevara: Actually, the deal happened at that time because of the club president, Nick Sakiewicz, and the coach, Mr. Bob Bradley. They went to see several of my games, even those that I played with Motagua against Galaxy, and that’s where the interest started. I really liked what they offered, and in no time, I think around two weeks from that meeting, I joined the MetroStars.
Q: How were those years working alongside Bob Bradley, and everything you were able to learn from him?
Guevara: Personally, I am very grateful to Bob. There is an appreciation, a deep respect for his family because he instilled that in us; he was always with his family, and for us he was also an example, on top of that when we trained, he was someone who pushed us, who tried to get the most out of us, but at the same time, he made sure to give me confidence. Now that we talk, I ask him about that time when I arrived because when I got there in the first year, everything was fine, and by the second year he made me team captain, and I didn't speak any English. What was going through his mind? What did he think in that moment to give me such responsibility? He told me that I had earned it with my work and for everything I had accomplished, so in reality there were many things that we shared and learned from him, and now in this new phase he is a role model to follow. I know him, I know how he works, I know how organized, strict and disciplined he is. I think that for me personally he’s a great example to follow.
Q: Tell me about that great 2004, and what it meant to win MLS MVP?
Guevara: That happened in my second year with the team, and it turned out to be a great year. I remember that that year, we had our preseason at La Manga, in Spain. We won that Cup, and I finished as the tournament’s MVP, so we knew that heading into the new season we were in great shape. I prepared well in that preseason; we hit all our objectives. In the All-Star Game, played in Washington D.C., I also won MLS All-Star MVP. I finished the year with the league MVP, top goalscorer award and included in the Best XI. Individually, it was an unbelievable year, I thank God because that year left a profound mark in my career and my time in MLS. Unfortunately with the team, we ended up short in our attempt to reach the final and fight for the Cup that the club and city fully deserves, and that we’re still waiting to celebrate.
Q: What makes this club special?
Guevara: There’s lots of things, for example, the fact that it’s the first club of the city, so that means that a lot of people identify with it because it’s like their first love. So, Red Bulls is a club that although experienced the transition, it has been able to maintain its essence. Personally, I’ve always said that even after leaving the club, I’ve remained a supporter, and I’m always following all of its moves. I think what provokes it is the essence, care, respect that one takes, wherever I go I still carry with me the affection of the people. I left great friends there like John Wolyniec, who was one of my teammates during my time there. Also, someone very special to me, who’s also in the club, Don Fernando Ruíz, whom I always tell that he has always been and will always be part of history. Because of that affection, that confidence the coaching staff deposited in me, it has made me into a supporter, and I showcase it with pride and delight.
Q: What do you take from those four years at the club?
Guevara: Lots of things, first the affection and the respect from those who were my teammates, my coaches and the fans who went to see us play. They saw that every single time I tried to give my all, I never kept anything back. What do I take? On top of the respect, lots of learning and growth experiences, both personally and professionally. I lived important moments of my career there, that marked and meant a lot to me. They were positive in all aspects and helped me achieve a lot of objectives.
Q: Now that you see the team on TV, how do you see the style of play it implements from a coaching perspective?
Guevara: It’s different, of course every coach is different. That’s normal, but what I always try to do is support the team. Yes, I do my analysis, I take notes because I like doing it; it’s what I’m supposed to do, but I’m more focused on supporting the team, of hoping that the team is always fighting for the title. God willing we can celebrate a title, which the club definitely deserves. I love the style of play, especially recently. The organization is totally different to the one we worked with; today we’re talking about a club that’s well-built in all its aspects.
Q: For Honduran footballers, how important has MLS been for their development?
Guevara: I think it has acted like a door; it’s a door that has not only opened for Honduran footballers, but for Central American footballers because there’s a lot, and that has a lot to do with the growth the league has had in all aspects. For example, we played at an NFL stadium, where the Giants and Jets played, now almost all clubs have their own stadium, so that shows growth. Now, the logistics are totally different. Of course, there’s always room to see more growth, but without a doubt, the league’s growth has been immense when you compare it to our time there. It’s bigger and better.
Q: What are your short-term and long-term objectives?
Guevara: I already acted as assistant coach in the Honduras national team with Profe Pinto during the last World Cup Qualifiers. It was a period of three years, where we also participated in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, and Honduras fought for the first time for an Olympic medal. Then I went to Puerto Rico, where I coached for a year. I was able to experiment with how football works there; it turned out to be a year that left me a lot of experience and knowledge. Now I’m focused on continuing growing, learning and searching for ways to keep learning about more working methodologies. For example this week, the physical trainer of the Chile national team, Profe Velasco, gave a talk. He’s part of a Colombian coaching staff, and in recent years the Colombian school has grown and given great results, so the idea is that one, I want to continue learning, growing, observing and jotting down my notes because I want to continue to coach. I don’t lose hope that in the near future I can coach again.
Q: Will we see Guevara coach in MLS?
Guevara: Of course, I’d love to, that’s why I follow the league, take note of the styles of play and observe how the idea of the game develops. One of my goals is to coach in MLS. If in the future I get the opportunity to coach in the league, I’ll do my best to leave a mark, just like I did as a footballer.
