If we had to define Veljko Paunovic in three words, they would undoubtedly be hard work, respect and creativity. Without these qualities, it would be impossible for Chivas to regain the identity with which they conquered the Red-and-White Nation, which chose to believe.
It has been 263 days since Pauno took over as coach of Guadalajara. He arrived in the midst of a complex moment for the institution, not only going through a bad run of results, but also the team lacked a recognizable playing model.
The context seemed totally unfavorable for the Serbian, but it only took him a short time to let the player, those who chose him as coach and the ChivaHermanos know that his work would speak for itself. The team quickly responded to the coaching staff's footballing stimulus, which from day one prioritized individual development and then assembled the collective.
Thanks to this, many players have managed to reach the best version of their career and others discovered unimagined roles. All this resulted in a spectacular tournament, which included a record number of points, an epic Liguilla and the beautiful habit of winning consistently.
This is where we will start to break down the adjectives I told you about at the beginning of this column.
1. Hard work
Paunovic is a hard-working man, who makes the most of the time he has in each session and focuses his work purely on the needs of the team. And when we talk about work, we are not only referring to what happens on the field, since there is an exhaustive weekly planning in order to have as much information as possible about the opponent including a detailed analysis of his own.
2. Respect
Veljko respects his environment and his profession. He has managed to win over his players with results, and we are not referring to scores, but to individual performance, since each one notices his professional evolution and from there he believes more and more in the message. The image of Beltrán hugging him after the victory against América in the Quarterfinals and telling him that he is going to death with him, perfectly defines the point of connection he has reached with each member of the group.
3. Creativity
Creativity is one of the most valuable virtues of a coach and that is something Veljko has shown since day 1. He repeatedly repositioned several players, helping them to show their best version. For example, Roberto Alvarado, who has been used as an inside player, a winger on both flanks, a false 9 and even a left winger.
We have seen changes in structure and initial plans at key moments, but we are left with one in particular that defines the creativity and adaptability of Pauno's Chivas. After having used a four-man defense and a three-man attack for most of the tournament, against América at the Azteca, Pauno decided to use a line of five and a two-pronged attack. Without Alan Mozo, Vega as second striker and 'Piojo' as left winger.
This adjustment was aimed at altering the Aguilas' defense by focusing the attention of the central defenders and the midfield on the two attackers. Everything has a creative idea behind it, everything has a reason. The squad has internalized and worked on the coach's idea so well that there is no change that can scare them. They all know what the game model is and where to go, this is the product of work.
