Santiago Varela: In this exceptional situation, we should all feel close

The Gokulam Kerala tactician sent out a message calling on the masses to unite in these tough times amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The COVID-19 outbreak has uprooted lives all across the globe. Be it locals of a nation or a foreigner residing in a different country, the coronavirus has spared no-one and brought human life to a standstill. One of the many people stranded in India is Gokulam Kerala’s head coach Santiago Varela.

The Spaniard has been put in isolation at a club facility with fitness trainer from Brazil, Djair Miranda Garcia. Varela’s family is spread across three countries of Spain, Argentina and Mexico.

Everyday, he is on the phone, anxiously worrying about the health of his close ones. He took a sigh of relief and informed that, “All (are) in good health and following the instructions of the authority with good rigidity.”

Santiago Varela has not been able to leave India since arriving here last year in July, when he took up the mantle at Gokulam Kerala. He helped the club to lift the Durand Cup title back in August of last year as well. 

Further, he expressed, “I talk to them everyday and we are aware of the situation.” 

Santiago Varela has called for the masses to unite in these unprecedented times and fight the pandemic. He says, “I think that in this exceptional situation, we should all feel close. This is a tragedy and although directly in my family no one is hurt, but indirectly have had deaths. The world cannot continue the same after this situation and we must act as a responsible society.”

“This is a problem (the pandemic) that does not escape any country, it is like war and we must be strong and united to face it,” he further added according to a report in The Times of India.

The tactician also called on the players to maintain some level of fitness while in isolation, as training has been indefinitely suspended. He expects the players to have the same mentality and strongly adhere to the guidelines put forth by the authorities for their own safety. 

Santiago Varela expects football to bring back happiness to people’s lives as soon as the current situation blows over. He concluded by saying, “Soccer as the most popular sport in the world is a spectacle that contributes to people’s happiness. We ask players to play to make people happy and it must be a moral and non-negotiable thought. We hope that as soon as possible we will make people happy from our place.”