André Jardine: “Let’s focus on the short-term, dream long-term”

With this weekend’s 0-3 victory away at Monterrey, América took another firm step towards their objective of finishing the regular phase as general leaders. The result leaves the Águilas top of the Liga MX table on 33 points, five clear of Tigres in second. Coach André Jardine was pleased with the result which means that barring any surprises, the run-in will be a two-horse race which could well be decided on the final day. He urged caution, insisting that his team have won a battle, but not a war - at least not yet.

“Yes, of course we dream, we have big dreams - that’s what this club demands and I can tell you that they are much bigger dreams than simply finishing top of the table. We have many big objectives in mind. Maybe this title that we all long for can be the first step of the América side that we want to build. But there is only one way to go about it - no matter how big your dream is, you have to focus only on the next step: training, the next game, the next rival,” he told reporters.

“We need to be very competent, and pay close attention to each step we take - by looking at the short-term goals, while dreaming about the long-term ones; dreaming big, but being very attentive to each step, to each game, to each week, not being overwhelmed or distracted - by remaining humble all the time, respecting all of our rivals. That is how I learned to succeed in life. I try to constantly pass on these values to the players. I feel that they are doing well, they understand exactly what I want,” the South American coach added.

Jardine accepted that his team benefited from Maxi Meza being sent off on 18 minutes. If Rayados had not been reduced to 10 men so early, it might have been a different story: “It’s a very important victory against a very tough rival, one of these teams who certainly fight for the title, but you have to understand that playing with one less for a good part of the game, that conditions the game a lot, it makes it very difficult,” the coach admitted. “We must recognize the work we did because we have already played other games with one extra man and we did not control the game as much as we did today and were not as forceful. We put in a good game and were very calm throughout”.

Three games left

Next up for America is Atlético San Luis at Estadio Alfonso Lastras on Wednesday. That is followed by Tijuana at home before the crunch meeting with Tigres which could decide who finishes top of the table.

“We have to go game by game, continue trying to develop as a team, with the utmost humility, respecting everyone we play. I think there are many teams that have a good level, quality teams and have what it takes to become champions, but we are one of them too, without any doubt,” Jardine concluded.