Chilean outlet En Cancha has an interesting interview with Roberto Navajas, who had a lot to say about Manchester City’s Claudio Bravo.
The goalkeeping coach worked with the player at La Liga side Real Sociedad between 2009 and 2014, and that was enough for them to create a big relationship.
Navajas is known in Chile for being the man who Bravo tried to take to the national team. Even though it didn’t happen, this move was a big controversy at that time.
Now the coach was invited to speak about the goalkeeper’s future, and had a few suggestions about what he should be doing if leaving Manchester City at the end of the season.
“Well, everyone has to know what sports career he’s in, what level or state he is in, motivation, energy and physical. From there, Claudio is super competitive and will go where he wants to go, he will not go in vain. Whether in the United States, England or Spain, his character as a competitor, which is what has made him special, will continue.
“I do not know if he has three years, two or five, that is difficult to know. In the end, the motivation is given by the objectives that are set. If his goal is to be in a competitive league, on a competitive team, with as many games to play as possible, that will motivate you to go somewhere or another. Surely Claudio is going to make a good decision for who he is, for the journey he has. Stay on City’s bench? You never know, whether it will be or not, we cannot play with the magic ball to know the future.”
Asked about a move to the MLS, Navajas said it’d be a good plan: “I work with goalkeepers in the United States as well, MLS professionals, with one of the champions, from Los Angeles. I know it very well and it’s a great league, it has great potential and demand. As an organisation, it’s incredible. It will have its shortcomings, its differences with the European ones, but the fields are always full, it has a magnificent atmosphere and well-made players. As a goalkeeper, I think Claudio would mark a before and after.”
Regarding Bravo’s possible return to Chile, Navajas said: “He’s always said that his country comes first, that it’s fantastic and that he would do anything for it.”
En Cancha’s reporter said it sounded like he was suggesting that Bravo should become a director or a politician, and Navajas claimed that wouldn’t be a bad idea.
“(Laughs) Claudio would be the best president that the country, the federation or a club could have. In the vicinity, he always transmitted to me how much he loves Chile and he would be the best politician you could have, because he’s a leader, who makes everyone go towards a goal, that they fight at least. He makes the best of others, I’ve seen him in the years that I worked with him, he did it with many players, such as Antoine Griezmann, who have leaned on him and he’s made them give their maximum.”
