‘Armandito Paredes? He sent 200,000 shits in Emelec, but what a good kid, ‘recalls Luis Miguel Escalada

Luis Miguel Escalada has been a former soccer player since November. At the age of 36, he hung up his boots after securing with Cumbayá, his last team, the promotion to Serie A of Ecuadorian football. In the second part of the interview with this newspaper, Escalada focuses on his two stages at Emelec. He arrived from Argentina as a stranger in 2006, along with his compatriot Marcos Mondaini, and based on goals and a spectacular game they caused a football revolution. Despite suffering serious financial problems, the Blues were close to the title and starred in memorable classics. Escalada remembers goals, teammates, anecdotes and the 2014-2015 two-time championship.

You arrive with Mondaini and they perform like nobody expected, why didn’t they stay at Emelec?

Emelec at that time was not financially as it is today. He came from two very bad years (sportingly). We got a team full of young people and there was no bigger budget, despite being a big club. Nobody had much expectation. We changed people’s thinking and joined the club; stadiums were packed.

Would you do again what you did 15 years ago when you came to Ecuador practically to see what would come out and for a very low salary?

Yes. Now I tell the boys that sometimes you have to try in places you don’t know, or where there is a possibility. You have to be hungry for glory and then, if you leave everything on the field and show that you want to grow and succeed in the place where you play, everything will settle down. I would do it a thousand more times.

What do you remember about Emelec from 2006, armed as it could in a tough economic moment?

I remember everything, it was a barbarian group. Especially to (Marcelo) Elizaga and her family, who adopted us (with Mondaini). He was like a father to us; He took us to know Guayaquil. Unfortunately we were (in the league) two points behind El Nacional (champion), who had a great team, with national team players.

In the message in which he announced his retirement, he referred to the 2006 season. They were left with the championship option, although you scored 29 goals, Mondaini 12 and Luis Guillermo Rivera 12.

The key game was the one that tied us 2-2 on time El Nacional and remains one point up. There was a date missing and if we won we would finish first and we would be champions. At the start of the year the idea was to avoid positions from below and to reach that decisive stage was a barbaric joy; there was sadness because (the title) escaped us for nothing.

On April 30, 2006, a Clásico del Astillero was played, which Emelec won 3-0 at the Capwell and was stopped for violent acts by the Barcelona bar. It resumed 24 hours later and ended 3-2- Do you remember?

It was beautiful. My mom was in the stadium, we won 3-0, I scored two goals and it was a dream night. It seemed that it would be a bigger win, but the excesses came; They broke everything (screens in the tribune area of ​​the San Martín sector, destroyed the press box, looted radio equipment, attacked journalists and confronted the Police). We finished the next day 3-2, but the 2006 classics were spectacular because as I always say: the goals in the classics are what make people remember you forever.

Which Astillero Classic and which goal do you remember the most?

All of 2006. And the goal, that of 3-0 when (the fans of) Barcelona broke the booths and everything. I was going to throw the ball overhead to Pancho Cevallos, but I threw her down and she went slowly into the arch, next to the pole. I have the memory as if I had defined it a little while ago.

What differences did you find between your first and second stages at Emelec (2014-2015)?

The club was structurally much better, there were many things in which it had grown; the infrastructure, the leaders. When I returned, everything was calmer for the player.

Tell me about the final back against Barcelona in 2014?

I remember the days before. They concentrated us all week. We knew that if nothing strange happened we would be champions. We had shown that we were much more of a team than Barcelona. But this is football and you can get up bad and the other good, but we knew that out of ten games, in nine we beat them. That day (December 21) was no exception (it was 3-0).

Do you have any anecdote with Armando Paredes (frequently in discipline problems), your partner in 2006?

Armandito, beautiful kid! He sent 200,000 shits, but what a good kid. From finding him in discos and calling the press, to fighting with him on a plane; he got angry, Paredes was a rebellious baby. (D)