The Washington Spirit are one of the most unusual projects in NWSL history, and the next step took place Tuesday, when new head coach Jonatan Giráldez addressed media for the first time.
Giráldez spoke with Pro Soccer Wire during a whirlwind day of media and other obligations for the Spanish coach, and quickly alluded to how part of his job at the moment is to simply not disrupt a positive first half of the season.
“It’s my responsibility to be smart, to decide what I should do in the next days [and] coming weeks,” explained Giráldez, who added that his focus was entirely on his new squad. “I am [becoming] part [of the team] in the middle of the season. That is not an easy situation, and we have to make a small transition to keep helping the players, because they are the protagonists.”
The former Barcelona head coach, who exactly one month ago won a second straight UEFA Women’s Champions League, has arrived in D.C. in a curious moment.
Normally coaching changes come after on-field turmoil or with the team’s previous manager leaving for another opportunity. The Spirit instead announced Giráldez would become its head coach over six months ago, with Adrián Gonzalez operating as interim coach while the 32-year-old manager finished his contract with Barça.
In the meantime, both have thrived. As the spring concluded, Giráldez lifted the UWCL trophy for a second time in his career and then celebrated a third Liga F crown.
The Spirit, meanwhile, recovered from the unexpected disappointment of the 2023 season to become one of the NWSL’s best sides. Washington sits third in the standings, just one point behind the Kansas City Current and Orlando Pride.
THAT'S OUR COACH!
Head Coach Jonatan Giráldez on his decision to join the Washington Spirit pic.twitter.com/DCWtxx4Sei
— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) June 25, 2024
Giráldez, in fact, arrived just in time to see his new club surpass its 2023 points total, as Washington’s 2-0 win over NJ/NY Gotham FC gave the club 31 points on the season (one more than last year’s total of 30).
While the mood within the Spirit camp is understandably high, Giráldez is cognizant of the fact that his arrival — no matter how much of a coup it is for the Spirit, and indeed for the NWSL as a league — could destabilize a team that has won 10 of 14 matches.
“When you’re winning, people are happy. That is normal,” said Giráldez, reflecting on his first impressions of the group after their win at Red Bull Arena. “The position in the table is good. We won against one of the best teams in the league, Gotham. And now, what they want is to take advantage about all these feelings to keep improving, to keep moving forward.”
González, who will remain on the Spirit’s staff as an assistant coach, was selected because he and Giráldez were familiar with each other, and had similar ideas in terms of style of play and ways to lead a team. However, the incoming manager recognized that he and his compatriot will impact the Spirit in different ways.
“I have a kind of leadership, for sure [González and I] are different,” admitted Giráldez. “We are not the same person. But in the end, for me it’s like, show as you are.
“Being smart on that and understanding that when we are speaking football, is much easier for me, because we are seeing the same thing, and then try to have a good connection with [the team].”
Coaching one team, particularly one with all the expectations placed on Barcelona, is enough of a challenge. The idea of trying to get up to speed on the Spirit on top of that is daunting, but Giráldez said he was able to be “100% focused on Barça” while still using some down time to keep up with developments in Washington.
“You have time to speak sometimes with the staff and Adri,” said Giráldez, before explaining that those conversations largely focused on club structure and culture.
“For me, the beginning was trying to connect all the players, work in the same direction and have a professional culture,” explained the Galicia native. “And then, try to connect as well all the staff members, understand which is the role of each one, know as best as possible all the persons who are working around the staff, to give them the opportunity to show their skills.
“If you are committed and everyone is working 100%, it’s much better for the players because they will be 100% ready for them. So on that side for me the beginning, it was like ‘Okay, we need to create this connection. Players and staff, be committed, training 100%.’ [I needed to] know exactly what they can do.”
Giráldez said that in terms of on-field matters, the discussions only focused on some general points, with González and assistants Mike Bristol, Mami Yamaguchi, and Morinao Imaizumi entrusted to take it from there.
Giráldez plans to ‘keep continuing with the dynamic’
Washington made the choice to let González remain interim head coach for Saturday’s win at Red Bull Arena, and in a separate interview with Pro Soccer Wire, Spirit general manager Mark Krikorian emphasized that the club is in a position to take its time and get the transition right.
“It’s not, ‘you guys figure it out,'” said Krikorian. “It’s more a matter of, how is it that we want to arrange this so that it can make sense?
“As we’re sitting here today [with our record] it’s far easier to have some flexibility in slow-playing this, and making sure that everything that we do makes sense. If you’re [struggling], there’s going to be a whole lot more urgency to make sure things change quickly.”
Krikorian also pointed out that no matter how good the Spirit have been after 14 rounds this season, “everyone knows nothing has been accomplished yet.”
Washington has considered the possibility that the arrival of a new leader, even one with Giráldez’s demonstrated success, can be destabilizing. However, from the club’s perspective, the fact that the process started with positive results has gifted all parties with room to proceed smoothly rather than moving in a hurry.
“[What’s] in the best interest of the team and the players is a slow step, rather than some major intrusion,” asserted Krikorian. “I think that certainly up to this point, I think the strategy we came up with has worked.”
With that in mind, the young manager emphasized patience, as much for himself as for everyone at the club.
“I don’t want to force any kind of situation, because they are performing well. And the only thing I want is [to] keep helping them,” explained Giráldez. “Keep continuing with the dynamic, not make big changes…the transition, for me it’s not [that it] has to be so fast. We have to take the rhythm, a good base to be part of.
“When you’re arriving away [from home] you don’t know the people. You need time. You have to be patient…you need your time, they need their time.”
[lawrence-related id=75754,62731,75584]