By: Franz Tamayo / Miguel Rodríguez
Carlos Benavides will start a new adventure as a sports manager outside our borders, after being announced as the general manager of the Bolivar of La Paz. El ‘Chino’, who had several years as leader of Sporting Cristal, will be in charge of directing the ‘celestial La Paz’ towards his Centennial (2025).
“The objective is to make Bolívar an internationally competitive team”, assured Benavides, who also referred to the current affairs of Cristal, club of which he is a fan …
How do you face this new professional challenge abroad?
It is a big challenge. It will be my first full time experience outside of Peru. The project for which I arrive is very large, which aims at the Centennial of the Bolivar. A few months ago, Marcelo Claure, the team’s owner, told me about the ideas he had and I consider that they are very ambitious for a South American team. He has called me to see the development part of the Centennial project, where there is an institutional part, which includes being sustainable for the club in the medium term, another part of infrastructure and also involves the development of talent in the institution.
Our country is not characterized by exporting sports managers: what responsibility do you have for this?
I take the responsibility to demonstrate that there are good managers in Peru. Currently there are many young people who are training, who have a lot of ambition and a desire to prepare. Since I started 2004, as sports manager of Sporting Cristal, everything has changed a lot. Mainly the exposure and the importance of the position within the clubs. It is time for the clubs to change their vision and to start putting people specialized in the management of the institutions. Not because the current leaders do not have capacities, but because they normally work in another area and occupy their free time in soccer.
Although there is also the case of leaders who are unprepared and have developed their own soccer team. I think you could start relying more on sports managers to start developing more medium-term plans. In Peruvian soccer, the normal thing is to set up squads for that year and disarm them in December.
Is it true that your arrival at Bolívar is due to a recommendation from City Group Football?
It happened casually. I started meeting people from the City Group through Germán Brunati, who was the general manager of Torque de Uruguay, a club that belongs to this group. He came to Peru a few years ago to learn what we had done with Sporting Cristal. Then we kept in touch and he recommended me to City Group Football. I even had interviews with them. Then, after reasons of affinity with Marcelo Claure (shareholder of Inter Miami), since they share teams in the MLS, he told them about the project he had for the Centennial of Bolívar and asked for some references from managers who could help him. This is how my name came to Marcelo’s table. I am proud that this large group has recommended me.
You arrive at a club that is managed by Claudio Vivas, an old acquaintance of yours …
It was a nice coincidence to find a great friend in the Bolivar. The truth is that he is a professional who has a very modern level of methodology and work, that is why he constantly has important challenges. I have already been able to speak to him and he is very happy with my arrival. The idea now, while I settle in the club, will be to try to help him so that he has the tools and can face this part of the year, where there are four games left in the Libertadores to try to access the next phase. In addition, it is also necessary to face 14 matches of the Bolivian tournament, where Bolivar he has to fight for the title as he has to do every year.
What do you think that Bolívar has constantly changed manager in recent years?
That is one of the issues that complicates an institution to grow. If it bothers us as Peruvians that when a government is changed, everything starts from scratch, and there are still no clear country policies, the same thing happens in any institution when you change managers or the administrative part from time to time. You have to have a management model with the right people.
What is your main motivation: managing a club in Europe or helping the national team, being part of the Peruvian Football Federation (FPF)?
Well, in the selection is the best that is Juan Carlos Oblitas. Hopefully he will have more energy and continue many more years. I will always be ready to help where they need me, be it in the national team and elsewhere. My dream now is to arrive in Bolivia and be able to meet the objectives with Bolivar, which are to grow as an institution and fight in international tournaments.
How true is it that the City group would have Bolívar as a possibility for their clubs’ portfolio?
No, I am not aware of that.
You were in good times of Sporting Cristal, where they won titles and armed good teams: do you think that identity was lost with the sale of the club and the exit of the brewery?
I think not, if the values that the club historically has are maintained. Thanks to God, I was able to alternate with great leaders, and also the legacy of the Bentín family. You have to take care of the structure of the club that it had since its foundation. It is valuable that people like Innova have put money into Cristal; God wants it to go well and be clear on how to do it so that Cristal not be affected. The club has resources in the training area to help out. The important thing is that they keep the fans up to date and it is known what their thoughts are with the future of the club.
Do you think there is a seal with what is done in Cristal?
They do not have to count the plans, they are the owners. But somehow someone has to go out and comment on the line of what they have in mind with Cristal. We already know what it is to develop talent and generate sales. That’s obvious. But the common fan needs to know.
Can you see a Peruvian with the Bolívar shirt in the future?
I will always be attentive to my Peruvian football, and when I see someone who stands out, obviously, I will bring the name closer to the department that sees the issue of hiring players. The league closest to Bolivia, in fact, is the Peruvian one. The adaptation of the Peruvian player would be almost immediate.
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