Adrián Mazo is an Alumni of the Real Madrid Graduate School–Universidad Europea. He completed the Master in Football Management and Training Methodologies and is currently the coach for the legendary club Real Unión de Irún.
Below you can read the interview with Adrián Mazo, coach for Real Unión, in Alumni Stories.
How did you come to study this master’s degree?
+ I started it with the intention of educating myself. I found this programme online and completing it was a challenge. This master’s degree pushes you to discover who you are as a coach, because they give you guidelines for you to think about situations and ask yourself questions that I, personally, had never asked myself, so that you can carry out all the functions of a coach.
– What did you hope to find here and what did you see that you think is worth highlighting?
+ I started the programme really keen for something new that would push me to reach my goal, which was to learn everything there is to know about being a football coach. One of the many things that the Master in Football Management and Training Methodologies teaches you is to organise and structure all the ideas you already have and to come up with more with the help of the speakers for each module. All of that comes to a head with the master’s thesis, for which you have to write your own game model proposal. You have to absorb other people’s ideas in order to develop your own, which forms a foundation to support the coach. It’s like a guide for taking on all the functions that you have to carry out on a daily basis, and it is something that has to be modified and adapted to the evolution of the sport itself. But, without a doubt, my time at the School gave me that foundation on which to build.
– What did you gain from your time at the School?
+ This master’s degree is a plus when it comes to finding job opportunities, but most of all it allows you to grow as a coach and as a professional in many ways as you go through each module.
– You were able to learn from professionals who, had it not been for this online methodology, would not have been able to combine their day-to-day work in high-level clubs with giving these sessions. How was that experience?
+ I think the online delivery of the programme makes it easier to go into more detail in specific moments or classes where the speakers can adapt and show us the whole working methodology and day-to-day work within their clubs.
It really is incredible to have the chance to listen to and learn from them. It’s a top-level teaching staff. Every one of them has come so far in this difficult yet beautiful world, forming part of major international clubs and organisations. It’s a unique opportunity to see what happens beyond what you can see in a football match.
– What would you highlight from this learning experience?
+ Alberto Martín of Real Betis S.A.D. comes to mind. He taught us the game model module and also took part in the task design module. He helped me to structure and develop the ideas I had and to come up with many more. He taught us how to organise a game model in terms of the patterns that make it up.
I also remember David Tenorio, from Granada C.F. There they try to instil habits, a word he uses a lot, which is very important when working with players. When players are able to automate and execute certain habits, it means you can centre the rest of the work on the game model.
Carlos Lago is another top teacher. I had already read about him, but the way he talks about and explains things, he makes everything so simple and so clear... The advice he gives on how to be a better coach is excellent. That’s just three I’ve mentioned, but I could talk about so many others.
– What’s it like working with the other students in the group?
+ Although it’s an online format, the classes are very dynamic. There’s always interaction between teachers and students. We had really interesting discussions and you always end up with new ideas. That makes it much more valuable, as it’s something you might think you can’t achieve when everyone is participating from home.
We started a WhatsApp group with all the students where we shared interesting articles and things we saw that could contribute to our learning. Some of our classmates wouldn’t have been able to attend if it hadn’t been like this.
There were people from Latin America, the USA, Turkey, etc. It would have been difficult to get together in person, so this way of learning helped us to access this learning experience.
Classes are recorded so you can go back and watch them whenever you want. If you can’t attend a class, you don’t miss out, meaning you can combine your working life with continuing to evolve academically.
– What surprised you about this kind of online learning?
I was surprised by the approachability of the teachers. The director, David, the coordinators and the speakers were all available to help us, teach us and address our queries. It was very much an open-door policy with all of them, and forming a network like that is really important and crucial for an online programme, which might seem more closed off in that sense.
- How has it affected your professional career to have had the opportunity to receive an education with the mark of Universidad Europea and Real Madrid?
+ The change has been enormous. You’re no longer just another coach, and being endorsed by the Real Madrid Graduate School–Universidad Europea is a big plus for your image. Personally, I am part of Real Unión de Irún’s grassroots football team and they are interested in knowing how it works in other teams and in elite football.
It’s had a great influence in terms of my future and one of the reasons I chose this master’s degree was so I could take that leap.
– What differences have you found through this learning experience between amateur football and elite football?
+ There are so many differences, but there are lots of things that can be put into practice in those divisions. Thanks to the speakers, you realise the importance of individualised work in terms of a player at those early ages. Focusing on making this type of analysis on athletes, creating profiles with the strengths and weaknesses of each player, setting goals for them to try to improve and better themselves is something very important in grassroots football.
The master’s degree emphasises the fact that the player is the protagonist and strengthening them is a fundamental part of our role. We can improve many aspects implemented from below in terms of the individual, using the detailed knowledge we gained from the master’s degree to improve the methodology of an amateur club and become an added value.
– Finally, how would you describe your year studying in a few sentences?
+ Choosing this master’s degree was a big challenge in my life. It has been a great learning experience and, without a doubt, a huge boost to ensure I can perform all the functions required of a football coach the best I can. But, in one word, I would say it’s been: a challenge.