Just a few more topics remain to be covered, this is a conversation that could have gone on for hours as Javier was both very open and generous with his time.
Out of curiosity I wanted to find the best player he coached, he may have execised some diplomacy here? Telling me each has his virtues and difficulties, to say one player as is as part of a group as a whole, made it rather difficult. He did mention some better known players. Jimmy Asprilla from his time with Deportivo Cali, Juan Pablo Angel who was a great player here with the Red Bulls and there with the National team as well as Aston Villa of England, Rene Higuita the flamboyant spiderkicking goalkeeper of the National team and Sociedad Deportiva AUCAS. Ivan Ramiro Cordoba of the national team, and especially Johnier Montano who was at 16 the youngest player in Copa America. Given his experience with younger players, he feels has helped him ID and scout players in order to get the confidence to the younger one to play. As a coach his role is to get the player time and then deflect the spolight back to the player, an example is Edwin Congo who back then went for a high fee of $5 million in 1999 at the young age of 22 from Once Caldas.
Javier has been paying a great deal of attention to MLS , knows the players and even keeps files on the players to stay abreast of the comings and goings in the league. He has been following the USL also in great detail. His education from the Univ. of Antioquia in Medillen has given him great organizatinal skils, knowledge in the art of motivation. He tells of why he feels drawn to the MLS and why now. At this time the league is more open minded, needing coaches to help raise the level , their vast knowledge and experience with helping other get to a higher tactical point and help the younger players both in and out of the game "project of life" as he described it. The job of coaching in the US and handling the challanges to self, club and others he wants the the challange of another nation especially the US as it is a great place to live and the potential to do as he has in Colombia.
He related his singular best time in soccer to be winning the championship with Once Caldas in 2009. It helped him to stay humble as they were up against a far bigger and better funded team, it showed their strength and worked hard for the title. We look very much forward to being in touch again soon.