Idols and Underdogs by Shawn Stein

Author:Shawn Stein
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Freight Books

Interview with José Hidalgo Pallares

What role did football play in your youth?

I always liked to play football, to go to the stadium and to see games on television. Like many Ecuadorians, when I was a child I dreamed of being a football player, unfortunately my aptitude for the game precluded it. Anyway, football was important as a recreation, as a connection with my friends and with my brother and, often, as a cause of suffering from my team’s poor results.

Do you support a particular team?

Yes, I’ve been a fan of the Deportivo Quito since I was six years old, but I saw them win a championship only recently when I was twenty-eight. Throughout all those years we had almost achieved it several times, but in the end something always happened. In 2008, when finally – after 40 years without a title – Quito won the championship once again, it was like a dream. My wife gets annoyed when I say that that was the happiest day of my life.

When I’m in Quito, I try to go to the stadium every weekend and when I’m out of the country I watch the games on the Internet.

How do football and politics intersect in Ecuador?

Currently in Ecuador, as also occurs in other Latin American countries like Argentina or Venezuela, politics stirs up lots of passion. You’re either for or against the government with almost the same fervour that you’re a fan of one or another team. Beyond that, in Ecuador the governments usually take advantage when the national team has good results in order to promote themselves.

What are your views on the current state of freedom of the press in Ecuador?

Ever since the beginning of President Correa’s administration the media and independent journalists have experienced pressures and attacks (verbal and even physical). The situation has been getting worse with the passage of time, despite the fact that the government has newspapers, TV channels and radio stations under its control. The institutions created by the regime to control the press seem to be more and more intolerant of any news and investigations that affect the government. It’s common in Ecuador for high public officials to demand their “right to respond” to news and even opinions that they don’t like.

How would you describe the impact in Latin America of Brazil having hosted the World Cup in 2014?

I believe it was a special World Cup, not just for Latin Americans but for all lovers of football in general. Having it in a country with a tradition of football adds something special to the World Cup. Anyway, for Latin Americans it was even more special because many could travel to Brazil to cheer on their respective national teams, which raised the expectations of achieving something important. I was still living in Argentina during the World Cup and the mood and atmosphere lifted more and more as the team advanced. Unfortunately it didn’t end well. As far as Ecuador is concerned, its participation was a disappointment because the teams in the group stage were beatable.

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