Juan Martín Nero is back to the high goal season in England, with UAE Polo Team, alongside H.H. Sheikha Maitha (0), Santos Merlos (6) and Lukin Monteverde (7). The Trenque Lauquen-born players is currently playing the Trippetts Challenge, in Cowdray Park Polo Club, and due to clash against Gaston in the championship match, on Saturday May 17.
Juanma, one of the best backs of all times, spoke to PoloLine, after qualifying to the final, to let us know about the current moment of the organisation, the season and his future in Argentina.
How are you feeling now, after playing the first games in England?
It’s very nice, it’s always good to start a new season in England. The season is plenty of great teams and organizations and this one in particular, the Trippetts Challenge, is like a warm up before the Queen’s Cup. Honestly, this competition is very good, and suits both players and the horses to perfection. It’s a lot of fun.
How did this UAE lineup got together? What did you think when you were summoned to be a part of this lineup?
We put the team together last year. I received a call from Lucas Monteverde around July, to play with Sheikha Maitha and Lukin. The idea was to search a 6-goaler, also, and that’s when Santos Merlos came up. We are still knowing each other, we’ve never played together before, so I think the team is working slowly. Also, we need to adapt to the new blocking rule, which makes the game very different, and trying to reach our top form in order to play our first game of the Queen’s Cup, next Tuesday.
What are your expectations for the final of the Trippetts Challenge?
Well, all the teams have been very tough to play against, everything is very leveled. So I guess the final will be very hard fought and also a lot of fun, because we want to play a final but also spend a good time, while thinking about our first match of the Queen’s Cup against Thai Polo, as well.
Speaking of the Queen’s Cup, again, what are your expectation for the remaining of the season, including, of course, the Gold Cup?
The expectations are always very high, and mostly with an organisation like Sheikha Maitha’s and Lucas Monteverde’s breeding. I hope we are able to win one of them or at least to be as close as possible. There are nineteen teams, plenty of very good organisations, seasoned players. To say the truth, it will be hard, but a lot of fun, too.
Let’s go to Argentina for a while, where a very competitive spring season is awaiting. You will be playing with UAE and El Overo, in a new team. How do you see it?
You always have an eye on Argentina, thinking about it, getting horses ready. We will have an brand new team for the upcoming season with Polito Pieres, Tomás Panelo and Lukin Monteverde. To me, it will be amazing to be able to play with these guys, a mix of the new generation with well seasoned players. It’s good, I thing we have an interesting lineup and I hope we can be competitive. However, we are focused on mounting ourselves in the best possible way, which we are all aiming at. I think it will be a very good season, with several new teams. But I can say we have a team to do very well.