Adelaide United’s Spanish coach Guillermo Amor credits his son with getting his bearings in a new city

GUILLERMO Amor looks proudly at his son and wraps his arm around his shoulders.

Guilermo Amor & Son

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GUILLERMO Amor looks proudly at his son and wraps his arm around his shoulders.

“We would not have survived here without him,” Adelaide United’s Spanish coach says of his 15-year-old offspring, Guillermo Jr.

“The first few months you arrive in a new country are very tough but, any problem we had, he translated for us.

“He spoke to people about the house, the doctor, the Foxtel installation, the lights, the water.

“He was incredible.”

The Reds’ mentor is just one win away from leading United to the A-League grand final after taking the club from bottom to top in his first season at the helm.

But on-field success was the least of the FC Barcelona great’s concerns when he landed in South Australia with his wife Marta, and sons Alexander, now 21, Daniel, 19, and Guillermo Jr in 2014.

Amor was initially brought in by former Adelaide coach Josep Gombau in an advisory role.

He was installed as technical director a month later and took over as Reds’ coach at the start of this campaign.

Adelaide United coach Guillermo Amor shares a joke with his son Guillermo Jr. Picture: MATT TURNER

“Our situation now is better than when we arrived,” says Guillermo Sr.

“When we came here everything was new and we didn’t know a lot of things.

“The (Australian) accent is very different and sometimes I still don’t understand what people are saying.

“But Adelaide is a magnificent city to walk in the park or go to a restaurant.

“There are a lot things here for the people to enjoy.”

Amor’s two eldest sons returned to Europe 18 months ago but Guillermo Jr, known as Guille to family and friends, remained in Adelaide with his parents.

The promising soccer player was enrolled at Barcelona’s football school aged five and followed his father’s footsteps into the Catalan giant’s famed academy two years later.

After six seasons in the talent factory that produced five-time world player of the year Lionel Messi, the midfielder entered Football Federation SA’s junior development system.

“It was very hard for me because I spent my whole life in Barcelona,” says Guille, who speaks fluent English after attending an international school in Spain.

“I had to leave my friends and family and I was very sad.

“But Adelaide is a good city and you make friends easily at school.”

Guille is impressing in the under-18 SA Premier League with FFSA’s National Training Centre squad.

His father attends most of his training sessions and matches when they do not clash with A-League coaching duties.

“I think he is an intelligent player,” Guillermo Sr says of his son.

“He’s good in decision-making and technical (aspects).

“He is still young and in the next few years we will see his possibilities in football.”

Guille, who plays in the same position his father did, is unaware if opposition players and coaches know that he is the son of Adelaide United’s coach.

He says knowledge gleaned from his dad’s 493-game professional career has shaped his playing style.

“I might have a bit of pressure, but I don’t think about that,” says Guillermo Jr, who idolises Barcelona playmaker Andreas Iniesta and dreams of returning to Spain to play professionally.

“I always ask for his (Guillermo Sr’s) advice after I play a game and I ask him what I did well and wrong.

“Whatever he says, I always take his advice and try to do it next time because he played for Barcelona and knows what it takes to make it.”

Off the pitch, Guillermo Jr, a Year 9 Concordia College student, enjoys visiting Glenelg with friends and cooking the occasional paella.

Not that his dad shares his talent in the kitchen.

“I do not cook, but my wife is very good,” says Amor Sr, a UEFA Champions League winner with Barcelona in 1992.

The father and son watch soccer together on television daily, often catching A-League games rather than Spanish top-flight clashes because of the more sociable viewing times.

But the pair is yet to see an Adelaide or Port Adelaide AFL game live at Adelaide Oval.

“Footy is good,” Guillermo Sr says.

“It’s very different (to soccer) but we’ve watched games on television and it’s very entertaining and very physical.”

Guillermo Sr’s focus over the next fortnight is guiding Adelaide United to its maiden A-League championship.

In the off-season, he hopes to take more English-language classes and switch off from his job.

“On days that are free (from soccer) you are always thinking about it,” the 37-cap Spanish international says.

“It’s difficult to disconnect from it. But we enjoy living here a lot.

“In our profession, it always depends on the results.

“If they are good, you continue, but if they are not good, you go.

“I prefer not to think too far in the future – I prefer to think in the present.”