On Thursday, York United unveiled Mauro Eustáquio as the club’s fourth head coach during a press conference at York Lions Stadium.

Having spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach with the club, and two matches as the interim head coach between Martin Nash and Benjamín Mora, he now gets the opportunity to take the helm on a permanent basis.

Eustáquio was joined on Thursday by York President Ricardo Pasquel and General Manager Jorge Villalpando.

Here are some of the notable things they had to say:

Eustáquio on what it means to be given this opportunity as the club’s head coach

I mean, obviously I’m thankful for the opportunity with the ownership and Jorge picking me. It’s a club that means a lot to me. I’ve been here for four years. We went through a little bit of a roller coaster with the different times that we’ve been through here. I think the club right now is at its best moment in the sense that we do have a path. We do know exactly what we want. We want to create that identity of a team that wants to compete, that wants to win. So again, I think for me it’s a club I identify myself with. It’s a club that’s given me a lot. And again, I respect the decision and I’m willing to give everything I’ve got.

Ricardo Pasquel on why Eustáquio was their pick

Since day one when we met Mauro maybe a year ago, just having ongoing conversations daily about soccer, about life, you got a sense really quickly about the character he has, the knowledge of the game, the passion. It was very important to us to get somebody that has the passion that my brothers, Jorge and I do so that they simulate the attention to detail that we require and everything that surrounds being in a professional environment. So having his character, his knowledge, his passion, and on the other side, interpreting very well what we wanted, was crucial for us. Overall, it was an easy decision.

Eustáquio on his coaching journey to get to this point

I think the journey starts when you commit to becoming a coach. I think you obviously have to understand that you’re starting a process. I’ve always felt like I’ve been a student of the game. I’ve worked under, as a player, a lot of good coaches: Marc Dos Santos, Tommy Wheeldon Jr., Colin Miller. Those are all coaches that are Canadian, understand the landscape and that have been successful in the game. And now, obviously being an assistant under [Martin Nash] and then [Benjamín Mora]. I think I have my beliefs. I know how I want to play the game. I’ve obviously stolen some good ideas and some good ways of working that they’ve shared with me. I’ve had that moment to be a sponge and to learn as much as I could. But, overall, right when this opportunity was on top of the table I was very committed and very confident. I’m in a situation right now that the bus went past me and I decided to jump in. It’s not something that I’m not aware of, I know the responsibility that it brings. I know the pressure that I want to put on myself towards this and I think I’m ready. I have a lot to give this club, and I’m ready to start this.

Ricardo Pasquel on the coaching search

Jorge and I started this, obviously as most organizations would do we started this process months ago, like, what happens if Benjamín did not stay for next year? And so you bring all these ideas to the table. And even though I said we talked to many people here in Canada and internationally, Mauro was always at the top of our list. We knew sooner or later, we wanted to give Mauro a chance. Fairly quickly in this interview process, he convinced us that he was the guy. We’re very happy for him.

Eustáquio on being the youngest coach in league history, and first former CPL player to become a head coach in the league

I think those are numbers that when you’re involved you don’t really think about. Obviously, this league has grown a lot. It’s given firstly a lot of players the opportunity to stay in their home country and then be professionals. But it’s starting to give ex-players the opportunity to stay in the game, to stay involved in the game. I think I have ex-teammates who are in different clubs either on the business side, on the directing side, or marketing, whatever it is. And then I have ex-teammates that are currently still coaching and others scouting in different leagues. I think the league itself has given that opportunity to us to continue to develop the sport in this country, and obviously, that’s something that we want to continue giving back. I think the word professional gets thrown out there a lot, but I’d say my generation of players was one that we had to go abroad, and we had to kind of suffer and go through the tough episodes for this to be created. For people to realize that it was actually needed, because Canada does have a lot of talent. It’s a pool of players that is massive. And again, we’re showing that at the international level. We’re going to continue showing that and growing here at the league and at this club.