This is part 2 of an exclusive interview with Juanjo. You can read part 1 HERE. Juanjo was one of the guests for the Big Hearts Gala on Friday at Tynecastle Park

Junajo's love of football can be viewed through the desire to keep playing. After Heart of Midlothian, there are 19 spells across 17 different clubs. 

From Bradford City to Inverness CT and Hamilton. Aris Limassol and Gibraltar United. Mollet and APEP twice. Rubi, Gava and Horta are three others that sound like they could be a Spanish midfield trio that never give up the ball.

"I was playing semi-pro until 41 so I can’t have many complaints," Juanjo told Hearts Standard. "I was playing most games with guys who could be my son, 20 years younger!

"I had a really enjoyable career. I kept playing because I loved the game. I love football so that’s why it was so long a career."

Even now, aged 47, he is still turning out for Barcelona's legend and veterans teams. He is coaching a part-time team in the lower leagues, combining it with his role with the association of former players of Barcelona. In that position, he provides ex-players of the Catalan giants with assistance in the transition after football, helping them source jobs or courses to further their skills.

His life, 15 minutes from the city centre, with his two daughters and wife revolves around football. And he has ambitions to progress as a coach.

"I’ve had my badges since 2014 but I was still playing football myself so I was unable to coach," he explained. "I started coaching kids, under-12, under-14 and then the last three years I’ve been coaching part-time teams. 

"I would like to go step by step. Get experience in the lower leagues and hopefully when I feel prepared maybe try to have a go in the higher leagues. If I had the chance I’d like to take it."

Juanjo has plenty of experience to share, and plenty of coaches to learn from.

He spoke highly of Jim Jefferies. As he did of John Robertson, the Hearts legend who brought him back to Scotland, specifically to Inverness CT following their promotion to the SPL in 2004.

The winger had moved on from Hearts to link up with Jefferies at Bradford City in 2001 before returning to Spain with Jaen. But that Hearts connection remained. Taking him to the Highlands and also Pittodrie where Inverness began life playing home games as a top-flight side.

Juanjo may only have worked under Robertson for four months before he moved to replace Craig Levein at Tynecastle Park, but he retains fond memories.

"We know each other because we have got friends in common, Gary Mackay, and we saw each other a few times, but we weren't involved at Hearts," Juanjo said of Robertson.

"For some reason, he had the memory of me from Hearts. I remember not long ago there was a quote in the paper Inverness it was mentioned that a key moment for the club this year was the signing of Juanjo because he said Inverness needed that kind of player who can bring joy.

"To be honest it worked. No one expected us to fight to stay in the league, we managed it and performed a good season that year with good football."

He added: "He was brilliant. He understood the players. He has been a legend for Hearts, he’s been a legend in Scotland. He knows how to treat players, he knows how to get them confident, he’s the type of guy who makes you feel like a proper football player. I loved it there.

"He’s a funny guy, he was someone who worked closely with you, it was really easy to work under him. He pushed for me, I pushed for him."

Juanjo scores a penalty against Hearts.Juanjo scores a penalty against Hearts. (Image: SIMON PRICE)

On a personal level, it was one of the most productive seasons of Juanjo's professional career. He credits Robertson's decision to play him as a second striker in a 4-4-2 as the reason, providing him with attacking freedom. 

Seven goals would follow, including against both Hearts and Hibs. More would have been like only for an Achilles tendon injury at the start of April to rule him out for the remainder of the season and a large chunk of the following campaign.

Not only that but it "killed" the offers he had from teams in England and Scotland.

"It was really tough to come back but the hardest thing was the timing of the injury," he said. "After coming from Spain and Inverness made the bid to come over, I was playing fantastic.

"As a youngster, I scored so many goals but as a professional, playing on the wing, I was never really involved in the box. I scored a few goals in all the teams I’ve been but I’ve never been one of the top scorers.

"I remember this year I was playing as a second striker. We were playing a 4-4-2 and John Robertson said to me that I can make things happen, the same thing with Jim Jefferies and Billy Brown. He gave me the freedom to play behind the striker, to move around in any area I wanted.

"I was playing really well, playing every week, scoring goals. The worst time the injury could have happened. There are seasons where you don’t play well and you can’t expect things but this season I was playing really well and picking up interest from teams in England and Scotland. And then I snapped my Achilles.

"It killed me. It killed my options to make a better move or make a better contract. Everything vanished.

"It was really tough to come back. Three months in crutches. After six months the recovery is really slow because you need to get your fitness back, another three months to get full fitness to be ready for games. It was too long. It was a shame.

He added: "After that, I kept playing for another 15 years so it wasn’t a problem at all. But at that period it was a killer for myself. It was a fantastic time to make a great move but I didn’t have the chance to make it."

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Juanjo had dealt with adversity before.

His exit from Hearts in 2001 is one that he admitted "was really hard".

Having worked to become a regular for Jim Jefferies, it wasn't long before he would find himself mixing starting matches with being used from the bench under Craig Levein.

Juanjo felt Levein pushed him out of Tynecastle. He expressed to Hearts Standard that he had no ill feelings toward the former Hearts boss, understanding that different coaches look for different qualities and attributes. The Spaniard didn't feel like he fitted in with what Levein wanted and revealed there was no attempt to keep him.

"Craig Levein never really appreciated my football," he said. "He always underestimated my qualities to do things. He just saw me as a flair player who would do tricks and that’s me. I didn’t feel like that and as you can see with Jim Jefferies I bring a lot of things.

"I was the top assister in the league beside Bobby Petta, if I am not wrong. For some reason, he didn’t appreciate my football. That's the reason why I was pushed forward to leave.

"At that time I wasn’t even thinking of moving from Hearts. I was happy, loved it, loved my football there, loved Tynecastle, loved the city. It was the coach, he pushed me out.

"I never made any expectations about money. It was made out I was greedy and wanted too much money, that was far away from reality. I just wanted to stay.

"Ultimately the chance wasn’t there, I wasn’t given an offer. So Jim Jefferies said I could do the job for him [at Bradford]. That was the reason.

"On my heart, I didn’t want to move, at least in that period, because I was really enjoying my time there. I was really happy. Sometimes you can be unlucky, different coaches, different mentalities, different ways of seeing football.

Juanjo celebrates a goal against St Johnstone.Juanjo celebrates a goal against St Johnstone. (Image: SNS Group)

"I’ve got no complaint about Craig because every coach has got their own style of play but I have to be honest, he didn’t give me a chance to stay."

Even with the way it ended at Tynecastle, Juanjo regards his time at Hearts as the most special in his career alongside Barcelona.

Towards the end of the conversation, he spoke of his good times in Gorgie, rattling off name after name of players who are still remembered fondly by fans.

"We had so many good characters, there was a great bunch of lads," he said. "Some were the funny ones, some the nice ones, some were the cool ones.

"Steven Pressley, Steven Fulton, Colin Cameron, Gary Locke, Lee Makel, Stephane Adam, who I still keep in contact with, Thomas Flogel, Gilles Rousset, Antti Niemi, Paul Ritchie, Gary Naysmith.

"We had a great bunch of lads who loved football and were devoted to the club and this was the key for the success of us the last two years."

He added: "I would say Hearts are at the top of my football career. Probably the peak is to manage to play a league game with Barcelona and be involved with the first team in Barcelona because we are talking about one of the best teams in the world.

"I had a really good season with Inverness and good seasons elsewhere but the last two years at Edinburgh... I just loved it.

"I was dying for the weekend because I was enjoying football so much. We had a great team with a great squad and great supporters. I absolutely loved my time at Hearts. I rate it really high."