Gaizka Garitano passionately explains why Athletic Bilbao is the antidote to modern football: “It is different when you play not just for money, not just to win titles but we play for our jersey, for our values, for our families, friends, it is something special in the world.”

Athletic use only players from the Basque country, covering north-east Spain and south-west France, a policy they have stuck to since its conception in 1912. Garitano is the head coach and epitomises everything Athletic stand for; born and raised 10 minutes from the club’s training ground, he came through the academy to represent the first team just once.

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“It is very special,” Garitano explains about the Basque-only policy. “We are very proud of doing things this way. In my opinion we are the most unique team in the world using this philosophy of playing with just Basque people and we feel very proud.”

Pride is a hard emotion to exude but from the moment you meet Garitano it is hard to miss the added glow of a man decked out in Athletic attire. He turned the club’s fortunes around last season, having been appointed with Athletic in the relegation zone in December, he took them to the verge of qualifying for Europe, only to miss out on the final day.

Despite a small pool of players eligible to represent Athletic, they are the fourth most-successful Spanish club and have never been relegated from the top flight, only Barcelona and Real Madrid can boast the same. “It is a miracle, to be honest, because in 100 years or more we haven’t been relegated and – fingers crossed – we won’t. Just doing this with Basques is very difficult and more and more difficult nowadays because the other teams are increasing their budgets, they have more money, so it’s very difficult to compete with them with our philosophy but, in my opinion, we are not never ever going to change.

“People in the Basque country feel that is our philosophy for decades, so we can’t change. Even when we’ve had difficulties to stay up, to fight against big teams but we have something special and we have to keep that tradition just playing with our people.”

The lack of additions to the trophy cabinet over the past three decades has not resulted in a change of the selection policy and Garitano laughs at the prospect that the club might sign non-Basques to bring back the success of yesteryear. “It is a controversy in recent years, watching the team suffering sometimes. People say ‘OK, let’s change our philosophy and sign foreign players’, but in my opinion we have to continue in difficult moments like last year when we took charge with the team in the relegation zone, one of the worst situations ever. It is in these moments we have to be proud of our philosophy and try to work properly in the academy, trying to develop young people in order to refresh a little bit the first team. Some of our best players are very, very old and we have to refresh the team, we have to work as hard as possible in the academy but have we have to keep these traditions.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Gaizka Garitano reacts during the La Liga match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao in April. Photograph: Emilio Naranjo/EPA-EFE

Garitano was managing Athletic’s B team when he got the call to replace Eduardo Berizzo in the top job at the San Mames following a poor run at the start of last season. There was no hesitation in taking the role, eventually leading the side to an eighth-placed finish and restoring the pride at the club, even if it causes the odd fraught moment at home.

“It is an honour for me, it is a dream come true. Curiously, I was born next to Lezama and when I got married, I bought a flat next to the training ground and from my balcony I was able to see the pitches. It is amazing I have the opportunity to manage this big club. On the other hand, I feel under pressure sometimes as all my friends, my family, my parents and my wife are supporters. It is very difficult for me when I lose a match and I go back home to find my daughters and wife very sad, as they are supporters as well, so sometimes it is hard to manage this club being a supporter as well.”

The former Eibar head coach taught himself English purely through reading and he is also very studious when it comes to other coaches. “I really like Jürgen Klopp for his way of being, his leadership, the style of play I really like; direct football, they play very fast, attacking football, keeping their defence very high, pressing very high and it is a football I really like and is very similar to our style of play.”

When we play in Spain we are known for being the English club

Links to England go back to Athletic’s founding 121 years ago and there is still plenty of them left at the San Mames. Two of their most successful managers, Fred Pentland and Howard Kendall, were English, men Garitano is looking to emulate.

“No doubt about it,” Garitano responds after being asked if Athletic are still influenced by England. “When we play in Spain we are known for being the English club because our style of play, the atmosphere in the stadium, the way of being of the Basque people and sometimes we look like an English team. We are very proud of this, it is our style and we are not going to change because throughout history things have gone well for us and we need to continue in this way.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Athletic Bilbao supporters cheer the team in front of the City Hall in August 2015 as the players show off the the Spanish Super Cup, but Spain’s major trophies have eluded the Basque club since 1984. Photograph: Inaki Andres/EPA

There are few sights more joyful in football than Athletic supporters swarming into Bilbao city centre to celebrate a major trophy, they even packed the streets after lifting the curtain-raising Spanish Super Cup in 2015, inflicting a 5-1 aggregate defeat on the double winners Barcelona. When the club win one of the major trophies the players and staff travel down the River Nervion on la gabarra, a barge, which has not been seen since 1984. But there is growing optimism again under Garitano.

“The president told me last week that they are fixing and cleaning la gabarra because in the last decade it has been hiding and trying to be repaired in the hope that one day we will use it again. But it is a very difficult task.”

Can Athletic win their first trophy in 35 years this season? “Why not? We have to try. It is my dream.”