Some fans refused to let themselves believe however others gathered to welcome "El Cholo," a former Atlético captain, the emotional and non secular heartbeat of the team that won the league and cup double in 1996 -- the club's last title before a 14-year trophy drought that was finally ended with the Europa League success in 2010. together headline place it, Atlético can currently be "aggressive and offensive." Aggressive? Offensive? they might are talking concerning Simeone himself. A team in-built its coach's image, then.
That is the manner they require it: a tough man to kind Atlético out; somebody who is aware of what the club is concerning. a person with bark and bite, famous for his endeavor, his aggression -- the image of the outlet left in Julen Guerrero's thigh by Simeone's studs is tough to forget -- and his spirit. a person who cared -- which is that the cliché to that supporters and clubs therefore usually flip sometimes of hassle. a few of coaching sessions, a presentation, a number of words, and a few are convinced. "The team," said Simeone, "is additional vital than anyone."
"The Cholo result brings ilusión [hope]," cheered AS' resident rabid atlético Manuel Esteban, higher referred to as "Manolete" to any or all. "It is years since I saw an educator confer with his players therefore much: he corrects them as he goes, talking to them individually and as a gaggle, he wins the fans over by showing them his work. His philosophy is one that rojiblancos like: they need to travel into challenges, be aggressive, play on the counter and honor the shirt that they wear." Marca noted approvingly that "the word Simeone used most throughout the presentation was "team."
Actually, it absolutely was "obviously." and a few things are obvious -- or ought to be.
Not least the actual fact that we've been here before. Soccer is by nature cyclical; every new season, every new player, every new coach, brings new hope. however everyone's lost count of the days that Atlético has presented the new coach because the man who would kind things out. they need lost count of the quantity of times -- and, in truth, this goes for many clubs, most media and most players' public pronouncements -- that the new coach's arrival has been met with the standard remarks.
Remarks like: "now, this can be how you're employed," or "he's building a more robust relationship with the players," or "the time for cruising has passed," and also the previous favorite: "we're operating more durable and longer than ever before." If that actually was true, if there extremely was a tangible, quantifiable increase with each new coach, groups would be closing in on 24-hour coaching sessions by currently.
Simeone is that the forty ninth managerial appointment that Atlético Madrid has created since the Gil family illegally gained management of the club in 1987. Since 1996, when the late Jesús Gil's son Miguel-Ángel Gil Marín took over as CEO, it's averaged fourteen new players a season. Keeping on prime of Atlético needs a ream of A4, a bag of pens, and an abacus.
Even when things have gone well, they need gone badly. Atlético won the Europa league in 2010 nonetheless its 1st trophy in fourteen years was forgotten in fourteen minutes. among a year, the coach had gone. therefore had Diego Forlán, Sergio Aguero and David de Gea. Now, eighteen months later, Manolete noted: "Atlético are plunged into the best of depressions." Simeone too has had a reasonably checkered career. this can be his seventh club. He solely started coaching in 2006. Atlético has been talking concerning him and he has been talking concerning them since well before that.
His arrival is meant to snap Atlético out of that depression. He was a populist selection created by house owners below pressure; they were taking part in to the group. Cholo unites like few others may -- maybe solely Luis Aragonés would have had such a control. abundant of what he said was populist too. Sensible, logical and understandable, nonetheless largely vacuous, customary fare: the club is what matters, we are going to offer our all, etc. and so on. no marvel the word he most used was "obviously."
Obviously. Simeone bites. however therefore will reality. By the new coach's own admission, he turned up and "within 2 hours" was confronted by winger José Antonio Reyes telling him that he needed to go away. that's doubtless to be an honest issue, however his 1st news conference and already Simeone was having to place out fires.
It is unlikely to be the last. Atlético is in crisis and in debt. Coaches' authority is usually undermined. The squad is unbalanced and also the club's sporting director, Jose Luis Caminero, would possibly still be the invisible man. Besides, his relationship with Simeone has not continually been harmonious and insiders speak of non-public resentment. Atletico's best players aren't even wholly owned by the club any longer -- this summer, it turned to an investment fund to assist them sign. In doing therefore, it lost management.
Actually, it lost management years ago. It lost management over everything except the club itself: the 2 men that have presided over Atletico's unhappy demise -- president Enrique Cerezo and Gil Marín - are still there. they're adept at bringing in new men solely to confront constant previous failings.
Simeone's arrival may well be fantastic news for Atlético, he would possibly build them win and his work would possibly prove excellent. he might be specifically what they have. After all, there is little doubt that with the players Atlético has, it ought to have achieved additional. Simeone would possibly. He is aware of Atlético. He would possibly resolve a number of the team's issues. however he cannot resolve them all: it wasn't down within the dugout that Atlético most required a amendment however up within the directors' box. Coaches are culpable too however when it involves blame they need not been alone. When it involves nearly everything else, they have.
The good news is that Simeone is aware of that too.
