Valverde and Bielsa, the duel with a taste of the past that could tip the balance
The 43,325 members of the club are called to vote for the first time in San Mamés
MADRID, 23 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Iñaki Arechabaleta, Ricardo Barkala and Jon Uriarte fight this Friday to establish themselves as the new president of Athletic Club, in elections marked by the only two options for the rojiblanco bench, Marcelo Bielsa and Ernesto Valverde, in addition to a war shrouded in controversy around the projects, with a clear tendency towards longing for better times in the club.
With all the cards on the table, the three candidates have opted for the most emotional and evocative factor of the past to try to succeed at the polls and relieve Aitor Elizegi in office. ‘Return to the best years of modern Athletic’ seems to be the slogan of these elections, where the three candidates have opted for two coaches who have already been in charge of the Bilbao bench, also in two of the most golden times of the last 30 years .
The leader of ‘Arechabaleta Taldea’, born in Bilbao in 1959, has been a member of Athletic for 56 years and his last position was CEO of the Vocento group, with an extensive business career in the media sector, as director general director of ‘El Mundo del País Vasco’ between 1990 and 1993, and general director of El Correo between 1994 and 2002. Now, as can be deduced from his program, he will dedicate “one hundred percent” to the rojiblanco project if he wins this Friday.
As stated in an interview with the club’s media, Arechabaleta wants to make the Biscayan team “strong and sustainable” so as “not to lose the talent” they create in Lezama, “the cornerstone” of their sports project. The one from the Deusto neighborhood will promote a “cohesive and inclusive” social project, considering the members the “true owners” of the club.
For his part, Barkala, the first to run for the presidency of Athletic for these elections, was born in Portugalete in 1955 and has been president of the Bilbao Port Authority since 2018, in addition to being linked to the PNV. He represents the least abrupt change, with a classic profile and a campaign in the ‘usual’ version, with small acts to show closeness to partners.
Thus, he asks that the partners “value” the “experience in management and in love with Athletic” that he and his entire team bring. According to his plan, the operation of the club will be based on “three basic pillars that are known throughout the world”: the “sports philosophy”, “the social model” and the “social impact” that Athletic has.
Ramón Planes, former sports director of FC Barcelona and Getafe, will direct the sports field in the men’s area and the former red and white player Ainhoa Tirapu will be in charge of the women’s area if Barkala finally wins at the polls.
The third candidate is Jon Uriarte, the youngest (44 years old), leader of the most innovative, alternative and even upstart option, who could seduce the youngest, although his campaign is not being the ideal one could hope for. And it is that he had to resign from the Mexican Carlos Aviña as sports director, after some tweets of this homophobic and macho character came to light, for which Uriarte has dedicated more time than he would like to ‘put out fires’.
Successful entrepreneur after creating the company Ticketbis and selling it to eBay in 2016 for 150 million, he considers that “Athletic is a club with an incredible history and very strong values and philosophy”, but warns that “it is falling behind” .
Thus, the only point on which the three candidates seem to agree is on the unshakeable philosophy of the club, as can be seen from their candidacies, which are clear that only footballers born or educated in the Basque Country can play in San Mamés – from Euskadi and Navarra, and the French Basque Country.
VALVERDE-BIELSA, DUEL ON THE BENCH TO CONVINCE THE PARTNERS
As for the benches, the one chosen by Arechabaleta is Marcelo Bielsa, who already directed Athletic for two seasons (2011-2013) and is a “world top 5 coach” and the “most revered by world professionals”, as described by the own candidate. “We have found a Bielsa of the future. The decision is not mediatic, he is a professional. His ambition, quality and abilities will take us to the Athletic that we should”, he insisted.
The Argentine represents football romanticism and the decision to bet on him again could strike a chord with fans and mobilize them to the polls. “He gave us Athletic’s best season of the 21st century,” acknowledged Arechabaleta, recalling the Copa del Rey and Europa League finals that the Biscayan team played under the baton of ‘Loco’ in 2012. Thus, he intends to build an “ambitious and attractive”, according to his candidacy, around the Argentine, the beacon of his new Athletic.
And facing this proposal are the candidacies of Ricardo Barkala and Jon Uriarte, who presented Ernesto Valverde this Wednesday as their option to lead the team from next season if either of them wins the elections. Something that could favor the devotees of ‘Loco’ Bielsa, since the supporters of ‘Txingurri’ will have to choose between two candidates.
Ernesto Valverde, coach with the most appearances in the history of Athletic (307), would also face his third stage as coach at San Mamés -he already managed the team between 2003 and 2005 and between 2013 and 2017-. “My position had to be inclusive, it wasn’t going to be exclusive, because I care what happens to Athletic,” said the eitb coach, who has not trained since he was dismissed from FC Barcelona in January 2020.