As of this writing, our Super Cup semi-final has yet to be played. Before the game, I wish and hope not to fight on Sunday. And hopefully we have to paint the back of the bus on Monday.
The calendar, of aúpa. The postponement of the match against Atlético de Madrid will have come but that very well to Marcelino to assemble pieces, explain their method, know their wickers, and better prepare what is coming to us. Strong rivals in the League and an uncomfortable cup crossing, against UD Ibiza, who will be required to eliminate to start well.
Much to do in a year with more incentives than the April Cup final, the great challenge. Via Liga, compete for Europe, have it in the spotlight. In sports, achieving this, together with a hypothetical victory in the final of La Cartuja, would be the boost in self-esteem we need. Economically, vital support during this COVID journey.
This is also the goal of the newly hired coaching staff, Marcelino's coaching staff. They also play it in this adventure. It requires audacity in decision-making, ambition in competition, and the rigor in the work that a quarry club requires: betting also on the long term.
Establishing a new generation must be a difficult challenge as well as an exciting one. I hope it was one of the ingredients of the job offer to the Asturian coach. He grew up in a quarry team like Sporting, then he knows what this is about, I have no doubt.
My little sympathy for the neighbor does not prevent me from seeing things to imitate to improve and maintain the hegemony of Basque football that we have historically held. In lower categories we are superior to them, and even if they are surrounded by foreigners and ‘non-registrable’ by Athletic in the first team, betting on cheekiness and giving the youth squad infinite opportunities, the way to go.
Hopefully we can show the image of an ambitious and competitive team wherever we go, instead of appearing self-conscious and limited by a self-imposed constraint, which is really one of our strengths. That we are Athletic !!!
Protagonism vs bubble
The day before yesterday I read that the anticovid measures required during our trip and stay in Andalusia a kind of bubble of those that are so commonly used in elite sports today. Ignoring if I contemplated these types of exceptions, I do not see the most appropriate in the previous of a match of the relevance of the one held against Real Madrid that our president is in the box of El Arcángel compadring with federation and expedition members of the other two semifinalists during the semifinal disputed between Real Sociedad and Barça, instead of finding himself doing pineapple and having dinner with his coaching staff and players in the red-and-white 'bubble' on Wednesday night.
I think apart from unnecessary and squeaky, Mr. Aitor elizegi so much prominence and so much focus are not good for him. I don't know if Florentino Pérez, his Madrid counterpart, was in Córdoba at that time of week and night, but I didn't seem to see him. It is an opinion, without more. And a tip too.
If nothing goes wrong, here in seven days.