The referents are always important in sport and in life itself.
Jose Angel Iribar
From this perspective, he is a figure to keep in mind for all those txikis who come to Lezama with the illusion of one day wearing the Athletic first team jersey. As the Txopo there are none.
His resume as a goalkeeper is there. Iribar played 18 consecutive seasons for Athletic, accumulating a total of 614 games. The goalkeeper of Zarauz is in first position in the historical ranking of the centenary Bilbao club. Nobody has disputed more official meetings with the jacket of this unique institution.
Txetxu Red, another illustrious of this entity, appears in second position on the list with 541 games over 17 seasons. The left-handed winger is followed in this historical relationship
Joseba Etxeberria, the current manager of Bilbao Athletic, with 514 games, just a hundred less than the ‘leader’ Iribar, spread over three decades.
The members of this trio, curiously, have served as coaches for the Bilbao club after hanging up their boots. In different phases and in different tasks as well. Txopo has not only trained the rojiblanco first team, since it has also worked with the quarry and, above all, the Lezama goalkeepers. Red I, which at one point became second of
Kendall
, he also managed to direct the lions from the bench. Valverdein fact, it was one of his assistants.
Etxebe, meanwhile, is still active in the Athletic factory. Elgoibartarra, who already made his vocation as a coach clear during his time as a player, also collaborated in his day with the
Txingurri
in addition to directing the Youth. Everything indicates that sooner or later he will end up occupying the position on the bench of the first team that his two teammates have already passed on such a special podium.
A club with the tradition and philosophy of Athletic must bear in mind the different professionals who in one way or another have defended the rojiblancos colors. Believe it or not, some aspiring lions have passed through Lezama and probably continue to pass through that have no reference to these and other illustrious and not so illustrious rojiblancos. A gap to be corrected, since the Bilbao club needs more than other references of flesh and blood.
The ‘battles’ of Iribar, Rojo and even Etxebe would surprise their own and strangers. All of them had offers to change of scene at one point, but they preferred to continue in Athletic. And all three, by the way, became international due to their soccer quality.
It is only necessary to review the ranking of historical players of this entity to be aware of the enormous number of players that have passed through its ranks and the indisputable quality of many of them. Times change and now, as has been proven for a few years now, not everyone who comes to Lezama dreams of completing their career at Athletic. It is also true that there are those who aspire to it, but it is the club itself that opens the exit door for them. Football