He did not find the right adjective in Basque to describe the season that has just ended for Athletic. “Bittersweet”, he wrote in Spanish before asking the interlocutor on duty to carry out the corresponding translation in Basque. Someone, like Joaquín Sabina in the song, has stolen the month of April from Aitor Elizegi in this recently completed campaign.
The president returned to the scene. For about an hour he submitted to the different questions of the journalists concentrated in the Jose Iragorri press room in San Mamés. Everything, apparently, was good sportingly speaking, especially because of the joy of the Super Cup against Madrid and Barça, until that month, but the two lost Cup finals …
The dismissal of Gaizka Garitano and even that of Ángel Villacampa took place a few weeks before the skidding against Real and Barça at the La Cartuja Stadium. The sweet thing until April, therefore, is relative; although it is true that the team seemed to react from the start with the presence of Marcelino on the bench. Also, although in a less forceful way, with that of Iraia Iturregi.
Elizegi, consciously or unconsciously, did come to recognize that “it is obvious that it is a crisis when a coach leaves the project”.
Joseba Etxeberria has also left it. Own initiative. El Gallo decided to end his journey on the Bilbao Athletic bench despite having the option to continue another year. Good words, in any case, for the elgoibartarra coach after his attack on Lezama.
Lezama, by the way, as the basis for the present and future of an Athletic that has not been to Europe for four years and with a youth squad, Areso, who prefers Osasuna to the Bilbao club itself. Elizegi, by the way, influenced the reforms carried out in the facilities, projects that the current directive has only had to execute because they were already contemplated previously. The professionalization, or at least the main steps towards it, of the women's team is not up to now.
Bad times, on the other hand, for the coffers of Ibaigane. 50 million COVID losses plus another 40, in the last four years, due to the tax burden. San Mamés without an audience in the stands for more than a year. Difficult to manage in the current situation, but neither more nor less than in other clubs or entities.
Elizegi is perfectly understood when she assures that “the silence in San Mamés or even in Lezama is terrifying. Athletic has paid dearly for the closure of San Mamés, but no excuses ”. Statutes, animation stand, possible signings, list of casualties, the return of the public to the field … Topics and more topics of a marked rojiblanco character that the rojiblanco president developed in his own way. Neither yes nor no in a large part of them, quite the opposite.