The last Sunday, almost unexpectedly, Gaizka Garitano was dismissed as Athletic coach. Unexpected because it was announced a few hours after the triumph of the lions against Elche. The dismissal of Garitano It is the second that takes place this season in LaLiga Santander. The first was Óscar García's at Celta, after nine days, to make way for Coudet. This is a very low figure for what has been normal according to the data at this point in the season, almost at the halfway point of the championship and after finishing the first round.
You have to go back fifteen years to see only two changes in the First benches until the 17th day. It occurred in the 2005-06 academic year, when Mendilibar was dismissed at Athletic and Luxembourg at Real Madrid. Clemente and López Caro were the new tenants of these benches. A very low figure at this point compared to recent years. Last season there were five changes on the benches after 17 games: Marcelino, Gallego, Pellegrino, Cembranos and Escribá. But there were higher figures if we go further back, in 17-18 there were up to nine dismissals in the same period of time.
This reduction in layoffs on the benches is linked to the economic situation of the teams as an effect derived from the COVID crisis, which have seen their income reduced and, therefore, have had to lower the cost limit of the staff: departure of the budgets destined to pay salaries and indemnities in case of dismissals. These salary limits adjusted to the maximum to comply with LaLiga regulations make the clubs think very well about the dismissal of a coach, which would cause extra expense and a mismatch in their accounts.
But despite this, the specter of dismissal is there. As is the case of Míchel with Huesca. The coach admitted after losing to Barcelona that he is “afraid of losing his job.” Valencia is also in a delicate situation, flirting with relegation. The situation is not ideal for Osasuna or Elche, who occupy the last positions. Or Getafe, which after a few seasons fighting for Europe, looks into the abyss.