Athletic Club de Bilbao

[Fishdoll]

Nah, actually Barca and Athletic generally get on reasonably well, both being anti-Spanish to one degree or another.

 

[Fishdoll]

Well, they beat Granada today. Pretty grim game though, but not unexpected with Bielsa benching not only the guys who aren't renewing (Llorente and Amorebieta) but also those on his Naughty List (including Iturraspe and Muniain). Add to this injuries to other players and...yeah. Not a particularly happy time in Bizkaia.

 

[DonAndres]

This game was defensively solid for Athletic, shame about the red card for Susaeta though. I laughed during that last minute goal scored by Ander that got disallowed. Poor Tono was just kicking out the extra ball Good thing that it was disallowed though.

 

[Fishdoll]

Today's game is just....it's making me ill to watch. The lineup is incredibly effed up with several guys playing WAY out of position. Llorente is actually starting (it's an away game and Aduriz is hurt) but that's about teh ONLY positive I can take from a lineup that has Gurpegi in defense and Iraola and San Jose in midfield (with various others who started in prior years in Time Out on the bench or not called up because they're on Bielsa's naughty list).

Urrutia and Bielsa have a lot to answer for, given the way they've destroyed the team.

 

[Deco 20]

It's a shame as Athletic has the players, and the history, to be in Europe every year

 

[Fishdoll]

Well, when Llorente, Muniain, Amorebieta and Iturraspe have been either relegated to the bench or not called up at all, it's a bit of a stretch. Add to that the penchant Bielsa has for sticking midfielders in the center of defense and putting centerbacks in midfield and....it's a terrible mess. There's no real morale to speak of too - it's a terribly hostile environment. I read the sport section of the local Bilbao press every morning and not a day goes by that one player or another is attacked. They seem to go in turns, though it's Llorente and Amorebieta most frequently with Muniain coming up fast.

 

[BigBarcaBoy]

I really hope that with the mess the club seems to be in and the move to a new ground that they do not loose their soul as they are one of the few clubs around who are a real reflection of the people who support them.

 

[DonAndres]

I hope for a good result against Madrid, but I'm not expecting much. It would be nice to get some redemption after they dominated us last time. If it's a loss, I hope it's at least a dignified and hard fought one. Who's suspended for this match?

 

[spark]

Laporte is the biggest loss. They will also miss Aduriz, Gurpegui and De Marcos. Seem like they always lose players to suspension the game before Madrid. I read that Yeste is returning to the league with Levante. He had not played football for a year. Will probably end up released like del horno.

 

[DonAndres]

Damn. Laporte could've helped shore up the defense for this match but even he's out. A lot of the players need to step up but to be honest there isn't much hope or motivation this season for Athletic. It's just trudging on till the end just to get it over with. The politics in the club has reflected on the players, the team form, the chemistry, the press, and the fans to such a huge degree. During bad times, everyone is just depressed and with a bad attitude.

 

[Fishdoll]

And for that we have Urrutia and Bielsa to thank. They brought it on.

 

[Cule4life]

Sorry but i dont feel bad for Athletic for the state they are in. They(mngt and supporters) use the club as a front for Basque nationalism. They seem more concerned about harping on stupid propaganda about Basque pride rather than establishing a successful legacy of the club. Any player wanting to leave for greener pastures is termed a traitor and hounded out of the team even though they may love the club as much as anyone. If they are more concerned with "Basque pride" than success than why should we.

But i do feel bad for Llorente and Amorebieta. Real Sociedad is infinitely better than Athletic in this regard (nationalism vs success)

 

[Fishdoll]

Oh, I'm with you, cule4life -- the current leadership has gone to the extremes with the nationalism (club president supposedly using position to launch political career) and with the way they've handled some things (I'm not at all sure that Llorente would have wanted out had there been a little more reason and sensibility among management and coaching staff) has been appalling - the number of repetitive stress injuries over the last 18 months is frightening and any hint of not renewing or wanting to stay for life = YOU ARE A TRAITOR. Llorente is getting the worst of the hate campaign but he isn't the only one by any means. A read of the local press is...wel, there're some days when it turns my stomach.

 

[Deco 20]

(club president supposedly using position to launch political career)

A bit like Laporta then, but more extreme (and Laporta loved being in the spotlight, and for that he needed a successful club)

 

[DonAndres]

Watching him at his best was amazing. He was a little Spanish wonder-kid and the future of Athletic and Spain. He has the agility, low center of gravity, and style of the Don and the never-say-die attitude of Puyol. I know he can come back and continue to progress as a great player but only after Athletic starts climbing out of this turmoil, hopefully this summer. There have to be a lot of managerial changes and squad changes and then hopefully some great early season form will start to turn things around. I pray that Caparros comes in as manager though because he's unbelievable at developing players and making teams gel. Heynckes wouldn't be bad either.