Athletic Club’s Mid-Season Review: Challenges and Confidence

Athletic Club has established a tradition of conducting a mid-season sports evaluation. This review arrives at a challenging time for the team, currently struggling in the league, eliminated from the Champions League, with minimal success in the Supercopa, and preparing for the Copa del Rey quarter-finals. President Jon Uriarte has been candid, stating, “We all had very high expectations and hopes for this season, but we are not meeting them. The situation in the league is concerning,” before asserting that the Board of Directors continues to support Valverde, emphasizing, “as of today, he is the right person to guide Athletic out of this situation in the league.”

Uriarte expressed strong backing for coach Ernesto Valverde, highlighting that confidence in the coach and the team is unwavering across the club, including among the players. “We believe in the team and in the coach. At this moment, Valverde is the ideal person to navigate Athletic through this challenging league situation. He is well-equipped to handle adversity due to his extensive experience and deep understanding of the squad. Although Ernesto is frustrated, he is determined and eager to turn things around. Both the club and the players have complete faith in Valverde’s capabilities.”

However, Uriarte acknowledged that there have been discussions regarding a potential coaching change, noting that it is easier to change a coach than to overhaul the entire squad. He reiterated, “The results have brought us to this point and are what we need to improve. Today, Valverde remains the right person for this situation.”

The president provided a competitive assessment, stating, “Our Supercopa performance was very poor.” He noted that the Champions League campaign had its moments, with opportunities to qualify until the very end, despite being ranked among the budget’s lowest clubs. He pointed out that the new competition format increases the impact of the draw.

Uriarte, along with director of football Mikel González, reflected on injuries and the demanding schedule of the early season as factors adversely affecting the team’s league performance. He acknowledged the current predicament, stating, “We are far from our targeted standings, having secured only 16 points from the last 59 available. We are extremely dissatisfied with our progress thus far. Our league position is poor, and we must respond to rectify it. We need to break free from this negative spiral and strive to reach 42 points as soon as possible, adapting to this new reality.”

The president emphasized the difficulty of overcoming the current situation, recognizing the need for a strong reaction. “There is a long season ahead, and there is time to improve our performance. We must work harder than ever while maintaining our composure. The situation is concerning, yet we are capable of overcoming it. Throughout Athletic’s history, we have emerged from worse circumstances. I understand the fans’ frustration and their right to protest, but now is the time to unite and support the team wholeheartedly.”

Uriarte has received personal criticism with resignation and a touch of irony, noting, “I understand that those who express such opinions have likely conducted a thorough analysis attributing blame to me for losing against Sporting in the last minute or for drawing with Real Sociedad.” What troubles him more are the chants directed at the players, such as “show some guts, show some guts” during the match against Real.