The Challenges and Hopes of Franco Baralle as Athens Faces Relegation

Franco, like all the Baralles, is from Athens. Their heart is in the General Bustos neighborhood. The 24-year-old point guard was trained in the club’s youth system and played five seasons in the National League with the Green. And he suffered relegation like all Athens fans. In a preview of the interview that will be published on Thursday in the print edition and also on the web, the man from Cordoba talks about “his” Athens about him.

“The truth was very hard. I suffered a lot in the fourth game because I didn’t want that, if what happened happened, I didn’t want it to be Cerruti, on such an emblematic stadium. I knew that my brother was there, my old man was there… ”, he confessed to Mundo D.

At the age of 16, Franco Baralle made his debut in the National League with Athens in 2015. He played five seasons at Verde and three at Quimsa. (The Voice / File)

“I am a believer that things happen for a reason, things went wrong, and that’s it, you have to take charge, and face what comes. Although nobody in the world wanted Athens to leave the league, it is the only one that was in all the editions. It’s time to change the page and start again, that’s how it is. All the bad things serve to start over and try to put the club on track in the right direction to get back to where it deserves to be”, analyzed Baralle.

-As you know the club, what explanation is there for the relegation of Athens?

-It was like a process that was going to end like this… It was inevitable. You can’t be dodging every year and have a thought of not improving. A thought of saying ‘OK, let’s get out, well, let’s go to another season, to try to get out again’. It’s like having unclear, negative goals. It is not good for Athens to play to fight down because history dictates something else. This serves to start over and for the club to start again.

-In that starting over that you decide is your father as sports director, what do you think?

-He was always in the club, he always wanted to be there and well, like this opportunity came to him. At first I told him, are you sure? He is screwed, it is an important moment in the club, in this situation, it is to catch the club in the most difficult moment. He speaks highly of him, of assuming that responsibility, that challenge. It makes me happy for him, because in part he will be seeing himself reflected in my grandfather as well (Eder, former president). It is a pride, and if he decided so, I hope he is doing the best. I just hope that they let him work in peace, that’s the only thing I would like and that’s good, that they be patient because this is not easy.

-Those who know Athens know that your father was always working for Athens, whether they let him or not, he always worked for the club…

-Yes, my old man is always there. He started when I was in minibasketball, he formed a minibasketball commission, then he got involved with the youth team, he tried to help the boys who were in the club’s pension, so that they didn’t lack for anything. It was his way of collaborating, along with other people. He never left the club, because I left and he continued to take my brother, he takes my sister to volleyball. He’s never going to leave.

-You played for a while in the Argentine League, it is not an easy competition, quite the opposite. DT Gustavo Peirone said it, “it is not a formality” to promote…

-No, better, the Argentine League is very difficult. There are many teams and only one ascends. It’s another level of play, another physical level, it seems to me that obviously it’s not going to be easy. You have to know how to handle the patience of the people who are going to want to win everything with Athens in the first year. You can put together the best team and not be promoted, you have to be patient, let Negro Peirone work with his players. Above is very long. There are many games, trips that are short around there, but they make you travel the day, so it is very different. Encourage patiently.

2023-07-12 23:37:04
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