Atlético Nacional has had busy days, after the departure of Alejandro Restrepo. Criticism also came with the elimination of the Copa Libertadores, where the Purslane were betting on reaching the group stage.
Criticism of the club’s leadership is not lacking, since the demand of the paisa team is the maximum, for what it represents with its transfer and the quality of players it has on the payroll.
The president of the club, Emilio Gutiérrez, spoke on the ESPN F90 program about the current situation of the team, the arrival of resumes, the process they want and emphasizing the problems that the current tournament format brings.
Interest in technicians who sound for Nacional (case of Arias, Guede, etc.): there are two paths we are following, with a cool head, weighing up the information. The muleteer, directing a team in conditions, with professionalism. If he keeps doing it like this, we can build a team that goes for the star. In the market we are analyzing options, the variables of immediacy and building a winning scenario in the medium and long term.
Coach search: we must get a coach, who competes and can win titles. But if he doesn’t get it, may we build it up and go big. A technician who allows you to compete in finals.
Exit Restrepo: They are conversations analogous to what can happen in the locker room. The process we did with Alejandro, we knew it was a bet, history dictates that in Nacional the coaches arrive with experience, much more than the one he brought. We identified some ideas, a way of training and he gave us confidence that he was going to play good football, to cause an imbalance in our favor. Within that bet, we tried to make up for the lack of experience, with work teams so that he had everything in his favor, as it means dealing with Nacional.
Alejandro had a great initial campaign with Nacional, we had a significant drop. In this second stage we were preparing to enter Libertadores, we understood as we advanced, that elements could be needed to transcend in the medium and long term. Everything takes some dialogues, the evidence and others, we thought that the best thing for the club was better to start a new process. We are sure that Alejandro will end up growing and with a great career.
Recovery of Nacional’s DNA: to competitiveness. Nacional has always played good football and they have committed when they achieve great triumphs. The Colombian tournament is atypical. Not necessarily the one who gets the most points is champion. Only two teams can take the step forward financially, by going through the group stage and being up to the task of building payrolls.
In that format, you have to go out, get to the finals well and know how to compete. In this scheme we will try to build the most competitive payrolls possible, betting on playing good football, without lacking competitiveness and knowing how to rise to the occasion when challenges must be overcome.
Criticism from fans, for club mistakes: I think there is self-criticism. Since I assumed the presidency and in recent weeks, the reflection has been profound. We are aware that what happens are decisions that are made. You have to learn from that, to put into practice and improve the direction of the club. We all want the team as solid as possible, to achieve the star.
When Nacional won the Libertadores, they brought in coaches of the highest level, but none of them have managed to complete a good cycle, due to expectations. In National you have to be champion yes or yes. That has two components, the club that is built, the project and the championship format that does not always reward the best. There is variability in who ends up being champion. If we take the previous semester, Nacional had a great campaign, in terms of points, in the downturn, the initial was erased. It is supported that it is a championship that requires reaching the finals well.
It is our responsibility to support a team that can play well in the finals, reach the level of competing in South America, be able to reach the group stage by being champions.
Arrival of companions at the Restrepo bank and lack of trust: from the beginning, we proposed a holistic accompaniment to Alejandro. He chose his coaching staff and we built the soccer committee. With Maturana, Higuita and departments that help us for the election. They are solid foundations for projects. At the end of the first semester, the team has ups and downs, that ending that hurt, that did not leave us the star. That is where the reflection process begins.
In ‘Piscis’ we identified someone who could contribute. We add a great professional. All this has strengthened us, but it has not been enough, but due to other variables that the nature of football has.
Arrival of a new coaching staff and continuity of Herrera: there are two concrete facts. The ‘Arriero’ is in charge, we have a solid coaching staff. He has a positive start, he competed well in the classic. We are excited that we can respond to the challenges. As managers we have to think in the medium and long term. We do it thinking that he has the conditions to lead Nacional, he has that opportunity.
We are aware that a cold process must be carried out to build a solid club. In football, we are interpreting. Possibilities arise and we will try to synchronize the decisions to constitute a National that competes for the star.
Recruitment of players: everything happens in the presidency, technical secretary, work teams. The coaching staff, physical department. In addition to people like Maturana and René. There are players who have exceeded expectations and below them. Specific cases need to be evaluated.
Arrival of Gio Moreno: he must be measured at the end of the semester, he has the chances to give us joy. He is a player with an exquisite technique, he can be decisive in the area, we are aware that he came with less rhythm. The championship began with two weeks of preseason, that takes its toll. The expectation is there and the pressure increases. We believe that over time and by the end of the championship, we will see a better version of him. You have to wait for an evaluation. If he gives us the chance to reach the finals, the job will be more than done.
Keep Hernán Darío Herrera as interim: the decision to change Hernán Darío was not premeditated. These are situations that arose along the way, with faculties and conditions. He was Cup champion, he has shown it with the management of the team. We think about the process, that he has parchments. We are in the process of monitoring the team, the market, what is happening and then we will make the decisions.
