Out Chus Mateo? It is the slogan most repeated by the fans after the last shipwreck in the Euroleague, in Goya against Zalgiris. Starting from the fact that I am skeptical about coaching changes mid-course, at this point it is an option to seriously consider. In ACB it is being fulfilled, but in the Euroleague, where Madrid is measured against its peers and the demand is greater, the qualifying gap is sensitive and we are already at the edge of the halfway point of the regular phase (6-9, 13th place). If you want to give yourself a serious chance with a breakthrough, the time is now, not in March.
An issue that is often forgotten when layoffs are called for (sometimes a little lightly) is the day after. Cesar Chus, okay, but to bring in who? is it worth it to us Paco Redondo (current 2nd coach)? The thing is that any different option, a “proven technician”, now implies spending twice as much as was spared to strengthen the squad when it was not yet too late (Lonnie, Bertans…). It would require the presidency to reopen the pasta tap that has been closed for months, something that I would not take for granted either.
Given the case, I understand that a short-term rebound effect would be sought, a couple of defensive and rotation adjustments, but above all an emotional boost for the locker room, whose morale is at rock bottom. This seems to me to be the key point, the most pressing problem and one that could justify a termination.
Now, I’m not fooled either, with a change of coach, even ‘buying’ an expensive one, how much would be addressed? 30-40% of the problem? The demand is high due to the budget, top 3-4 Euroleague, and due to the previous history, because the previous two years have come from very high. But the bench has the quality it has, and there is a starter (Musa) light years from his usual physical state, and not even Phil Jackson can fix that in the short term.
