Why can’t Marcelino continue at Athletic?

The Athletic family began to split between those committed to Marcelino’s continuity and those not. The Asturian’s future did not go through Bilbao and things will have to change significantly for him to coach the rojiblanco team next season.

The end of Aitor Elizegi’s mandate, the commitment to another profile of those called to lead Athletic in the coming years and Marcelino’s own decision to understand that his future could go through another court (e.g., the Spanish Federation he is the first choice.if Luis Enrique decides not to pursue after the World Cup in Qatar) are some of the reasons why we think we are already living with his last games on the rojiblanco bench. Somehow in its early stages, you never know what might happen in the future.

I give a lot of credit to what Marcelino has done and is doing at Athletic. He is a coach with a lot of quality and resources. But it gives me that his cycle in Bilbao has reached the ceiling. Or how I feel. These are sensations, not data. I don’t know how to explain. This is my humble opinion, of course.

Those who cling to data to defend Marcelino’s continuity or not are in their rights, but there is something for all tastes. As usually happens when we talk about statistics, of course.

In Spanish, data from ‘Adurizpedia, Athletic have beaten Real Madrid, Barça and Atlético seven times. The coach who has achieved this more times in this century. Caparrós made five, Valverde in his two innings and Heynckes, four. Of course, on the other hand, Marcelino didn’t improve Gaizka Garitano’s numbers. The Spaniard added 44 points in his first 34 games in the league, while Derio scored 55 in the same number of games. Data. Nothing more.

Data and more data

The section where there is almost no significant difference is the one related to the objectives, both to those who scored and to those who received. Along with Marcelino, Athletic have made 38 and received 37 of 34 games; while Garitano has the balance of 35 in favor and 29 against. Data.

And more data. Children and so on. Nico Williams made his debut with Marcelino, although with Garitano he had his first calls (Villarreal and Real). Vencedor and Sancet took a step forward with Marcelino, but made their debut with Garitano. Derio’s also gave Zarraga an alternative, with some continuity in Asturian. Iñigo Vicente, for example, has no leading role in one or the other. And be careful, I’m making the comparison to Garitano because he’s the one Marcelino replaced. The data is not fair, I insisted. For good or for bad, think about it.

If in football there were games for all tastes, with Marcelino in the press room there were statements that left me a little confused with his last appearances. It is appreciated that he is approaching, that he is giving explanations, but about Iñigo Martínez and his leadership or about one day when he said “maybe we need to be champions in the League. And if not, I’m defeated. ”That’s not the case either.

And I think Athletic has played more than four bad games this season. Anyway. The truth is I never thought Marcelino would fit in Bilbao. He speaks well about himself and the Athletic fans. Let’s see what happens to the next coach. It won’t matter another Thursday.