Yesterday evening, Atletico Madrid bowed to sustained media pressure by parting company with their Mexican coach, Javier Aguirre. Since the turn of the year, Los Colchoneros have not won a single game in league or cup, and have dropped out of the top six in the league table as a result. Aguirre has paid for this slump in form with his job, and for many Atleti fans it is a dismissal that can't come soon enough as they still have definite ambitions on both domestic and European fronts.
For me, Atleti president Enrique Cerezo has been forced, rather than voluntarily choosing, to take this course of action. Mindful of the fans displeasure and his own re-election chances, terminating Aguirre's contract seemed the only realistic option to appease the socios. Of course, during his three-year tenure, Aguirre seemed to be permanently on trial. Atleti's fans are some of the most demanding in the business, perhaps because of their rivals' enviable record in the north of the city.
After a solid first half, January saw it all fall apart. First, they were dismantled by a rampant Valencia at the Mestalla; Then they conceded 3 at home to Athletic Bilbao, a game in which the influential Maniche was sent off; then draws against Almeria and then Malaga, before the final straw last weekend; a humiliating home defeat to Valladolid, who had just one away win to their name before that match. The white hankies once again came out and the chants of 'Javier, go home' rang round the Calderon.
In a sense, Aguirre has only himself to blame. His big-money signings of Johnny Heitinga and Thomas Ujfalusi have failed to shore up a defence that has conceded 33 goals - no side in the top half has conceded more. The perplexing loan acquisition of Argentine water-carrier Ever Banega from Valencia and Paolo Assuncao from FC Porto proved similarly ineffective. Whilst Maniche has excelled alongside Maxi Rodriguez and Simao (when he can be bothered), Atletico's success seemed to be based on conceding loads, but scoring more. Not the best strategy and so it has proved.
Some pundits have pointed to the fact that media comments since christmas from the likes of Kun Aguero, Forlan and Maxi suggest he has lost the dressing room. I can imagine that is quite some dressing room to control at the best of times, but when you're losing it must be virtually impossible to contain the ire. His departure therefore seemed inevitable.
Perhaps, on the other hand, Cerezo has been hasty. It is worth noting, that before Christmas Aguirre had guided his team on a 15-game unbeaten run in all competitions, which had secured their safe passage through to the knock-out stages of the Champions League and a seemingly secure place in the top four domestically. A tie against Porto in the last 16 gives them an excellent chance of progressing to the quarter finals, and Diego Forlan was in excellent scoring touch. Atletico on their day are amongst the most attractive sides in La Liga and Aguirre can claim a great deal of credit for that.
A lesson could be learnt from recent events across the Mediterranean, where Roma endured a shocking start to the season, flirting with the relegation places after 10 matches. In the Premiership, such a run of form would lead to a very public sacking and a juicy pay-off, especially considering the money that Luciano Spalleti had spent in the summer on the likes of John Arne Riise, Julio Baptista and Jeremy Menez. At the beginning of November, people were wondering what the Roma hierachy were doing, still employing this clown.
Then, lo and behold, the bald former Udinese tactician stirred the Giallorossi out of their funk, and they have lost just once in 15 league games. Much of Roma's form can be tied to whether or not Francesco Totti is on the park, but its also worth praising the contributions of Julio Baptista, Mirko Vucinic, Alberto Aquilani and the duo at the back, Phillipe Mexes and Juan (A Brazilian centre half who's good - yeah I know, but just trust me). Now Roma are in sixth, three points behind Genoa in the final Champions League place and full of confidence. Here is a case study in patience from those at the helm of a big, demanding club but who probably know they aren't going to seriously challenge Inter or Juventus for the title. Spalleti was given time to turn it around, and did. Perhaps Aguirre, given his previous achievements with Atleti, should have been afforded the same treatment.
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