Like the book, which became a common and frequently used phrase: chronicle of a death foretold. Because of the historic name of Atlético Nacional on the continent and if any clueless person knows about the elimination, they could be surprised. For those who have seen the National post-Rueda, one more for the list that became a landscape.
But Purslane began to forge its destiny three months ago, when the Cup title covered up for the board a reality that everyone from the outside saw clearly: the Restrepo project had no direction and its collapse was a matter of time. The home runs of the League were responsible for confirming it.
When logic and common sense called for the timely replacement to start straightening out 2022, the club’s board stood by and ratified the apprentice coach. Later, with the market open, he turned a deaf ear to the voices coming from all directions asking to balance the payroll: strengthen the arch, the sides and the front. It was not done and today he regrets it.
Editor’s Pick
Whether it was due to the low level of the players, due to injuries or due to the lack of that change of weight that was necessary, Atlético Nacional ended up faltering, among other positions, in the goal, on the right side and in the attack. Mier made it easy for Olimpia to settle in Medellín, Palacios fell short to oxygenate the absence of Candelo and Blanco did not receive the necessary confidence to lend a hand when Duque was absent.
Nacional made two fatal mistakes in a short span of time: it unbalanced the payroll and lost valuable time making decisions. For the former, there was no longer any room for maneuver; for the second, they were carried away by the romantic idea of a young technician from the house who for moments came to show some interesting things but always hid his mistakes in learning. The reaction was late.
Atlético Nacional failed in all its lines, as it became repetitive semester after semester, dug its own grave and was a prisoner of its words. Today memory and football reminds them that from time to time you have to get out of the bubble, listen and know how to listen because it cannot be a coincidence that so many voices agree on the same concepts without anything else happening.
Fortunately and as a beacon of hope, he returned the only one capable of cleaning and organizing the house, of refloating the ship and with the correct administrative and sporting decisions, returning glory to the club he owns.
