“It’s a season of transition.” Sporting held its general shareholders meeting yesterday with the announcement of new losses in the first year in which Orlegi has taken the reins of the club for a campaign “conditioned by previous decisions”, they emphasize. The rojiblanco club estimates the losses for the 22-23 campaign at 6.9 million (added to the 6.5 million reais for the 21-22 campaign), a course for which it presented a budget of 15 million euros, in addition to inform that the third phase of the capital increase for 7 million euros will be completed by Orlegi –the period ends on December 29–. He did it in the Laboral paint room, in a climate with some criticism among shareholders and in which Alejandro Irarragorri addressed issues such as the road to the World Cup or the derby. All points were approved with a 73.3% stake in the share capital.
“We come to generate value, earning money is part of it,” replied Alejandro Irarragorri, president of Sporting, very serious when responding to the accusations of “urban ball” about the reform plans for El Molinón. It was after the intervention in the meeting of Víctor Díaz, a rojiblanco shareholder, who was forceful in terms of his opinion that “El Molinón is a great symbol of Gijón and Orlegi means concrete today” for being against his plans to move the field, as well as that the Gijón municipal may end up gaining a commercial surname through the naming formula.
“Orlegi means green reality”, corrected Irarragorri, annoyed, without wanting to specify any project around the reform for the countryside. “These are things that you have read in the press, but we have not officially presented any of that,” he added after listing the plans for the capacity to go up to 40,000 spectators or to build an underground car park. All details presented at the time by Orlegi before the Spanish Football Federation.
Given the insistence of issues surrounding the candidacy of El Molinón as the venue for the World Cup during speaking turns, the president of Sporting ended up getting wet in one of the great topics of debate. This is the case of moving the lawn of the Gijón municipal hall within the projects that are projected, sliding the rojiblanco leader that “it seems to me that seniority is not lost.” In any case, Irarragorri prevailed over the “transformative” character with which Orlegi has arrived in Gijón and Asturias. “This club has a social role to help the region evolve and that is its responsibility. The candidacy of Spain, Portugal and Ukraine for the World Cup will serve to attract the eyes of the world”, highlighted the rojiblanco top shareholder as one of the vehicles so that the region does not continue bleeding in terms of depopulation.
The derby, for which there are just a little over two weeks left, was also discussed. “The rivalry has to be strong, but on the field to generate value and a better sporting spectacle. It is of no use outside (of the field),” said Irarragorri. He did it with a new, indirect nod to the fact that Oviedo is included as a sub-venue in the World Cup candidacy. “The rest must serve to build a common goal together,” slipped the leader.
The shareholders’ meeting brought together, at the main table, the directors Alfonso Villalba and Martin Hollaender, as well as the notary, Francisco Javier Nogales; the secretary of the council, José María Segovia, and the rojiblanco financial director, Guillermo Sampedro. Among the attendees, all the relevant positions of the entity, headed by David Guerra, executive president. In terms of numbers, the news of the budget and the losses for the current season, it was determined that last season (21-22) finally closed with a real loss of 6,558,576 euros, in addition to a budget of 13,581,921 euros.
On the other hand, the club also announced that on January 3 it will launch a fans’ forum. A proposal advanced by LA NUEVA ESPAÑA that will see the light of day at the beginning of next year and in which followers will be able to transfer their suggestions or criticism directly to Alejandro Irarragorri and David Guerra. Over the next few days, the format and the selection process for the followers who will be able to attend will be communicated.
