The official communication arrived last Tuesday. It was in a meeting scheduled at the offices of Mareo. in it were david guerraexecutive president of Sporting, and Odin Wise, Director of Applied Sports Sciences. And there, in a cordial and respectful face to face, they told the surgeon Anthony Master, historical head of Sporting’s medical services –almost twenty years at the club–, the intention of closing his journey at the club. Now the aim is to give this highly respected professional a farewell commensurate with the dimension he has had in the entity, and also in the world of football.
The drastic decision had been chewed for weeks – and even months – ago. And although it could be intuited for next summer, in preseason, it is already rushing for this same month of February given the internal certainty that the change, due to different factors, was necessary. In recent months, with the arrival of the new property and the movements that it raises, its specific weight was already different from what it had always had. And also the management of this plot had led to some moments of tension internally due to the different visions of understanding the day to day, according to different sources. All this increased the convenience of undertaking a movement that has aroused strong criticism, but which is in line with the structural changes that the Orlegi Group has in mind at Sporting, submerged in a deep process of reflection and analysis. There were already in summer. And there will be more if it is deemed appropriate.
Sporting is not considering incorporating a surgeon, but they are considering adding a new doctor to the team
By taking control of the club, Orlegi Sports brought the Mexican Odin Vite closer to Gijón, who is making his own work team. In recent weeks, in fact, he has recovered for Sporting a respected professional such as the readapatdor Lawrence of the Well, who has been very important since his return to Mareo for the recovery of some of the footballers who have needed his services, such as Nacho Méndez or Ignacio Jeraldino before. Now they are also looking to complete the team of doctors with the incorporation of another professional who can add full-time face-to-face attendance at Mareo, a requirement that they are looking for in the club to professionalize a crucial leg such as health services. Although, at the moment, it is not considered a priority to incorporate another surgeon specifically. On the table is hiring these services from external professionals –also the most reputable ones– when it is necessary to carry out an intervention. It is something that other clubs already do. In fact, many went and go to Antonio Maestro in Gijón. The last one, Manu García, now at the Aris in Thessaloniki.
An eminence in the sector, a specialist in knee interventions – the man from Gijón has operated on Sergio Asenjo, Gonzalo Guedes, Roberto Soldado, Ezequiel Garay… -, Maestro has been everything in the medical area in Mareo, where he arrived nineteen years ago. campaigns endorsed by Marcelino García Toral, taking over from José Antonio de la Fuente, who until then held those functions. Maestro strengthened the link between Sporting and the Begoña Hospital, where so many players have passed over the years. Some even describe him as a “savior” for being able to recover them in time from a hasty withdrawal due to an untimely injury. “He was my savior at a crucial moment in my career,” confesses Hugo Fraile, who underwent surgery in April 2014 for the cruciate ligament. One of many that passed through the hands of “Toño”.
He led a highly respected team of doctors at Sporting, with doctors Gonzalo Revuelta and Juan Cachero, among others, who, on the other hand, aim to continue in the entity. He earned the affection of players for his way of being, and the respect of many others (managers and employees…) who have passed through the entity in this time. “He took great care of all of us,” confesses Álex Pérez, a former rojiblanco center-back, another of many affected by the departure. “He is a great professional. And he will be linked to the modern history of the club,” says Nacho Cases.
