“The only thing that hasn’t changed are the measurements of the field.” Jose Angel Iribar’s clear, concise and concrete answer to the question of how Lezama has changed since the day he opened the facilities as an Athletic player until now contains a great depth charge now that the rojiblanco club is immersed in the electoral process for the presidency of Ibaigane. Regardless of the paraphernalia that exists around the rojiblanca quarry, what it is about, yesterday, today and tomorrow, is to compete within the playing field.
Those first fields of Lezama in little or nothing resemble the current ones except, of course, in the goals and the dimensions. The objective of current football is similar to that of then. You have to try to score more goals than your rival, the rest is secondary.
This very week, from one of Athletic’s presidential candidates, they proposed the idea of ’monetizing’ Lezama and even Ibaigane. One, not very savvy in economic matters, understands by said verb something like organizing visits to both the red and white factory and the club headquarters after going through the box office to find out from the inside where, how and with what so many first-team players work as the professionals of the rest of the institution.
The truth, it is fair to admit, that it is impressive to go through the guts of the renovated and modern Lezama complex. In the guided tour organized by Elizegi prior to the ceremonial act of opening the plaque with the name of Iribar in the new residence, it was clear. What facilities!
The most important thing, despite everything, continues to be teaching football how to play well, as Txopo himself remarked. No one is born knowing.
