Running and 72 Hours to Be Again: Cell Phone Summits, Self-Criticism, and Spiritual Retreat until Friday’s Game

A technician who seems unable to orient himself, but does not intend to resign nor do the leaders want to throw him out. Great players with an illustrious past and a very scarce present. Six defeats in the last seven league games. Racing is going through a serious football crisis, the worst in Fernando Gago’s cycle. Here because, there was a virtual meeting between the president Víctor Blanco, the coach Rubén Capria, the captain Leonardo Sigali and the coach. A concentrate has been agreed starting tomorrow, 48 hours before the duel against Vélez, on Friday at the Cilindro, for the 17th appointment.

The original idea was to get the whole team together today. However, a hotel with a courtyard was not available. As told by the top management clarionthere is a large occupation due to the presence of football teams that have arrived in Argentina to play the Sub 20 World Cup.

White is out of the country., but the situation of the Academy justified a conclave. The summit was held via a videoconference via Zoom. There was self-criticism, especially from Sigali. Players are aware that they are not going through a good level. There is wear and tear there is a lack of commitment in some players. It was the referents who swore to defend Gago and against Platense they repented. Another negative result will shake the stands. The fans are angry with everyone, from the president to the coach, passing through the players and the technical staff.

What is Gago looking for with this concentration? Close ranks and focus solely on recovery. Talk a lot with players, share more time with the group, and consolidate ideas. And above all to highlight those players who seem out of context. The case of Edwin Cardona, for example, who took off his chain just before entering the field, when the coach ordered his entry in the second half. Even some wary faces don’t like it. Paolo Guerrero and Maxi Moralez are not happy because they play alternately. Especially the Nano, which the technician didn’t ask for.

Can a new disappointment change the scenario? Neither the coach nor the leaders think about finishing the process. Gago himself said on Sunday, following Calamar’s victory at Vicente López, that it had not occurred to him to resign nor did he believe he was facing the end of the cycle.

Blanco called him “untouchable” last week in an interview with clarion. believes that Gago, with his 37 years, satisfies the conditions to carry out this project. He is not just a First Division coach; He is the head of football of the club in coordination with Marcelo Romano, responsible for the lower divisions. Yes He also expressed his opinion on the project of the building in the future Ezeiza property, which construction will start soon. Were it for the president, he would have already renewed his contract until December next year, the month in which his term at the club ends.

The desire of both is to arrive in the middle of the year with a waiting position in the tournament to avoid problems of permanence and to aspire to continue participating in the international tournaments of 2024 and qualify for the round of 16 of the Libertadores. In this sense, The duel against Aucas on Tuesday 23rd in Quito will be fundamental.

Subsequently it will be necessary to purge a roster of great players, loan out some players who are not up to par, renew with new faces and lower the average age. This is already known Agustin Almendra will arrive (23 years old, free from Boca) e Thomas Chancalay (24, will return from loan to UAE’s Al Wasl). He will have to invest more money, of course, one of the criticisms that some fans make of Blanco.

Will Gago take a helm? Will he show that sign of leadership that is needed right now? He would make strong changes against Vélez.