Life in rojiblancas stripes

Last update 6 April, 2024 por Alberto Llopis

Eleven years and 11 technical directors after, the Chivas of Guadalajara, Mexico traditional team to come to the court only native players in the country, They managed to get their league title 12.

Con ello, meets indicating streak, for four decades, the red and white box champion crown average span 10 años. And it got in the season 1986-87, -and then the mode shorts- tournaments Summer 1997, later in Closing 2006 and confirms this newly completed Closing 2017.

Which they meant long waits bitterness, frustrations and distrust for his numerous fans, which he was beginning to question sharply the administration of Jorge Vergara, what in 2002 He bought the club and promised to make it bigger, "The best coach in the world".

Sin embargo, They spent long years in which the only thing the entrepreneur dietary supplements could boast since their arrival in 2002 (when it acquired the social partners who gave the 87% property of Guadalajara Sports Club) It was a runner-up in 2004 and the scepter of 2006. From there on out, failures and ridiculous were the majority, hasta 2015, as the neo-manager was stealing media attention with loud statements, unfulfilled challenges, scoffers deployed to their rivals and indiscriminate resignation coaches ..., that just came out and facilities Valle Verde.

And the list is as long as absurd, as well as there are characters in it respectable careers in national and international football means, some first fired and then offered them again, time after, the helm of his team, most it seemed to look like a toy, as his personal whim, before a sporting institution.

His butt was when, at the end of 2012, She terminated the contractual relationship with Johan Cruyff, whose company, the Cruyff Institute, desde el 23 previous February, Chivas and advising mission was to make a diagnosis and guide the work on the basic forces. The initial idea for both parties was a three-year contract, although former player and former Barcelona coach asked, to get to Mexico, a period of 24 months of "patience" to start giving results.

The great figure of the '74 World Germany had his run-ins with Vergara; por ejemplo, recommending the change of grass, Artificial natural, in the brand new stadium team (Opened in July 2010, at a cost of 200 millones de dólares), after stating that foreigners but also nationalized Mexican players could play in Chivas, which represented an affront to one of the basic principles of club; .and later by openly criticizing the president when faced with an amateur who claimed the actions of the box tapatío, during a match of the Apertura league 2012. "It is not the image we want to, It is obvious, we want to give a picture of tranquility, use an image of the brain ... ", Cruyff told reporters shortly after the embarrassing incident.

To top, sports scores are not given in this difficult 2012: in nine months advisory (with only three visits to Mexico), Guadalajara ended the regular season at the 15th position. in the Clausura and Apertura 8th during. That is to say, the so-called "Dutch revolution" came not to be produced in Valle Verde.

Upon termination of the contract (from which he learned from a press release and via email), the response of the legendary "14" orange selection did not wait, and it was strong: "I've had a lot of very nice people, muy buena (After his experience in Mexico). Chivas is the problem of your organization and its owner, Jorge Vergara ", statement did not differ much from what -even now- considered most red and white fans, who said the owner and president as the primary cancer of the institution.

Once away from the former Dutch crack and his support team, Vergara waited seven months to release the first of many to throw bombs on the subject: "The decision by well-intentioned, lo de (hire as a consultant Johan) Cruyff was fatal ", He declared in September 2013.

They were times of crisis, in which the Guadalajara brushed the last positions in the percentage table (It is indicating whom descends division) and there were few who saw quite possible humiliation of relegation. Vergara and criticism of his handling of the rojiblancos were our daily bread.

A) Yes, in mid-September 2015 Argentine Matias Almeyda comes as helmsman, after winning two promotions in his country: The popular River Plate and Banfield. Immediately, the "Pelado" -accompanied his team of collaborators should attach conditions to the club owner: zero interventionism in sports issues, Zero statements and scandals.

En lo personal, I suspect it happened, because it was notorious Vergara change in relation to their public behavior during the 13 years and 10 previous coaches. And the results were not expected, although to achieve the four titles now boasts (Liga Mx, Cups Mx and Super) in this process 20 months, I just had to pay huge sums for players like Alan Pulido, Rodolfo Pizarro, Orbelin Pineda, José Juan "Gallito" Vazquez, Isaac Brizuela and Carlos "Gullit" Peña, although the latter represented a resounding failure.

The purpose Atletico owner remains the Guadalajara regain its greatness (as when he dominated the Mexican football in years 50 y 60 the last century), and it relies heavily on Almeyda, both at work and in his good "eye" to bring reinforcements. Y claro, in their economic resources: not for nothing Chivas has the most expensive workforce Mexico, with a current value 42.6 millones de dólares.

And it Vergara knows that from the penultimate league title of his squad, en 2006, I had to invest 120.5 million dollars in 27 recruitment, which mostly they not yielded expected. It has therefore already understood, at last, Mexicanísimo the sense of saying that says "shoemaker, Your Shoes ", and hereinafter any decision to endorse sporting interest, including the basic forces (where the call Chiverío just crowned in the Under-20), must pass through the orbit of "Pelado". Éste, by his side, It understands that in addition to maintaining "at bay" his boss must assume a role manager, beyond the tactical, as did Alex Ferguson at Manchester United for 26 años.

Sin embargo, and coupled with the struggle that has long argued against his inner demons (alcoholism and bouts of depression, forcing him to psychiatric medication intake) Almeyda must locate and stop insinuating (almost threatening) that has offers from a European team, as seeking to scare Vergara quoted more and better, to focus the 100% working with Chivas, the sole purpose of forging a footballing dynasty, ironically, crystallizing the purposes Cruyff had the deceased upon arrival at the club in 2012: the Guadalajara win at least one tournament four dispute over a period of two years.

That is to say, paint the Mexican tournament striped ... rojiblancas.