In January, Everyone’s a Champion

We’re about a week from the start of the season in the Colombian league and teams have managed to improve themselves in the transfer market the best they can. I’m putting them in 4 categories from bottom to top, to grade their acquisitions.

4. No bed of Roses

Teams like Boyacá Chicó, Deportes Quindio, Pereira and newly-promoted Cortulua start the season with little o no signings. Chicó is the most appaling case. The checkereds are on a deep financial crisis and only added unknown Brazilian Juraldir da Silva and are trying to recover seasoned veteran Alex Viveros for professional football. On the other hand, they could lose stalwart Argentinian Miguel Caneo, the most important name on a relatively long list of posible departures. The only positive news for the fans is that the team will keep shooting-savy midfielder Anthony Tapia.

Quindio is no miracle this year despite adding veteran Paraguayan goalscorer Carlos Villagra, a striker who already  knows the league. They’re looking for another foreign striker to partner him up front while still dealing with the loss of Danny Santoya to Once Caldas. And speaking of losses, the cane cutters of Pereira are the team that seems to have lost the most in terms of quality after seending teen sensations Fernando Cardenas and Fernando Uribe, plus captain Diego Arias, to Once Caldas. As for additions, they sign a forward with a nice past but questionable present in Leon Dario Muñoz who will be partnered with Daniel Neculman, a player who still needs to demonstrate why he plays in this league. Amid severe economic inconveniences, this team seems destined to suffer.

Cortulua added 39-year old veteran forward Victor Bonilla and a pack of unknowns so unless they find the next gems of Colombian Football, they seem like the most serious candidates to get back to the second division.

3. Barely enough to manage…

 America, Millonarios, Cartagena, Equidad and  Tolima are teams that either brought players who doesn’t seem like eternal saviors but can lend a hand, or teams that had a relatively solid base so didn’t make any significant acquisitions. These teams could still struggle to make an impact at the end of the season.

Another team in financial constraints is America, but they managed to add three promising foreigners, the Panamanians Edwin Aguilar (forward) and Jean McClean (Midfielder)  and the Paraguayan centreback Oscar Nadín. Veteran goalscorer Sergio Galvan Rey will partner Aguilar up front looking for the top goalscoring record among active players in Colombia. These players, and Jonathan Alvarez, a promising youngster who comes from the second division, are the hopes of a team that will try to fight the threat of relegation from the beginning. Nevertheless, they lost a core of experienced players such as Paulo Cesar Arango, Jersson Gonzalez, Ivan Velez and Leider Preciado.

On a similar predicament is Millonarios, the ambassadors did a significant overhaul of their roster and got rid of veterans such as Oscar Cordoba, Ricardo Ciciliano, Gerardo Bedoya and Milton Rodríguez. They rejuvenated the squad with 24-year-old Paraguayan Esteban Ramirez, to replace Bedoya and they will trust promising youngster Omar Vazquez to replace Ciciliano in the creative duties. The blues will give time to many players from their youth squad, with the risks that implies.

Equidad suffered a huge blow when they lost captain Stalin Motta to Nacional and their bet is on Renzo Sheput, a peruvian maestro, to replace him. Potent Carlos Rentería will try to bring the goals up front while the loss of Roman Torres in defence has not been covered with anyone, which is worrysome to say the least.

Tolima added midfielders Hugo Centurión and Diego Chará to a solid base which doesn’t strike me exactly as title contenders, but shouldn’t be suffering too much.

Cartagena added focused on quantity more than quality and that is never a good strategy. Nevertheles, they have the advantage of playing as a small team with no pressure, and an organized coach who’s been given time and trust to build a project.

 

Next Up: The winners in the transfer market…