Who is Ramon Cabrero?

It’s really cool to find out that Atletico Nacional’s new coach is actually a spaniard. A spaniard who, nonetheless, has been living in Argentina since he was four. But I find this cool because it breaks off a cycle where every time teams would say “we will get a foreign coach this year” they would only go looking for coaches in two countries in the world: Argentina and Uruguay. Nacional still followed the same old path but knowingly or not, they got somebody of a different nationality even if he’s got Argentine citizenship as i’m sure he does. 

But who is him? And why did Nacional go for him? Well, first of all, he managed to break the dominance of the Argentine league by perennial big teams like Boca and River or those from the second tier in historical importance which are Velez, San Lorenzo and Independiente. Lanus is known as a small side and he lead them to the title in the Apertura 2007. He knows how to build up winning teams with squad limitations. He built his Lanus victory upon the miles of experience of goalkeeper Carlos Bossio and the firepower of former River Plate striker José Sand. He’s a master tactician who made long ball and counterattack football a common routine at Lanus and since he will not have much time nor money to rebuild the Medellin greens, I’m sure he’ll try to follow that path.

And his upcoming job is certainly not an easy one: pucking up a devastated team morale-wise where the goalkeeper Eduardo Blandon is error-prone, his defence doesn’t trust him and they get so nervous that actually make it easier for other teams to score on them. Brazilian right back Baiano is but a shadow of his former Boca self and center back Humberto Mendoza is only news becouse of his controversies off the field. In the midfield, things aren’t better. The greens’ “big hope” was Aldo Leao Ramirez who suffered a sharp decline in his game when he was in Mexico and still hasn’t recovered. Peruvian Juan Carlos Mariño made zero impact in the little minutes he had and is very likely to leave just like John Charria and José Amaya, a duo that the press are rumoring to be bound for Millonarios, another failure of this season. Giovanni Moreno, the unkept promise of this team, never finishes to deliver and I’m sure he must be’d kill now to go back to his former team Envigado. Up front, veteran forward Galvan Rey seems ready to hang up his boots. He hasn’t said anything about it, tough. It’s his game (or lack thereof) that keeps showing that’s the case. More failed signings in these positions such as Carlos Rentería and León Darío Muñoz doesn’t make it any better for Cabrero. His only hope now is this guy: Edwin Cardona (pictured). A teen phenomenon who recently lead the Colombia U-17 team to the youth world cup. Imagine that: the hopes of the team rest in the shoulders of a 17-year old. Do I need to say anything else?

Santa Fe: Better get Paez

The common path can also be changed again if Independiente Santa Fe decides to hire former Venezuelan National Team coach Richard Paez. Altough he comes from an unsuccesful stint at Alianza Lima, he is the real architect of the remarkable growth that “La Vinotinto” experienced in recent years.  He changed the losing mentality of the venezuelan footballer and if he can do that for a team that has been waiting for more than 35 years for a title, the cardinals would have found their man.

But preventing official news of Paez is the fact that the cardinals’ chairman seems more keen on bringing Uruguayan coach Jorge “Polilla” (the moth) Da Silva, a fondly remembered striker at America de Cali during his playing days who yesterday caused the biggest splash in Copa Libertadores with his current team Defensor Sporting. The violets of Defensor kicked out of the competition none other than Boca Juniors after beating them 1-0 in their sacred temple of La Bombonera. After that, i’m sure the Defensor Sporting execs will be doing what’s humanly possible to keep Da Silva. That’s why Santa Fe should better get Paez.  

Category: Fútbol Profesional Colombiano News