With just two days remaining before the vote, there is finally clarity on what the fans will be getting if they vote for each candidate. On Saturday the 24th of June, members of Athletic Club will take to the polls in order to a elect a President from Jon Uriarte, Inaki Arechabaleta or Ricardo Barkala.
Arechabaleta had confirmed earlier in the week and ahead of the two other candidates his manager for the upcoming season: Marcelo Bielsa.
On Thursday it was confirmed that should either Barkala or Uriarte win, former Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde would be making a return to the club. Barkala would have another ex-Barcelona employee heading up his sporting department in Ramon Planes. Uriarte had planned for Carlos Avina to be his, but that is under review after some discriminatory tweets from Avina were released during the campaign.
For the first time on Thursday, Valverde spoke on the matter, telling ETB that he wanted what was best for the club. Mundo Deportivo carried his comments.
“After the candidates were confirmed, two of them called me. I made my position clear to both, my position was inclusive and not exclusive, because it matters to me what happens to Athletic.”
“My idea was not to participate in the electoral process from the start. I am a member of Athletic.”
“I don’t see everything from a political prism, but more in terms of what is best for the club. As long as there are points of unity, it seems like a good thing within the whole panorama of an election campaign.”
It is an interesting strategy for two candidates to agree on the same manager. Even if members have more faith in Valverde than Bielsa, they run the risk of the vote being split between them.
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