ANDThe ‘architect’ of the Second leader, Csar Palacios has shown that he has very clear ideas since his arrival at Eibar as sports director. From the decision to bet on Gaizka Garitano, as well as when putting together a practically new squad and also now in this winter market in which they have not gone crazy. In the gun club they understood that they had to give continuity to the group that started the course and only joined Chemaa move to cover their backs in a position where there have been more injuries than desired in the first round.
It has been a quiet market, because we made the base and the effort in the summer
Palacios has made a positive assessment of the winter market. “It has been a quiet market, because we made the base and the effort in the summer. We had no concerns nor have we gone looking for anything beyond the opportunity that appeared with Chema, because we trusted those who were there. With the exception of Roberto Olabe, no one has told us that he wants to leave. In the summer we made it clear that we want everyone to continue and we are grateful that everyone wanted to continue in this exciting and complicated adventure”.
Our strength is in the group, in what we tried to create from the beginning and we are very satisfied with the 25 players we have
In this aspect, the gunsmith sports director wanted to publicly highlight the daily work done by players with few minutes such as Ager Aketxe, Glauder or the injured Franchu, key when it comes to the group being competitive and the maximum requirement. “Our strength is in the group, in what we tried to create from the beginning and we are very satisfied with the 25 players we have. The commitment shown by those who are playing the least is the basis on which we can all aspire. I appreciate it because they are players who have been protagonists in other teams, now they are not getting as many minutes, but that daily effort to increase competition is vital”.
Palacios has explained how Chema’s transfer was forged. “His incorporation is due, in part, to the fact that in the first round we had quite a few injured and at no time were we able to have all the central defenders at full capacity. Chema’s option came up, a variant that we had also had in mind since the summer and did not We doubted. He is a central defender with size, with experience, who comes from the First Division and is left-handed. We wanted to take care of all the details to face the remainder of the season at the highest level. That the setbacks that may appear to components of the squad do not interfere in the competitiveness of the team. He is going to give us a ball output from a specific left-hander, illusion and desire to achieve the goal”.
Garitano has 26 players at his command, a high figure but necessary to fight for promotion. “It’s a wide squad, but the goal we have in mind is so big that we can’t leave any detail uncontrolled because things will happen along the way, there are 17 finals left and we have to have enough tools to face them at the highest level. The season is long and there will be moments for everyone. For me, the Expsitos, Stoichkov, Tejero or Javi Muoz are just as important as they are having a great season like the work of Franchu, who is injured and I see him work and suffer every day, encouraging his teammates, Olabe or Aketxe who haven’t had many minutes either. Those who play the most get the spotlight, but they’re doing well because those who are in the shadows are also pressing.”
Eibar has not moved much, but Palacios has not lost sight of the movements that have been made in the category. “It has been a live market. The same Huesca that we met the other day had made four additions to the First Division plus a transfer of an important player in the category. The January market is difficult because it can break your stability. To the teams that It hasn’t gone so well for them. They try to react and change. Valladolid has made movements in and out, Almera has made one like us. In all markets you have to be active and attentive, but I’m happy because we’ve been calm being convinced of the work we had done and that stability is very important. We have to give it credit and value what the team has done so far. We haven’t achieved anything, but we are in a very hard-fought situation”.
Palacios is delighted with the harmony that has been built in Ipurua between the players and the fans. “We are in a good situation, but we haven’t achieved anything and we have to keep fighting every day because we see how difficult it is to win every weekend. I feel happy and excited, even more so because of what the team transmits. communion with Ipurua and Eibar as a whole. Now there will be difficult and key moments, because there will be no going back, and a special atmosphere is essential. We are going to see if all these matches that we still have in Ipurua manage to give continuity to what we have done”.
Palacios was also asked about Llorente’s situation, without minutes in the last two league games. “Fernando came to help. It is an example that a player in his career is as normal as he is. He helps the team in many aspects and I am sure he will continue to do so in the remainder of the season for his category at all levels. The Covid passed , it cost him and in these last two games he has not had minutes, but we are delighted with how he has entered the group and at a sporting level there will be moments that will be key for us”.
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